This depressing and shallow mess is officially a disappointment of epic proportions

Rating: Null/10 (18 July 2012)

Will this add to TDK's legend? Sure, TDK was good but grew to be THE most overrated film of any genre because of the Ledger and Nolan fanboy InterLove. Now, TDKR delivers one of the most unmemorable and downright disappointing sequels ever put to film. Yes, it ranks right down there with Crystal Skull in terms of huge and head scratching let downs.
TDK was fine entertainment that may have gotten over-inflated and over-praised with the passage of time. Don't get me started about Batman Begins. The fact is that TDKR is another Batman Begins without the intrigue. Frankly, that makes Nolan's Batman trilogy a dull sandwich when you think about it. TDK is the meat and the first and now especially the third films are nothing but gummy Wonder Bread equivalents. I can't believe how shallow TDKR turned out despite them trying to jam everything in to the film. Unlike TDK, word of mouth will hurt TDKR because this mangled and often dumb film is a mess. A genuinely un-fun mess at that.
I know certain Nolan fanboys everywhere are circling the wagons to praise this movie but that in and of itself proves what I'm saying. Fanboys wanted to like it and apparently will look past all of its flaws. Everyone else is saying it's written like a shallow popcorn flick but with dull action sequences. There really is nothing special on display here and it's so much LESS than the second effort. How can a film follow something somewhat good with something this bad? It's not just the high expectations. It really is a bad film all on its own.
Yet, thanks to good trailers and a general fondness for TDK, this thing will take in big money early but leave a majority of the audience disappointed to say the least. If the viewer has at least half a brain, it's guaranteed that the actual movie is going to lead to general disappointment especially if you're not already a fan.
Overcrowded and cheesy fluff usually fizzles at the box office but TDKR is bulletproof at this point. The real judge of this movie will be general reaction and most are going to correctly label it a disappointment of epic proportions.