This is the moment that everyone has been waiting for. After four long years of hush-hush secrets, teaser trailers, posters, and everything in-between, The Dark Knight has Risen. And Christopher Nolan has created a near flawless masterpiece that meets and exceeds fan expectations. We start with a snippet of Commissioner Gordon speaking at Harvey "Two-Face" Dent's funeral from The Dark Knight, after Batman has taken the fall for Dent's crimes. We then cut to eight years later. Our prologue resumes with a beautiful airplane escape sequence that gives us our first look at the menacing Bane. It is Harvey Dent Day in Gotham. The new Dent Law has put thousands of criminals behind bars, and Gotham is now virtually crime-free thanks to Dent's legacy. Bruce Wayne has been a social recluse, not coming out of his chambers for eight years, nor has Batman come out of the cave. Bruce then hears rumors of a "masked man" named Bane, who is beginning to run an underground crime operation in Gotham. He then decides to see if he still has it, and tries to don the Batsuit for the first time in eight years. We are introduced to a slew of new characters, including petty cat burglar Selina Kyle (never referenced as Catwoman in the movie), rookie cop John Blake, new Wayne Enterprises investor (and eventually CEO) Miranda Tate, and several other minor characters that fit into Bane's plan. Alfred and Lucius Fox return as Bruce Wayne's butler and technological advisor, respectively. So, Bane wreaks havoc on Gotham, turning it into a new "republic" where he is basically judge, jury, and executioner. He has created a nuclear bomb from an energy source that Wayne Enterprises had built, and threatens to detonate the city to finally purge Gotham of its corrupt injustice. Fitting to the theme of the film, Batman must "rise" several times, both literally and symbolically. I will not give any further plot detail. However, in its last hour, there are several plot twists and character revelations that really take the story further than anyone could have imagined. The ending of the film will have you on the edge of your seat, begging for more.
This film is, to say the least, a masterpiece. First, Christopher Nolan's direction is tremendous. He has a vision that I don't think any director in Hollywood today can match. He delivers a films that the fans wanted, that gives us closure, that throws us for a loop and then pulls us right back in. The look of the film was beautiful. From the gloomy streets of Gotham to the prison that Bruce is held in for a good portion of the movie. The soundtrack was as epic as the movie itself, with Hans Zimmer coming full circle, mixing snippets of previous Dark Knight soundtracks with new material (including the haunting "Rise" chant). The one complaint I did have was at times, the soundtrack got a little loud and boomy during dialogue, and it got a little hard to understand some of the characters at those moments. The Nolan Brothers, Christopher and Jonathan, who co-wrote the script, did a fantastic job at tying up everything that needed to be, bringing the whole story full circle. The striking allegories between some of America's current crises and Gotham was very well and subtly done. The performances in the movie were Oscar-worthy. Christian Bale delivers his best performance as Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego, providing raw emotion not seen in his previous renditions, especially in the movies third act. Anne Hathaway was the PERFECT choice to play Selina Kyle, and she delivers a beautiful (both physical and otherwise) performance. She looks great in her outfit. Tom Hardy was also perfect to play the physically brooding character Bane. He is the only villain in the series who is both a physical AND intellectual equal of Batman. He also provides a physical representation of one of the most iconic images from the Batman comics. His face is concealed by a mask that disperses pain medicine, due to an injury he suffered early in his origins. Without the medicine, he would be unable to function. Although Hardy's face is hidden with a mask, he does amazing things emotionally with just his eyes, showing through them some of the pain and suffering he has endured throughout his lifetime. His voice, in my opinion, was very well done. He has a very dark sarcastic voice of intelligence, which plays great with his character. He has an overall sense of doom and physicality throughout the movie, up until his last moments. Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues to define himself as a good actor as John Blake, an orphan who befriends Bruce Wayne and is integral in the plot of the movie. Marion Cotillard is striking and beautiful as Miranda Tate, who also provides a twist late in the movie. The returning characters are great as always. I was a little upset over the lack of Alfred in the film, though Michael Caine is great anytime he graces the screen, and provides some of the more subtle emotional punches throughout. Morgan Freeman is also good to see as Lucius Fox, providing some impressive new toys for Batman. And the master Gary Oldman is as good as ever as Commissioner Jim Gordon. And yes, there IS a cameo by Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. The Scarecrow from Batman Begins. The new Bat Gadgets were great. The "Bat", the flying hover pod type vehicle seen in the trailers was epic in every sense of the word, soaring through Gotham's streets and seemingly defying gravity. I just can't praise this movie enough. Christopher Nolan has taken the story full circle, tying up (almost) every loose end made throughout the series, and to quote Bruce Wayne, may not be the end that everyone wanted, but it is the end that everyone needed. His references to his previous Dark Knight movies was also smartly done ("I flipped a coin"). The movie is left open just enough for fans to want more, yet have a satisfying sense of closure. Nolan has redefined not just Batman, nor superheroes, but the entire film industry, proving that superheroes do not have to be campy, but can be serious and realistic. He has created a Batman that everyone can relate to. No other Batman film, nor will one ever, match what Nolan was able to accomplish. This is the motion picture event that everyone, superhero fan or not, needs to see. While Bane may not match the masterful performance of Heath Ledger as The Joker, the movie overall was better to me than The Dark Knight. If this isn't the superhero movie to win Best Picture, no superhero movie ever will. It was epic in every sense of the word, and a fitting, grand conclusion that every fan has dreamed of. The most amazing, large, grand scale, BEST, motion picture I have ever seen. Christopher Nolan, thank you. You not only matched fans expectations, you exceeded them.
Rating: A+++
