Four years was worth the wait; Bale, Hardy, and Hathaway all shine

Rating: 8/10 (6 August 2012)

Four years after the release of THE DARK KNIGHT, and eight years after the DARK KNIGHT story left off, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) comes out of hiding to fight one more time, this time with Bane (Tom Hardy), a Darth Vader-like villain, only tougher, who intends on destroying Gothem, while toying around with Batman's powers. Luckily, Wayne/Batman has some company along the way, with some assistance from girlfriend Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway).
Although it's longer than THE DARK KNIGHT, four years was still worth the wait for this Batman flick. It's an exciting experience; it's loud, has great, explosive action, and incredible acting. Bale, Hardy, and Hathaway all shine in their roles.
Just off his Oscar win for THE FIGHTER, Bale gives another determined and powerhouse performance as the main character. While he isn't as wild as Heath Ledger's Joker, Hardy is very tall and monstrous as Bane, and has some pretty brutal fights with Batman. Used to sugary roles and sugary movies (THE PRINCESS DIARIES perhaps being the biggest example), this is about-face role for Hathaway. I thought she did a reasonable job; she looks and sounds sexy, has great and clever dialogue in some parts, and fights well in the action scenes. I can see a great acting career for her in the future.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is a great Batman movie and a great summer movie, and the action, acting, and three main roles all highlight the adventure.