The Dark Knight Rises is okay, but Batman Begins is still the best one.

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2012)

I love Batman, he's the best superhero. Why? Because he don't need superpowers to save the day! Just deus-ex machina! The Dark Knight Rises, the conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Bat-trilogy, promises to end the legend, kill the Batman, and leave Gotham at the mercy of super-baldy Bane. Of course anyone with a basic grasp of fiction will understand that just ain't gonna happen. My favourite Nolan Batman film was 2005's Batman Begins. The Dark Knight was good, the best bit being Heath Ledger's Joker, but Batman Begins had to rectify a franchise that had become a laughing stock ever since 1997's Batman & Robin. Which it did fantastically.
So then, does The Dark Knight 'rise' to the occasion. See what I did there? Yeah, and I thought my jokes were bad. Oh well, you know what else sucks – puns about snow and ice. Yeah, we get it Mr Freeze is just that. Jesus.
Anyway I was impressed at the misdirection with the villains, but as many people have said, it ruined the character of Bane. However, I still think it was an impressive plot development for Talia to be the mastermind, carrying on her father's legacy, and brining the film down to a very personal climax for Batman. Maybe it was left too late in the way of things, nonetheless you don't see it coming and by that point in the film's 170 minute running time, you needed something to kick you in the teeth.
Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale both expressed a dislike for the Robin character in their film trilogy, but with Batman being Batman and having a 70+ year history, out of respect, you should acknowledge that which came before. I was pleased with the development of their take on Robin, but found it a bit cringe worthy when they signposted it at the end "Hey you should use your real name. ROBIN!" Anne Hathaway's Catwoman worked well, better than Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns. In TDKR, she is a better romantic foil for Bruce Wayne / Batman because they represent the opposite ends of the social spectrum. Without even being called Catwoman throughout the film, she is in my mind the best portrayal of the character.
Alfred was great at doing what he does best – being Batman's Batman.
Bane was very effective as a villain, but falls short on some things mostly due to Nolan's 'gritty and realistic' take on the Bat-Universe. Okay so as you may or may not know, Bane's primary character trait is Venom, an enhancing super steroid that turns him from a psychopathic body builder into a psychopathic WWE wrestler. This is acceptable in the comic books, even the animated TV series, and EVEN in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin. Joel Schumacher directed Falling Down FALLING DOWN, and he gives us Batman & Robin with the bike races, and the neon, and ice puns, and the George Cloooooneeeeeeeeyewpeifeqigbegf ?!!?! Anyway, so in the transplanting Bane into the 'it could actually happen' aesthetic of Nolan's Gotham, his main characteristic is, how do I say it, removed? But you know, you are still adapting a comic book character you need to keep it in somehow. His mask then is left on. Okay. Why? Why does he where that mask? I think there's a passing reference to 'pumping constant anaesthetic into his face to stop him from feeling immense pain' but it's so under-handed at justifying it. So you get a man wearing a scary mask and I've just realised that's what Batman does. Hmm.
The Dark Knight Rises is damn good superhero fun, a fitting end to the Nolan trilogy, and no doubt will get people wondering what's next in store for his take on the caped-crusader. It better not bloody well be Robin: The Movie.