Rise!

Rating: 9/10 (29 July 2012)

Only the second time I am prompted to write about a movie after having been to one and surprisingly within a matter of a few months. Yet again, this is no spoiler, but I advise people who have not seen the movie to read it after watching as they might go for it with a bias. For those who think it was not as good as the second one in the series-a big thumbs down. This was what the series should have ended like-again, personal opinion! It had everything I was looking for and but for one thing, the movie totally proved worth every penny spent.
Firstly, I would love to trash claims about "The Dark Knight" being the better movie. It is a movie par excellence, no doubt. I personally feel that "The Dark Knight" was a masterpiece if you take into consideration the acting side of the movie. However, other than a lot of mental pressure, the big black bat had to do nothing much except bash up a few average hired thugs and regulation SWAT guys who get ass-kicked in every action movie anyway (unless they have a super leader who orders them around..and Jim Gordon-no super bad ass SWAT leader.). Also, in "Batman Begins", the bat is broken-both mentally and physically and is made to stand up again. And against what opposition! In my opinion, in the second film it is pretty much late Mr. Heath Ledger who holds the audience captive for the length of the movie. But you name the movie "Rise and fall of the Joker-a legend" and the audience would have accepted it similarly well altogether. Batman was missing. Or lets say the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod overshadowed him. So did Fox and Alfred.Lets get back to number three. All during the length of the movie, the screen screams BATMAN! The third film in the series could soon turn into my personal favorite of the three because it has everything that makes a viewer see how The Batman is a class apart from the other superheroes. No inherited powers, no superhuman strength, no tech-suits and no team. The film makes a viewer realize the value of the Batman and how hard earned is his title and following. The movie destroys Bruce Wayne and The Batman and shows us the re-building of a superhero. Christopher Nolan might not have been at his best here but then he does a remarkably smart and great use of his out-of-this-world directorial point of view while directing his last film of the series. Bruce Wayne is totally losing right till we reach the halfway mark. He loses family, friends, people, a leg and Batman. Bane (Tom Hardy) (earlier portrayed as a ridiculous and dumb sidekick to Ivy) is shown how he actually is. Almost clinically, he executes his plans while doing a really good job with his physique, eyes and a breathtaking working on his voice. By the halftime, he has destroyed Gotham, its system, its finance, its law structure and its greatest possible Saviour. Good job man ! Catwoman (Anne Hathway) is a real treat for the eyes and fits the role of cat woman like a good shirt. She does a wonderful job throughout the movie in her very aptly placed scenes too. And then there is the Dark Knight (Christian Bale). Once again, excellent voice acting, complete aptitude for the part and a better looking suit! Here I would like to congratulate the cinematography department for doing a spectacular job. People having HD prints will find almost too many irresistible wallpapers to make while watching the film. Good use of the Bat's cape too.
Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Alfred (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman)-the three always play their quiet part and how. They have their screen space and they utilize it well with well timed dialogs with just the right amount of pauses. Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets a special mention-role crafting is an art-Blake is an example. Another very long, good and important role after inception and well performed. Blake is used well as the on screen audience for the entirety of the movie and more than once you can see the movie happening through his eyes. Brilliant performance. Tumbler is at its best-one of the more realistic bat-wagons we have seen although the long sleek one from "Batman-The animated series" remains my favorite. The BatPod steals the show-every time the thing turns it warrants a voluntary ovation! The turning mechanism and the overall look with those tires is a thing to die for. Finally, I would come to the one negative point I found-The Bat (the flying machine). Straight out of a transformers meets avengers settings, it failed to impress me as the vehicle flown by Batman. Nothing bat-like about it and it did not look as black as I would have wanted it to.
I have had to control myself greatly while writing this review-any single description like my last would give away a part of the plot. It is pretty much anticipation worthy (do read again-the lack of the word predictable.) but anticipating while you are watching is great. Last but not the least-few great one-liners. Just the right amount-unlike avengers where you could predict the next dialog, let alone the one liners. A must watch. RISE!