A phenomenal triumph of character storytelling, The Comic book trilogy curse has been squashed flat.

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2013)

With by far the most difficult task ever given in comic book films (being a worthy successor to The Dark Knight, killing the Comic trilogy curse plagued by far inferior fare such as Sam Raimi's atrocious Spider-Man 3 and Brett Ratner's lazy, laughable X3 affair), Nolan manages to accomplish both of these tasks with intelligent character writing, witty style and heart pounding, adrenaline pumping action that rivals any action blockbuster ever made.
The film simply drips with charisma, with every cast member delivering an exceptional performance. Anne Hathaway redefines the Catwoman character, creating the greatest incarnation to ever hit the big screen, splicing the tough exterior of action heroines from the 80's and 90's with the of classic sophistication of big screen icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Gloria Swanson.
Tom Hardy's Bane provides the film with cinemas most intimidating big screen antagonist since Heath Ledger's Joker, a criminal mastermind that is both intelligent, cunning and physically powerful. It is not difficult to see why his character has endured in pop culture significantly more than forgettable villains from other properties (Lena Headey's Ma-Ma and Tom Hiddleston's Loki).
But the true journey lies with our protagonist, Bruce Wayne, played with astonishing soulfulness by Christian Bale, who's journey from broken man to shining beacon once again for the city of Gotham (which feels like a character more than any other Metropolis in film) is filled with tension, despair, hope and a real solid sense of pathos.
With the always excellent Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman rounding out the Oscar calibre cast, The Dark Knight Rises provides many heart felt moments and surprises guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat trying to what comes next.