Class Wars!

Rating: 5/10 (28 August 2012)

If you WANT to love this film, you will love it. If you had no preconceptions, no expectations, like me, you'll come away under whelmed.
DKR is essentially a non-humorous parody of the current economic crisis with class systems very much the focal point. People often speak of Bruce Wayne as the 'rich boy' now, claiming he couldn't understand the difficulties other people go through. As such, this is Bruce Wayne's new fight; to prove he's more than a rich boy.
The plot itself is pretty much a dumbed-down Angels And Demons, with a bomb threatening to blow up Gotham City. The device is even dealt with in exactly the same way. But where's Angels And Demons was a weaving intelligent story, this is a movie full of bewildering stupidity.
Not least of all, Batman's point of 'break'.
I would love to hear a doctor's take on Bruce Wayne's road to recovery from a compound fracture to his spine. His prescription was a guy punching it back into place then hoisting him up on rope until it healed Then following a miraculous recovery, he spent the next few scenes dropping from a great height with rope wrapped around his waist to stop him hitting the floor. Did it unhinge his damaged back? No! It made him angry of course!
Catwoman's turn of convictions is something of a kick in the proverbial too. In a scene pooped from a greater height than Bruce Wayne's prison cell, you see her go from bitch-from-hell to heroine as she fights off two guys threatening a boy because he'd 'stolen' a perfect big red shiny apple. It didn't fit the tempo of her character and it was a scene painfully forced together just to serve the story.
I could continue plucking these individual problems forever more, but the main complaint I had was that the whole thing was pretty damn boring. It starts off nicely enough then takes a big dip and stays entrenched in this low ebb for too long.
I didn't care that the police were stupid enough to get themselves (each and every one) trapped underground while a masked madman threatened to blow the city up. I didn't care that once released they were stupid enough to walk straight towards gunfire like they were immortal. I wasn't slightly shocked (I was a bit humoured) when the orders were given to 'kill them all of them' resulting in the disgraced 'heroic' main cop dressed in all his presentation uniform, lying eagle-spread.
I guess I just wanted to see more of Batman doing what Batman does; fight crime. He doesn't do that once in this movie except for an early bike chase. DKR showcases a Batman who is tired and is out of retirement - and you feel it.
My friends have had to watch this movie twice because they weren't convinced by it. I have absolutely no intention to get back in front of the big screen for this.