A Huge Film That Refuses to Play it Safe

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2012)

SPOILERS!!
SPOILERS!!
So many times the third part of the trilogy is what kills a franchise's momentum. Spiderman, X-Men, even the legendary Godfather movies could not hold consistent over three films. Chistopher Nolan, on the other hand, has demonstrated that he has the ingenuity and talent to achieve such a feat.
Not only has he made a conclusion as solid as the rest of the series, in my opinion he has outdone himself and made the best Batman movie yet. Of course, I am sure that there are many who would vehemently disagree and contest that The Dark Knight remains the best of the three. I would certainly not be in the position to prove them otherwise. Just like I wouldn't be in the position for someone who thought Batman Begins was the best. That's my point, all three films are of such high quality that anyone can choose their favourite knowing it's a solid film. It ultimately depends on what you like in a movie that determines which one is your favourite. For me, what makes Rises the best of the three is how different it is. This is, without a doubt, the most ambitious of the three and the stakes are raised to new heights. The city is in anarchy and the Bat is broken. Bruce Wayne must pull himself back together and truly transform himself for the first time in 8 years into the true Batman.
One thing I love in movies is watching your hero tested to the point where he actually fails the first time. A rusty Batman is forced to return to save Gotham from a new threat. This leads to the first encounter between Batman and Bane. This is my favourite scene in the whole movie. Not because I hate Batman and want him to fail, but because this scene legitimises Bane and shows what state Batman is in. It was so interesting to see a tired Batman far from his peak using all his tricks and Bane unflinchingly persevering. The speech Bane gives when Batman attempts to conceal himself in the dark is epic and terrifying. It's the first fight between the two and the emerging villain lands the KO to take the first fight, with devastating results. It's this kind of encounter that made the "Knightfall" comic series great. I honestly couldn't believe they actually put in the backbreaking scene, and boy was I mesmerized with what I saw. The bulky bane picks up a battered Batman and delivers a devastating knee to the back, severing the spine. This was the protagonist's lowest point and God was it a fascinating drop. That's when you know it's a great movie, when it sucks you in and takes you to the depths of disaster so the hero can claw his way back.
I'm not going in much further into the movie, I just wanted to give my brief opinion and describe one of my favourite scenes. I will say that the actors were incredible and all brought their 'A' game. Anne Hathaway shocked me by surpassing my expectations as Catwoman, further cementing the wise words "In Nolan we trust". Alfred was the heart of the movie, plain and simple. Bane was awesome. I know people will always be more fascinated with Joker from the second film but there are merits that make Bane even more menacing. He's a psychopathic crime boss, who's cold philosophy and intimidating presence is only topped by his cunningness. He was a joy to watch.
A great film, one of my personal favourites.