tale of two Gothams

Rating: 7/10 (2 August 2012)

The latest Batman movie obviously has made a lot of news due to the shooting at a showing of it in Aurora, Colorado. But aside from that, the movie's plot still needs to get discussed.
It was going to be all but impossible to top "The Dark Knight". While "The Dark Knight Rises" doesn't quite reach its predecessor, it comes pretty close. The movie takes place some years after the last one, and Bruce Wayne is now a recluse. Due to the lie that Batman and Commissioner Gordon had to promulgate in the last movie, the Caped Crusader has been totally out of the scene ever since. But then comes Bane...
It's worth noting that the Bane in this movie has no relation to the butchered version in the execrable "Batman & Robin". This Bane, played by Tom Hardy, is pure evil but is a very clever, calculating individual. He's kind of like the Joker in the last movie, except that instead of creating terror for terror's sake, he's more comparable to Stalin.
The other challenge for Batman is of course Catwoman. But this Catwoman, played by Anne Hathaway, is not really a villain as much as a kleptomaniac (or cat burglar, if you will) who exists as more of a challenge to Bane.
And then there's the issue of why Bane does what he does. Bane says that he wants to liberate everyone. But look how many assumed revolutions have led to governments just as bad as those that they toppled. Is the movie's point that there is no fully legitimate government?
Like I said, the movie isn't a masterpiece. The action scenes are really over-the-top. More than anything, I liked Anne Hathaway's performance as Catwoman. The movie is definitely worth seeing.