Bit of a let down

Rating: 7/10 (8 December 2012)

It is interesting to note that the big difference between the IMDb rating of The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises is with the Male 18 - 29 and 30 - 44 groups. The former has very high ratings, but the latter simply has good ratings. I fall in the latter category, and have to agree with the lower average rating for the final film in the trilogy.
Where TDK is a compelling parable wound around a philosophical battle between the Batman and the Joker, TDKR is a collection of obvious social and political messages jimmied into a traditional superhero flick. The action scenes may be good enough to please the under 18 audience - the main target for this type of film - but the overall package fails to rise above the genre. Where Ledger's Joker is possibly the most complex and commanding superhero film villain of all time, Bane lacks gravitas and charisma and any subtlety that may exist in the comic-books fails to make it over to the screen.
Having watched most of Nolan's films, I find that the main protagonists are often difficult to form a relationship with. This is deliberate. Nolan's Batman stands for an idea that is in many ways inhuman, or at least is a part of human nature that is cold and unfeeling, and was used perfectly in TDK. However, without a strong set of characters to add what Batman lacks, this inhumanity robs Nolan's Batman films of soul. The soul of TDK arose from the interactions between Harvey Dent, the Batman / Bruce Wayne, the Joker and Rachel Dawes. There was no meaningful emotional interaction between Bane and the Batman, and that is a fundamental flaw that prevents the film transcending its style.
Nolan's films are deliberate constructions built up to be challenging on both an intellectual and emotional level. However, the target is often missed. Great film-making in of itself isn't enough for Nolan, which is admirable, but when he fails, those looking for something extra are left feeling let down. So it is with TDKR.