A solid film overall...but even better as a trilogy

Rating: 9/10 (20 July 2012)

The Dark Knight Rises...Where do I start? Well, for one thing, it does its job in ending the Christopher Nolan series perfectly. It also has the same roots from both the previous films in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight - which in turn, both benefits and detracts the overall quality of the film. With that said however, I can assure you that Nolan has done the impossible in making a film that overtakes The Dark Knight in terms of being the best comic-book/superhero film ever made, and maybe even creating the best movie trilogy there is since The Lord of the Rings or The Godfather Saga.
Right away, like the previous two installments of the series, Nolan starts by creating a totally environment and setting than we last saw in The Dark Knight. 8 years has past since the events of the Joker and Harvey Dent, and with it, comes dramatic changes to the characters we know and love. Christian Bale and co. (Michael Caine and Tom Hardy) have done a fantastic job in making said transition, and Gotham looks better than ever. Until Bane comes, and with the help of Cat-burglar Selina Kyle (Aced by Anne Hathaway), Bruce Wayne/Batman must reclaim the city he dutifully protects. Introduced are new allies in Detective John Blake and Miranda Tate.
TDKR would be a combination of BB and TDK, with many references to both movies. This film is also perhaps the closest in staying true to the comics in terms of the Nolan series. As such, this may turn off audiences who watched the Dark Knight, or who came in with reactions to be similar to the Dark Knight. The pacing of the film was also a bit rushed, and I would've loved to see more development between the characters before reaching the awe-inspiring third act. This film is without its flaws, but unlike many "third films", it manages to balance out all the things they're trying to do. TDKR itself is truly a epic conclusion to the Nolan saga, and I recommend anyone to give it a go.