This legend will never die

Rating: 10/10 (17 July 2012)

Going out with a bang doesn't even begin to describe "The Dark Knight Rises", the final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. The film runs over 2 hours and 30 minutes but keeps you interested at all times (the main problem I had with the otherwise excellent "The Dark Knight" was that its pacing felt uneven and it got a little boring at times) and keeps upping the tension every minute leading up to what is indeed an epic conclusion. The film picks up eight years after "the Dark Knight", with the city of Gotham almost crime-free due to Batman taking the blame for the death of Harvey Dent. But it turns out to be the calm before the biggest threat Gotham has ever faced  a revolution led by the menacing Bane (Tom Hardy) and his henchmen. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) has retired from the public eye with only his butler Alfred (Michael Caine) to keep him company. However, a mysterious criminal named Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) and threat of Gotham's destruction makes him rise from the shadows again. Christian Bale, Michael Caine and the other actors (Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Liam Neeson) who previously appeared in the series reprise their roles with ease and seem to push their acting to the very limit since it's the last installment. Especially Bale and Oldman have never been better in their roles. But it's the new additions to the cast that really lifts this movie to a higher level. Hathaway, whose casting I definitely had some doubts about, plays Selina/Catwoman perfectly  an extraordinary mix of strength and vulnerability. Marion Cotillard in the other "love interest" role blows previous Batman paramours Maggie Gyllenhaal and Katie Holmes out of the water. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also wonderful as John Blake, a policeman with strong beliefs. But it's Tom Hardy as Bane that really made the film for me. Not only is he truly terrifying at times, but he also manages to make the character sympathetic and complex. But the true star of the film is director (and co-screenwriter) Cristopher Nolan. As a previous fan of his work I was looking forward to this film with very high expectations and some fear that it wouldn't live up to the hype. My expectations were not matched  they were exceeded. The depth of the story was immense; it provoked lots of thoughts about society and our values and had a huge emotional impact on me. Credit for the cinematographer, the composer (Hans Zimmer truly is the greatest composer of today) and the special effects team is also due. Never have I ever felt as truly satisfied with every aspect of a film as I did with this one. So to summarize "The Dark Knight Rises" it is one of the best films I have ever seen and the absolute best one in the trilogy. It makes almost all other films pale in comparison to its grandeur and even if it won't be the box office winner of the year (which it very well may be) it's going to be a classic for years to come. As I try to describe how great it was I realize that it isn't possible  because it was so much more than great. This is a movie isn't just a movie. It's a future legend.