Masterpiece Final Installment of the Greatest Superhero Cinematic Tapestry in the History of Film

Rating: 10/10 (1 September 2012)

In the late 1970's to early 1980's, Superman I and II were extraordinary cinematic experiences for their time. However, Superman III and IV needed serious improvement in the writing department. We had already seen "a man could fly", and what we needed was better writing, not cutesy silliness as given us especially in III. In 1989, Batman first appeared on the big screen via a screenplay that seemed kind of half-baked. A few moments were amazing while other parts lagged. Batman II was about the same, and Batman III wasn't worth the $10 plus another $20 for drinks and popcorn. Then in the 2000's, writer-directed Christopher Nolan stepped in and showed the world how to make a Batman movie the way it was supposed to be made. In this final installment, the Nolan brothers and his right-hand man Christian Bale give us no-holds-barred spectacular denouement on par with the last Lord of the Rings film.
The plot is extraordinarily complex, even by superhero and sf standards. Many different threads are being woven, and you won't understand how the tapestry is supposed to look until the final moments. Several key areas are not as they seem, but somehow, through sheer screen-writing genius, the Nolan brothers and David Goyer make it all work, almost effortlessly. Since many have written on this film, I will keep this to the point.
The various threads involve: A baddie with a bondage-like mask on his face whose a cross between the wrestler Jesse Ventura and Dark Vader, who lives with his band of mindless minions in the sewers of Gotham. Wayne Enterprises is funding some kind of fusion energy with cutting edge technology. Commissioner Gordon pontificating the virtues of the Dent Act, named for the late Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face. The Catwoman who has stolen a necklace and something much more valuable from the Wayne Estate. And a disillusioned and lonely Bruce Wayne who has not been Batman for a time. How long is unclear. His ever-faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine) mentions a strange prison in the mid-east which will become important later in the story.
These various threads begin to converge into an incredible master painting filled with deceit, treachery, embezzling, betrayal, and the ultimate battle for the fate of a city, in this case Gotham City. Although much action permeates the entire film, the story is absolutely the most compelling I have yet seen in an action movie of this type. The threads which seem unrelated finally come together and all the unanswered questions make sense by the film's end. If you haven't experienced this film yet in the theatre, I suggest you get out there, get your tickets, your popcorn, and your drinks. You're in for one helluva ride.