Cinematic excellence, not perfection

Rating: 9/10 (14 August 2012)

With Christopher Nolan at the helm, few can believe that the third and final entry into the Batman series will disappoint. It doesn't. Acting in The Dark Knight Rises far surpasses portrayals in Batman Begins, and with the exception of the Heath Ledger's Joker, the performances in The Dark Knight. In addition, Hans Zimmer's soundtrack lends the film an unmatched tension, and adds to its already emotional nature. Twists, turns, and surprises fill the story and allow it to keep audiences wondering until the end.
The films two weak spots are these: one, it is overloaded with characters, and two, unexplained and bizarre plot holes riddle the story line. All the acting is done well, sometimes very well(Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman and Joesph-Gordon Levitt all do particularly fine jobs) but several characters are unnecessary. The extensive cast weighs down the otherwise fast paced movie, especially towards the end when all the characters are tied together. Secondly, Christopher Nolan's penchant for presenting unexplainable situations makes the movie feel more like an Inception dream sequence than a believable crime film.
Ultimately though, The Dark Knight Rises meets the standard sets by The Dark Knight and provides a fitting and suspenseful end to the trilogy.