An excellent conclusion of the trilogy

Rating: 9/10 (28 July 2012)

In 2005, the film Batman Begins...no...One moment!...The Batman films directed by Christopher Nolan don't require an introduction, because they form one of the most acclaimed film trilogies in modern History, and I think that the three of them are very good movies thanks to their excellent performances, somber tone and dramatic intensity. Having said that, even though I liked The Dark Knight, the second film from the trilogy, pretty much, I don't admire it as much as many people do. And even though I keep considering Batman Begins as the best film from this trilogy, there's no doubt that The Dark Knight Rises is an excellent film which satisfactorily concludes the trilogy and leaves the door open for future re-interpretations of this iconic character.
The Dark Knight Rises bombs with information, characters and events which generally enrich the narrative, even though they occasionally obfuscate it. The first 30 minutes from The Dark Knight Rises incorporate us very well to the situation in Gotham and to the role of the characters in a social setting which might have less crime, even though it's not lacking of injustice. The movie keeps being well developed despite a few minor fails; and the last 45 minutes are genuinely extraordinary, not only because of the action, but also because of the screenplay's ability to tie the loose ends and solve the tangled story with an impressive congruence, making the spectacle not to obstruct the performances nor the delicate characterization of the characters. Besides, as a fan of Batman in the comics, I appreciated the inclusion from various elements taken from the sagas Knightfall and No Man's Land.
I also liked Batman's kinda reduced appearance in The Dark Knight Rises; even Bruce Wayne takes a supporting role during some passages, letting the weight of the story to rest on the other characters. On some way, this reduces the quantity of action and stunts, but it reminds us of the fact that the "bati-universe" created by The Dark Knight Rises and its two previous films isn't based on traditional super-heroic exploits, but on the characters' internal conflict and on the drama generated by the crash of classes and ideologies in the realistic context of Gotham. Christian Bale brings a perfect performance once more as Batman in this film, but Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and the great Joseph Gordon-Levitt also bring excellent performances. Tom Hardy didn't have too much opportunity of displaying his performance with the mask he wears in here, but his physical development in the action scenes is solid. On the female aspect, Marion Cotillard brings an adequate performance, while Anne Hathaway makes a competent work as Catwoman.
In conclusion, The Dark Knight Rises is a highly recommended film, because of Nolan's magnificent direction, the solid performances and the brilliant screenplay, even though it occasionally takes some unnecessary tangents. In summary, a fascinating experience which is worthy of admiration.