Nolan Rises High and Triumphant

Rating: 9/10 (16 November 2012)

While his previous instalment - 'The Dark Knight' - may be his finest of the trilogy, 'The Dark Knight Rises' certainly makes that open to questioning as Nolan delivers once more, a fantastic feature length blockbuster epic, truly living up to towering expectations.
Following the events of 'The Dark Knight', Batman's reputation is in tatters and alter ego Bruce Wayne (both, Christian Bale) is now living a fragile recluse. His current predicament is taken advantage of when cunning waitress Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) is able to steal the necklace belonging to Bruce's deceased mother, and gather a sample of the millionaire's fingerprints. While he is emotionally hurt in the fact his mother's necklace has been stolen, the latter point is enough to persuade Bruce to once again don the cape and tackle the mysterious criminal organisation who require the usage of his fingerprints, anchored by the sinister mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy).
While my review should be based on the film as an individual, the fact remains that the late Heath Ledger delivered one of the greatest ever villain performances in the history of film. Tom Hardy's Bane isn't Heath Ledger's Joker. Hardy is excellent as the main antagonist with a disturbing portrayal of 'the Man Who Broke the Bat'. His physique is exemplary while his lines are delivered with chilling effect. However, while Hardy is a fine villain, Ledger was a sensational one and the hole he unfortunately left is not completely cemented.
Also, 'The Dark Knight' entailed more thrilling sequences such as the Batman's pursuit of Joker's fort-lift truck and the Caped Crusader's antics to thwart Chinese businessman Lau's negotiations with the Gotham mob.
However, these are only minor criticisms of what is yet another sensational Nolan blockbuster which is greater than 'The Dark Knight' in numerous respects.
The opening sequence is comparable to that of a James Bond movie as Bane and his men assassinate the CIA agents on board a plane before kidnapping Dr. Pavel (Alon Aboutboul) who they interrogate to assist them in their dastardly plot.
Also, Nolan's 'story-telling' is the best of the three movies with his plot both complex - with references to the Wall St. Crash and historical civil wars - as well as being breathtakingly thrilling.
The casting of Tom Hardy, Anna Hathaway and Christian Bale as the main trio in the thick of the duration is once again inspired by Nolan. Hardy may not be comparable to Ledger but he is still a solid member f the cast with his own unique portrayal of Bane. Supporting cast members are also most impressive with Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Gary Oldman and the Bruce's much more tender love rival to Hathaway Marion Cotillard.
A near faultless action/thriller with a fine supporting cast this is a superb conclusion to a superbly crafted Nolan superhero trilogy; there is also a 'killer' twist towards the climax which will no doubt have you speechless!