Plot: Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham City has reached a period of relative peace. As a consequence of former district attorney Harvey Dent's death, the "Dent Act" has ground organized crime to a screeching halt. Unfortunately, peace alludes both Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Police Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman). Both know that Batman took the fall for Dent's murderous rampage. Gordon's guilty conscience is beginning to eat away at him. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne/Batman has become a virtual recluse in Wayne Manor, recovering from both physical and emotional injuries. However, when the actions of a mysterious cat burglar named Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) point Bruce in the direction of a new criminal element led by terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy), he realizes the city he loves may be in grave danger. To prevent catastrophe, Bruce will have to face the truth about his past, heal his emotional and physical trauma, and once again take up the mantle of The Batman.
Review: There are very few good third films in a franchise. For every Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there's a Godfather Part III or a Superman III. I'm happy to say that The Dark Knight Rises does not fall into that category. In point of fact in may be the best third film in a franchise ever.
To say I had high expectations going into this film is like saying the Penn State football program is having minor problems. My expectations were astronomical, and while TDKR wasn't as good as it's predecessor, it was still a resounding success that works on every level. In fact it is such a multi-layered film with so many interesting dynamics, that I had to see it twice--once in the regular theater and once in IMAX. (And in case you're on the fence, go see it in IMAX, it is definitely worth your time.) I actually liked the film better a second time. TDKR continues to dominate my thoughts and for me that's always a sign of a good film. If someone offered tonight to go see it again, I'd drop whatever plans I had and head out.
The reason the Batman franchise has been so successful over the last eight years is a direct result of director Christopher Nolan's vision. Nolan has mastered the art of blending spectacle with a strong plot. Furthermore, he's able to address larger societal issues such as class warfare, energy concerns, and the disparity between the rich and the poor in our own society. Nolan balances these societal issues against the intense personal issues that individuals deal with everyday. Two that instantly jump to mind are Bruce's inner turmoil with his traumatic past, something that eats away at his very soul, or Selina Kyle's personal desire to start anew after leading a criminal life. Nolan has the rare ability to point a mirror at society and individuals that is not judgemental but gets the audience to think. He also went back to the early film era for The Dark Knight Rises, as you can see the influence of films like Metropolis throughout the picture. In particular TDKR shows how Gotham is actually rotting from the bottom up, just like in director Fritz Lang's 1927 classic.
Yet Nolan's vision would be futile if not his and brother Jonathan's excellent script. The plot is fast paced and engaging, but takes time for strong emotional scenes. Dialogue is potent and believable although occasionally hokey. (Hey it is a superhero film after all!) At a 2 hour and 45 minute run time I was amazed that the movie flew by so fast. With all the engaging and diverse plot points, I could have watched another hour. And the ending in particular will blow your mind. (Although if you are a huge fan of the Caped Crusader you might guess what's coming.) Christopher and his brother should collaborate on every script as far as I'm concerned.
Academy award winners Hans Zimmer and Wally Pfister once again pack a one two punch as musician and cinematographer respectively, in TDKR. Zimmer's excellent score compliments Pfister's intimate screen moments, as well as the huge action set pieces. And believe me Nolan went all out with the action sequences in this movie. The destruction of Rogue Stadium is nothing compared to the last 45 minutes of the movie which is an all out assault on the senses.
Christian Bale manages to deliver his best performance as Batman/Bruce Wayne yet. The physical damage is devastating but the Academy Award winner excels at actualizing Bruce Wayne's inner turmoil. How his pain affects his relationships, in particular Bruce's relationship with Alfred, (Michael Caine) is a sight to see. Caine, as good as he is in this film, unfortunately gets a little short changed in TDKR. I was expecting him to have a larger role but based on what happens in the story his absence does make sense.
Two newcomers to the franchise, Joseph Gordon Levitt's Detective John Blake and Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle impress immensely. Blake comes across as an idealist, someone who still believes in the Batman and like Bruce, shares a troubled past. In fact in many ways Blake server as a mirror to Bruce Wayne/Batman. The scene where John Blake and Bruce Wayne discuss Blake's horrible past is particularly riveting. And what can I say about Anne Hathaway? She's the perfect Catwoman (although she's never referred to by that name in the movie.) Hathaway's performance puts Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman in Batman Returns to shame. Selina Kyle comes across as a slick thief, doing whatever it takes to survive, but at the same time ambivalent about what she does to make a living. It's a throwback to the Catwoman of DC Comics, something that I think the fans will appreciate.
And then of course there is Tom Hardy as Bane. Hardy was handed an impossible task by being the next villain to follow Heath Ledger's Joker*. There was no way he'd be able to top or even give an equal performance, and he doesn't in TDKR. But boy is he damn good! Bane is the first villain that Batman has come across that is really a match for him intellectually and physically. Whereas The Joker just wanted "to watch the world burn" Bane has a distinct plan he's trying to carry out. And anyone who gets in his way is going to summarily get his ass kicked. What's amazing about Hardy's performance is that except for one brief scene, he wears a mask the entire movie. Yet despite this he's able to convey so much just through his eyes and his physical gestures. There was a part in the film where he puts his hand on another character's shoulder and the implied menace and promise of violence literally gave me chills. Hardy is quickly becoming this generation's Marlon Brando and it's only a matter of time before he wins an Academy Award. As his for his "voice" that everyone was complaining about? Except for maybe one or two lines I understood everything Hardy said, and although his accent was slightly off putting at times, it was definitely a bold choice.
I seriously pondered for a long time what to actually rate The Dark Knight Rises because it's not as good as The Dark Knight. (Just for your information I consider Batman Begins a 10/10 and The Dark Knight a 15/10). Yet I realized that doesn't mean I shouldn't give TDKR a perfect rating. After all I consider Schindler's List and The Shawshank Redemption to both be 10s but I like the latter more than the former. I kind of equate TDKR to The Godfather Part II in some ways. At the end of the day, The Dark Knight Rises stands out as an exciting, engaging, and riveting spectacle that works on every level. The acting is superb, the script brilliant, and the set pieces, score, and cinematography are stupendous. It's easily the best film I've seen so far in 2012.
My rating: 10/10
*Incidentally I consider Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker to not only be the best comic book villain performance of all time but also one of the best onscreen villains of all time, right up there with Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates.
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