The Dark Knight Rises – A Fitting End

Rating: 9/10 (27 July 2012)

After waiting for about a week, I am finally writing a review for what in my opinion, is the biggest movie of the year. Given the significance of the plot and reveals, I chose to wade out the time so everyone could watch it first. Plus, I have also been suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Yes, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy-saga has finally come to an end. The man himself has said that he will not direct another Batman film, confirming his earlier promise that he will tell the story of how Batman began, fell & rose.
Let's get straight into it then, first off, The Dark Knight Rises is definitely not the best movie in the series. The popular opinion has always been that The Dark Knight will be the stand-out film in Nolan's trilogy; now based on early reviews and fan reaction, that does seem to hold true. I, on the other hand believe that Batman Begins just edges the other two, purely because it not only set the tone for the latest incarnation of the Caped Crusader but also firmly placed it back where it truly belongs.
The Dark Knight Rises is inspired by the 1993 graphic novel, Knighfall, Gotham City is free of crime no thanks to the events of The Dark Knight, Batman is basically retired, and Bruce Wayne is shadow of his old self. He is then forced to don the cape & cowl again as a new menace threatens his beloved city.
Nolan includes has references to real world problems like the 99% movement & terrorism. Selina Kyle; portrayed surprisingly well by Anne Hathaway, is at first a foe to Batman, then a friend and finally a lover to Bruce Wayne. Catwoman's background is explained very subtly, she is the 99%; she takes from the 1% of Gotham City. Yet, as a bigger terror dawns, she join forces with Batman.
Bane is the formidable foe that is visceral yet cerebral in the same frame. This is shown to full effect in many sequences throughout the film, none more so than in the excellent prologue and the fight "that broke the bat". Tom Hardy's brilliant portrayal is amplified mainly due to the mask that hides most of his face. His vocal inflection and his eyes and body language are impactful.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gary Oldman are efficient in their respective roles, while Marion Cottilard is average as Miranda Tate, until she takes an excellent turn towards the climax as Talia Al-Ghul.
Christian Bale continues to show why he is by far the best Batman while Michael Caine & Morgan Freeman impress in their minimal scenes.
Massive props to the DoP Wally Pfister & Hans Zimmer, whose cinematography and music respectively lend a hand in invoking emotions for the whole duration of the film.
Jonathan Nolan's writing is par for the course, but twists towards the end with the reveal of Talia Al-Ghul and John Blake's first name received applause in the cinema. Many of us suspected that Cottilard was indeed playing Talia, but the manner in which it is revealed is riveting. "Robin" John Blake entering the Batcave can be seen as a massive hint at what might come in the future. Who knows, we might see Nightwing instead of the Boy Wonder. I for one am very intrigued!
The ode to the comic book universe of Batman is completed by Batman's rise from Nolan's version of the Lazarus Pit. The decision of not trying to explain Joker's absence makes you respect Christopher Nolan's vision more. He probably understood that the late Heath Ledger's Joker was the ultimate villain, and therefore chose to leave it that. While the Joker was an anarchist, hell-bent on random chaos & internal destruction, Bane was a flat-out pure terrorist, calculating, deliberate & absolutely physical. Nolan pretty much summarized all his films main villains into 3 profound words that mean a lot; Fear, Chaos & Pain.
Personally, I have been a massive fan of Tim Burton's duology, in which Gotham City was painted as a dark dystopia that bared a very close resemblance to how the world was back in the 80's and where the villains were campy yet menacing. In both Batman & Batman Returns, you were fully immersed into a brand new Batman, who up to then was left to our imaginations.
Then, came the over-the-top, homo-erotic nonsense, Batman Forever & Batman and Robin which truly killed the franchise. In fact, the animated film, Mask of Phantasm was a way better film compared to the tripe that Schumacher churned.
And so, when it was announced that the man who blew my mind with Memento would have the unenviable task of breathing life back into one of comic's greatest heroes, I was wary but hopeful. Nolan did not disappoint, Bob Kane, Frank Miller & Alan Moore can be very proud of all 3 films.
Christopher Nolan's trilogy-saga will forever be entrenched in the minds of comic book fanboys and moviegoers alike as the definitive portrayal of Batman. The Nolan brothers & David S. Goyer deserve all the praise that come their way, watch all 3 films back-to-back and you will understand what I mean. The 10 hour trilogy can actually be a standalone feature and still give you all the travails of a graphic novel. This is by far one the greatest trilogies in film history.
Batman Begins revitalized a dying franchise which reached its zenith in The Dark Knight and delivered a poignant farewell in The Dark Knight Rises.