Best of the Dark Knight Trilogy!

Rating: 9/10 (27 October 2013)

The Dark Knight Rises is what I think the best of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, where Gotham City faced a new nemesis, a ruthless mercenary called Bane, and learn the truth of Batman after what took place in the events of the previous film, The Dark Knight.
It is a pretty long movie clocking in at 165 minutes; however, the great direction and intriguing screenplay/story made this a very captivating movie, which I believe grasps the audience's attention from beginning to end.
The action sequences were very well choreographed - powerful and realistic. Tom Hardy as Bane's menacing character was given the perfect amount of coldness, generating no sympathy from the audience. Just the part of him and his henchmen attacking a football stadium full of people following a young boy's rendition of A Star-Bangled Banner gave us a very teeth-chattering and chilling feeling.
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman provided much-needed comic relief in this dark film. I loved all her one-liners and acid wit as she dealt with her opponents. She emphasized the "cat burglar" role as intended by the comics for Catwoman.
Christian Bale gave a solid performance of Batman. The plot line of him bowing to defeat and then rising to the occasion to save Gotham City was very powerful and moving, reminding people to never give in to his/her adversaries.
In addition, Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Blake), Morgan Freeman (Fox) and Michael Caine (Alfred) all shine in their respective roles, giving their own unique approaches in helping Gotham defeat Bane and his mercenaries.
Some of the characters were a little wooden and some of the villains weren't, in my opinion, dealt with properly at the end. Other than those minor downsides, all the elements of drama, action, mystery and humor blended in very well to deliver us what is a very satisfying and entertaining movie to close out the Dark Knight Trilogy.
Grade A-