The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller

Release Date: July 20, 2012

My Rating:  




The Dark Knight Rises is a roller coaster of thrills, morals, darkness, plot twists, top-notch action scenes, and much more; it's pure high-order entertainment.  Nolan ends his trilogy on a great, and dark, note.  The Dark Knight has risen well.

The thing about making a finale, or any sequel, in a franchise is that it's hard to do so.  There are expectations and hype to live up to, and a weak installment can ruin a franchise (even without hype).  Sometimes, however, such films are a success.  Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises is the finale to his Batman trilogy, and I just saw it in the theater today.  It doesn't live up to the excellence of The Dark Knight, but it really is an excellent movie.

The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after the end of The Dark Knight.  Bruce Wayne is retired from being Batman, and he mainly stays shut up in his new mansion.  His reputation as Batman is tarnished because he took the rap for Harvey Dent's crimes in the previous film.  However, he is soon pulled back into action when a new villain, Bane, starts wreaking havoc on Gotham (although, of course, this havoc is not his primary objective).

Nolan's previous two Batman films were more dark, deep, emotional, and moral, instead of lighthearted and bright.  They were even a bit intellectually involving.  So what should you expect from this movie?  More of those same elements!  He doesn't completely live up to hype and expectations, and this film is probably the weakest of the trilogy (but only slightly; it's just a hair behind Batman Begins), but Nolan does not disappoint.  The film starts out a bit slowly and a bit weak, and the first act is definitely the weakest part of the film (but not bad, though), but it eventually really gets going and really unfolds, and the sky is the limit for Nolan.  The film is by no means perfect.  It does have a few flaws.  There are a few flawed dialogue lines here and there.  Batman doesn't have as much screen time as he should have.  Also, the plot stumbles a bit here and there, and some things should have been organized and paid off better.  But it's pretty darn good as it is.

The effects, visual and sound, are excellent.  The visual and special effects are as great as ever, from the scenery and portrayal of Gotham, to the costumes, action effects, and everything else.  Hans Zimmer composed the score for the previous two films, and he composed it for this film too, and once again, he did a good job.  The actors in this film put on good performances.  In this film, we have some familiar faces, including Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Mr. Fox (Morgan Freeman).  And of course we have some new characters, including Bane.  There are also a couple of women with whom Bruce has shallow love affairs, and one of whom is Catwoman.  And speaking of new things, Batman now has a new means of transportation: one that flies!  And of course the story is good, and the ending is especially powerful (but I won't give it away).  The story even has plot twists and whatnot, and it's not completely predictable or formulematic, which is good, of course.  This movie, again, is, by a tad, the weakest in the trilogy, but it's great.

The Dark Knight Rises is a roller coaster of thrills, morals, darkness, plot twists, top-notch action scenes, and much more; it's pure high-order entertainment.  Nolan ends his trilogy on a great, and dark, note.  The Dark Knight has risen well.




Cast and Credits:
Bruce Wayne / Batman: Christian Bale
Commissioner Gordon: Gary Oldman
Bane: Tom Hardy
Selina / Catwoman: Anne Hathaway
Miranda: Marion Cotillard
Lucius Fox: Morgan Freeman
Alfred: Michael Caine

Warner Brothers Pictures presents
A film directed by Christopher Nolan
Running time: 164 min.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language