After Building the Foundation, Nolan Completes His Trilogy

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2012)

"There are very few great third films. I think in some cases dissatisfaction with third films comes from the sheer exhaustion of the people making it." These words came straight from the mouth of director Christopher Nolan, not just recently in an interview with Entertainment Weekly but also months after completion of The Dark Knight. He was exhausted, on vacation, probably mulling over his plans to tackle Inception next, but wasn't too interested, or at least didn't want to convey interest, in yet another Batman film. This shouldn't surprise those who followed Nolan's commentary as early as when he first wrapped production on Batman Begins. Even then, Nolan noted he was simply aiming to make a film, not a franchise. That, in essence, is why Nolan has yet triumphed a third time in what has become one of the greatest cinematic trilogies of all time. History would suggest the opposite—when a franchise is planned and outlined as a trilogy beforehand, such as with Lord of the Rings and Star Wars—is when sequels are the most effective. But Nolan's artistry and careful calculation with each chapter in his Bat-verse has allowed each segment to have its own identity, while also building upon the foundation of the groundwork laid by its predecessors.
If Batman Begins is about becoming a symbol and The Dark Knight (TDK) is about the personal sacrifice necessary in being that symbol, The Dark Knight Rises (TDKR) is about living through as that symbol to the end. In TDK, Wayne lost all that would have preserved Gotham outside of the presence of the Batman figure. His personal loss of Rachel and Dent resulted in Wayne becoming a shut-in, eccentric Howard Hughes character, and Batman becoming the face of villainy throughout the city. However, despite criminal activity being seemingly expunged, a new evil approaches Gotham from another part of the world in the form of Bane.
Bane poses as the best possible villain alternative in a post-Joker world as he is the complete antithesis of the Joker. While both seek to uproot society and give Gotham "back to the people," Joker wanted pure madness and anarchy while Bane seeks personal control and tyranny through fear. Bane is, for reasons which won't be delved into thoroughly in respect to spoiling TDKRs plot, a deadlier and more unhinged second coming of the kind of threat our caped crusader faced with Ra's Al Ghul. The Joker was a loose cannon, Bane is a weapon. Each hit Bane delivers is calculated and precise, but unlike Ra's Al Ghul, he isn't hindered in his actions by any moral code. He is, without hyperbole, the perfect villain for Nolan's Batman—the realization of every evil Batman has fought, but a perfect collision of forces that prevents our hero from being prepared for anything like him.
As a result, the stakes are high here because Bane isn't simply looking to kill Batman, but destroy an entire city and uproot civilization in the process, therefore destroying the symbol of Batman and "breaking his spirit." Much like this summer's The Avengers, you truly feel the threat has consequences on a world-wide scale. This isn't to suggest the film doesn't have its strong character moments, but the film never lets you catch your breath either. For instance, the few personal scenes between Michael Caine's Alfred and Bale's Bruce Wayne becoming increasingly heart-wrenching throughout.
On that note, there are many wonderful performances in Nolan's finale (as if anyone would expect anything less), but Caine is perhaps my favorite. Watching the accumulation of everything Alfred has had to endure for a trilogy finally spilling out on screen is heartbreaking. The entire film is full of such dedicated and emotion performances.
Many other reviewers will discuss the other roles at length, but I'll dedicate a paragraph to Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman. Our protagonist goes through a complete physical and mental transformation between the film's opening and its dynamic conclusion. As stated earlier in the review, we open with Wayne as a crippled recluse hiding from the rest of the world in solitary, but in the wake of his new nemesis, he has to overcome obstacles that challenge him like never before on an emotional and physical level.
However, all of this wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the visionary guidance of Christopher Nolan. He lets his stories carefully and meticulously set the stage for the action. TDKR isn't necessarily action-packed, but it is an emotion wallop, and the action only picks up when all of the right cogs have been adjusted. This is why the action here is memorable and that's why Nolan continues to succeed in this genre.
So, at the end of a seven year journey, fans can rest easy knowing that Nolan's vision for his Bat-verse has been completed, and with much success. In a few years, Warner Bros. will reboot the franchise and the dark knight will rise once more. It's inevitable and WB has confirmed its intentions. The bar for such a project will be almost insurmountable but regardless of what endeavors will be made, Nolan's trilogy will remain a classic among comic book, superhero, action, and film buffs alike. Christopher Nolan balanced more and more content with each of his Batman outings, but unlike Spider-Man 3, he doesn't let the structure fall apart in the final chapter. Instead, he builds upon the already strong foundation and completes his design. Sure, there will always be threads left hanging here for movie fans to ponder over, such as the unstated fate of the Joker. However, for every one of its occasional missteps or minor shortcomings, TDKR has a dozen successes. After all, why do we fall?