"Dark Knight Rises" Review

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2012)

There was a phrase in "Batman Begins" that not only provided some decent wisdom, but would also define the structure and themes of Christopher Nolan's Batman saga: "Why do we fall?" "So we can learn to pick ourselves up." "Batman Begins" succeeded at detailing the origins, and the rise, of the Batman character. "The Dark Knight" provided a twisting series if complex challenges that pushed Batman and every other character to their limits, and it ultimately ended with Batman falling from grace, at least in the eyes of Gotham City's public. Naturally, this finale presents a danger that calls for Batman to come out and literally rise to the challenge.
"The Dark Knight Rises" has its share of impressive action: there are a few fights and chases in the beginning half, but the most impressive scenes occur toward the end, when the forces of order and chaos clash in the streets. Sadly, these scenes are not nearly as lengthy or awe-inspiring as I would have expected, but what we see on screen is pretty impressive and shows good ambition.
The story still takes precedence overall. It borrows a few elements from the Knightfall series of comics (even more than I expected, actually, and I am pleased; I always felt this comic series would have made for an epic Batman film). The most prominent them, which prevails in both the comic and this film, is that Batman suffers, rebuilds himself, and rises to fight again. Characters remain as strong and endearing as ever, and the film's new characters don't disappoint. The film presents Bane as a truly menacing villain with a strong presence, and he fulfills the role of a megalomaniac extremely well (in direct contrast to the Joker, who wanted to achieve the same results but never had the same ambition or intellect). The plot is a little screwy in the way it covers nearly a year's worth of events in a very short time. Regardless, the film tells the story in a manner that feels neither rushed nor padded. By its end, it rounds off all the characters, all the themes, and most loose ends in a way that satisfies, but also begs for a second glance (and perhaps a sequel, although I doubt that will ever happen).
As expected, the film is stylish, with lots of pleasing photography. The editing is not quite as blunt as it was in "TDK," but it's still distinctive. Acting and writing are great. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman all return and fulfill their roles really well. Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway are both impressive with their roles. I didn't expect much out of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but he exceeded my expectations and provided a quality performance. This production has plenty of good-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Hans Zimmer's music score is as good here as it is in the other two films.
As it is with other major film franchises (whether it be "Star Wars," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Back to the Future," etc), Nolan's Batman saga takes on the familiar pattern where all three films show equal quality, but the first or second come off as the most endearing. I personally find myself sticking with "The Dark Knight" as my favorite of the lot; I suspect because it did so much that was untraditional in films, much less superhero films. But "Rises" has its share of strengths, and chances are that I'll probably grow to enjoy it just as much as the others. Altogether, it succeeds at providing a heck of a grand finale, while still concluding the overall story arc.
5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect)