Those that are saying it's good are flat out lying. The Dark Knight Rises is flat, insipid, and ultimately self-defeating

Rating: Null/10 (18 July 2012)

Well, it's apparent that the full con job is on to save face by the fanboys and to save the box office by the studio. Those of us that actually have seen this film know the truth. It's a dull and diminished film not worthy of any real praise at all.
So we have to ask, what the hell happened? Were we expecting too much? It's simply too cool and remote for its own good and it's dragged down by fractured development and a split focus. Add an over-satisfied and overlong delivery that can numb the viewer and TDKR is hardly the alleged masterpiece that all the fans have conned themselves in to believing that it is. This forgets the better quality of TDK and reverts back to below Batman Begins levels. Bale makes a slick Bruce Wayne but a stiff and unconvincing Batman yet again.
I know the following statement of FACT will upset the many Nolanophiles that post here but TDKR is an average film at best. Anyone that says otherwise is just fooling themselves. They would rave about The Dark Knight Rises regardless of quality. To them, Nolan could have filmed Bale pooping in a pot for an hour and they would deem the footage to be Oscar level. Delusional fans aside, it's becoming quite clear that The Dark Knight Rises is getting some praise because people remember TDK fondly. As a result, all the hype and praise will lead to an incredible box office and curiosity factor. Since TDKR doesn't suck, (it's merely average) no one is going to speak out against it and the curiosity factor will garner it even more money and fake praise. The WB knows it has a can't miss on their hands regardless of the lack of quality.
Sad to say, Dark Knight Rises falls flat. In summer that's been very good so far it was average to the point of tedium. The choppy action offers nothing we haven't seen before. Most of the time, the viewer is "treated" to a dark pondering film setting up a villain that can't come close to following Heath Ledger's Joker. It also sets up an alternate character in Catwoman that feels more tacked on then extra make-up at a brothel. It's a drawn out plot that this movie just didn't need. It certainly isn't as bad as the Batman & Robin days but it's also not half as good as other, more complete comic adaptations. Anyone saying otherwise is again flat out lying either to you or to themselves.
I truly think that some die-hard fans are so fooled by there own limited views and the the fact that they NEED this to be good that they really think this thing is a great film. The sad thing is that they really believe that nonsense. More's the pity. Apparently, they'd rather lie to both you and to themselves.