If you like the Dark Knight, and if you like Batman Comic Books, this is not the Batman film you should see.

Rating: 5/10 (11 June 2013)

I was so hyped up for this film. I've spent most of my life reading Batman comics, watching Batman movies and TV shows, and just being a huge fan of Batman.
When Batman Begins came out, I went and saw it in theaters, and left a little less than impressed. This was not the Gotham City I grew up on. But after reading different graphic novels depicting Batman's growth as a hero, I began to gain an appreciation for the film. I gave it a 7/10.
Leading up to the Dark Knight, I kept up closely with the viral campaign, the set photos being released of Ledger as the Joker, etc. I was actually excited for this one. I had grown to love Nolan's Batman, and couldn't wait to see the next film. Seeing it for the first time, it was like watching the perfect film. 10/10.
After I started a podcast with my friend Zac (zacandchuck.com, buzzsprout.com/3269) we started to cover everything that came out about the Dark Knight Rises. Bane photos (I defended Hardy), speculation over John Blake (I speculated he would be Azrael), the awaited return of Ra's Al Ghul (Huge letdown. Nolan had the body disappear, foreshadowing... NOTHING.) and the question as to who Miranda Tate was.
I predicted that Miranda Tate would be Talia Al Ghul (correctly), and that R'as would return to Gotham to destroy it, using Bane as a pawn. Batman would be injured and would enlist in someone to fight the good fight for him. Seeing Azrael fail, Bruce built up his strength, and went back out to take on the League of Shadows. This is what I thought was going to happen. What did happen, was a messy, long, poorly explained film involving Batman characters doing the opposite of what Batman characters do. Batman had given up. Alfred would go on to abandon him. Bruce retires the fight that is his and only his, and passes it on to someone who isn't trained, and has no business wearing the Batsuit.
This film was terrible. The only redeeming factors were Anne Hathaway's performance as Catwoman (I thought she would suck, and she blew me AWAY). and Tom Hardy as the chilling Bane. If you want to see Batman give up, retire, come back, save the day, and give up on avenging his parents death? This is the movie for you. But that is not my Batman.