Brilliant but suffers due to complexity

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2012)

The Dark Knight Rises fittingly concludes an epic trilogy. A series that will go down as a testament to the medium and is likely to shape an entire generation of comic-book inspired film. The Dark Knight Rises is very much a transcendence of its predecessors; a hybrid of both films in terms of both tone and composition. First-class performances from many of the main-cast members (Freeman, Bale, Oldman, Caine, Hathaway) grace the already painstakingly crafted scenes. I was particularly impressed with Hardy's ability to transmit such raw visual intensity using effectively a third of his face. However I felt slightly disappointed with a particular romance which seemed largely contrived from outside characters rather than developed by the duo involved.
The Dark Knight Rises contextualises itself with relevant real-world issues much like its immediate predecessor. Issues such as economic inequality and the flow and access of personal information are dealt implemented seamlessly into the plot. The Dark Knight Rises in fact deals with such a great deal of plot and character development particularly in the early-stages it can feel slightly bloated; somewhat lacking the brilliant flowing simplicity of the Joker/Batman conflict. However all that development pays off in the latter stages with heart-racing scenes in abundance. I had often questioned the conventional 2-hour (this running at 2hr 45m) duration of the typical film; as I suspected the limitation is not artistic but an anatomical one I would strongly advise finding a cinema with comfy seats! Ultimately The Dark Knight Rises lives up to The Dark Knight providing a beautiful end-note to a breathtaking symphony.