Despite notable flaws, it's a worthy climax to a stunning trilogy

Rating: 8/10 (25 July 2012)

'It takes a little while to get back into the swing of things' explains loyal butler Alfred during one scene in 'The Dark Knight Rises'. He's right too, as anyone expecting Batman to fly straight back into action will be disappointed. However, if you're expecting a solid and emotional end to Christopher Nolan's trilogy, then you'll be very satisfied.
It's eight years since Harvey Dent's death in 'The Dark Knight'. Bruce Wayne has given up the role of Batman, due to the physical and personal toll which it has taken on him - not to mention that Dent's heroic legacy has resulted in organised crime being stamped out in Gotham altogether. So Bruce has become a recluse, his life an empty void without having Batman around. But a new villain, Bane, threatens to destroy Gotham and Batman needs to come back... but does he have the strength, or the spirit, to defeat him? 'The Dark Knight Rises' is not a perfect film by any means. The problems mainly lie in the lack of ideas compared to the last installment. At times, it feels like the most derivative film in the series, with various nods to other films like 'Die Hard With a Vengeance', 'The World is Not Enough' and especially 'Rocky III'. But also, especially towards the climax, it just feels like a bigger, louder rehash of 'Batman Begins', resorting to much more traditional plot devices (ticking time bomb anyone?).
That being said, the quality shines though in this film and everything that happens is executed with a flourish. The action sequences are impressively done, especially the fights between Bane and Batman and there are a couple of incredible set-pieces. As you'd expect, though, it's in the quieter, tender moments where the film succeeds. There are some heart-wrenching moments between Christian Bale and Michael Caine as Alfred, who really sells the role of surrogate father to Bruce.
There are a lot of new characters (and their subplots) in 'The Dark Knight Rises' which means that, for many, the lengthy first act will have audiences struggling to keep up. Anne Hathaway is very good as Selina Kyle (aka. Catwoman) in a role which I honestly did not expect to like. She adds an element of much-needed humour and playfulness, rather than the more sexualised version we saw in Tim Burton's film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets quite a lot of screen time, but isn't quite as convincing, as a cop who catches the eye of Commissioner Gordon (the ever-reliable Gary Oldman).
Finally of course, there's Tom Hardy's crucial performance as Bane. After all, what is a Batman film without a decent villain performance? Well don't panic, because Hardy is wonderful and manages to exude more menace and charisma from behind a facemask than many actors can normally. Physically imposing as well as intelligent, it's safe to say that Bane's brutal encounters with Batman easily rank among the highlights of the trilogy.
One major problem people will have with 'TDKR' is that there's a severe lack of Batman on screen. This is true, but I think we've reached the stage where we can look on Bruce Wayne in the same light whether he's dressed in the cape and cowl or not. Remarkably, the film maintains the running theme of the trilogy and sees it through - the idea of Batman being a symbol of inspiration, not just a man.
Another flaw of 'TDKR' is how events are rushed as we reach the climax. Nolan manages to gather an impressive sea of extras for the film's final confrontation, which takes place after months of misery and oppression from Bane, but drops the ball when within seconds he takes us away from this epic scene in favour of the familiar runaway-vehicle chase sequence (taken straight from 'BB'). Also, a surprise twist is revealed way too late in the game to have any substantial impact on the film.
Technically of course, the film is astounding and maintains that level of excellence we've become used to from Nolan's work. The cinematography, special effects and production design all come together nicely. The Hans Zimmer soundtrack is powerful, almost too powerful actually, often drowning out dialogue but in the big scenes it really packs a punch.
Overall, I really enjoyed 'The Dark Knight Rises' but felt that I needed a second viewing to really appreciate it. There are more problems but the way the film expands on the backstory and mythos of Batman, along with it's huge emotional clout, easily make up for it's shortcomings.