Stunning end to a stunning trilogy

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2012)

I went to watch the IMAX version of The Dark Knight Rises with a lot of expectation. And boy, was I impressed!!! This was a very difficult movie to pull off as comparisons with the earlier two installments were imminent. Does Bane have the same menace as the Joker? Yes, and more. Perhaps he does not appear as manic as the Joker, but Tom Hardy sure makes a scary villain. Christian Bale as the Batman is in top form as he appears vulnerable, determined and defeated as the script demands. He seems to breathe life into the character of Bruce Wayne. Able support is lent by veterans Michael Caine, Gary Oldman (such an angst ridden face!) and who can forget Morgan Freeman who is grace personified!
Anne Hathaways' portrayal of the Cat Woman makes the movie a bit more entertaining though her character could have been more fleshed out.
One can notice several Nolan favourites in this movie. Joseph Gordon Levitt, Marion Cotillard, ... they all do reasonably well.
The action sequences are jaw dropping. The opening sequence where Bane escapes from a plane or the scene where bridges are blown and an entire football stadium goes down are just stunning. I guess it is time that the reigns of Bond AND the Jason Bourne franchise are handed over to Nolan! Such is his mastery over the medium.
A word about the musical score. This is perhaps Hans Zimmer' best.
I found just a couple of trivial inconsistencies but I guess these can be easily overlooked.
The climax was totally unexpected and one is amazed with the alacrity with which Nolan has put all the pieces together. Will Batman return? I guess not.
This movie is all about hope, friendship, love, dedication, retribution, self-belief, loyalty... All the values which one cherishes. One comes out of the theatre with a smile which remains pasted for a long time :) This is essentially a good versus evil drama told with such great panache and style!!
Nolan apparently has kept the door open for a Robin franchise now... Only time will tell.