Incredible, but questionable

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2013)

At the time of 'The Dark Knight' (2008), it was reported that future Batman sequels would descend further into fantasy and, thus, further away from Christopher Nolan's original intention to adapt Batman as closely to reality as possible.
'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012) is certainly the most fantasy-based of his Batman films, sometimes raising incredible plot holes and questions like: how did Batsy get the Bat over to John Blake's location without alerting the criminals attacking Blake? And: how did Bane know where the super-secret Applied Sciences Division was or that it was actually under Wayne Enterprises at all? And: with Commissioner Gordon apparently cleaning up Gotham's streets so well, how did Bane's plan go unnoticed for so long?!
But, all in all, given reports that Nolan needed to feel invested in a third and final Batman film in order to make it happen, especially after he raised the bar so dramatically with 'The Dark Knight', 'Rises' is still very good -- albeit probably a little over-hyped compared to its stunning, character-driven predecessor.
The eight-year fictional gap between films shows us Bruce Wayne in his most incredible state -- a fallen and broken warrior who builds himself back up into the hero that we all know and love. If you sense similarities to Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', then they are entirely intentional.
Christian Bale and Michael Caine again prove themselves to be great collaborators, whilst Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman are given substantially more to do (particularly the former), effectively taking Caine's place in the second half of the film. Newcomers Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are also most welcome, despite the fact that their casting (particularly Cotillard's) seems primarily based on their participation in 'Inception' (2010).
And, for fans of Nolan's Bat films, a cameo or nod is made to practically all of the trilogy's most important characters. Alas, of course, except one -- the one who raised the bar for on-screen villains everywhere. I, too, pondered why some reference was not made to The Joker, until I realised that, in the wake of the tragic and senseless violence in Colorado, a society will usually strive to put the acts of a maniac behind them. It only seems fitting that The Joker is probably locked away in Arkham, whilst Gotham tries desperately to forget him.
And that leads us quite fittingly to one of the messages of this film. The heroic acts of The Batman and his allies get honoured, whilst all those bad guys, even though they are fun to watch, are a nightmare to know! A recurring theme in this series is that anyone can be a hero and that, although this is the last of the Nolan Batman films, the Dark Knight will continue to serve as an inspiration, not merely to fictional Gothamites, but to real people everywhere, even though Nolan has retired his version of the character.
The Bat is a bit far-fetched and, even though The Tumbler appears, the Batmobile does not. There's a welcome return from the Batpod alongside some old and new gadgetry, and I suppose it should be re-branded as the Catpod after its use in this film!
On that note, Anne Hathaway is refreshingly neat and effective as the dark and feisty Selina Kyle. After the horrors of Halle Berry's stab at the part (and I mean stab), Hathaway returns the character to a more human element closer to the character's roots. Although not christened as 'Catwoman' as such, she double-crosses the Dark Knight to defend herself, she is finally shown to be a cat burglar (something other interpretations have neglected) and Hathaway proves that, despite the absence of the whip, Selina still has plenty of feline wiles to make her a fascinating character.
Tom Hardy's Bane is a massive improvement over the mute brute of 'Batman & Robin' (1997), but his voice was a nightmare to understand in the cinema which, of course, twisted the focus even more in Hathaway's favour. His plan, though even more far-fetched than those of Ra's al Ghul and The Joker, is still quite exciting, with several sequences depicting Gotham as an American-based Iraq or Revolutionary France, set against Bane's rallying war cries and Hans Zimmer's gripping score, lending genuine tension and excitement to the proceedings, coupled with an obvious (even if it was unintended) political message.
Fans of the Nolan trilogy will be rewarded with some interesting revelations that help to bring the series to a satisfactory close, whilst the series regulars still shine. However, it is a shame to consider that this is the final Nolan Batman film, even though there are so many characters out there that could still be adapted in a realistic or, as this film indicates, a semi-realistic light. It is also a shame that Nolan did not return to Chicago, given its status as the bedrock of Gotham City in the first two films, but his style is still evidently there. At least Wayne Manor, the Batcave and the Batbunker return, albeit be prepared for some visual changes!
If it helps, the first half of the film, up until Bane truly takes control as the villain of the piece, feels unnervingly like 'The Dark Knight', albeit without either The Joker or Harvey Dent and, as the film progresses, it churns in a healthy amount of 'Batman Begins' (2005) to bring this trilogy full circle.
A fantastic swan song for the Nolan/Bale alliance, even if some areas aren't clarified as well as in previous instalments!