Despite an extremely shaky first hour, Christopher Nolan and Co. are able to Rise to the occasion and deliver a satisfying conclusion to the "Dark Knight" trilogy...

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2012)

I've finally returned from seeing one of the most anticipated films of the decade. Yes, I just got out of a 10:30 showing of Christopher Nolan's final entry in his Batman Saga- "The Dark Knight Rises." And despite some problems, I'm pleased to report it was worth the four-year wait, and gives us a satisfying, appropriate conclusion to his trilogy. Fans can rest easy.
Directed and Co-Written by Nolan (With his brother Johnathan and fellow screenwriter David S. Goyer), "The Dark Knight Rises" is as good a follow-up to the previous film as possible. Although sadly there will still be comparisons... it is inevitable, so I am going to predict that some may not enjoy or appreciate it simply because it is not "The Dark Knight." There is no Joker, no Harvey Dent. No, none of that. This is a very different film than either of the two previous entries.
The film begins eight years after the ending of "The Dark Knight." Bruce Wayne, troubled by the death of Rachel and forced to retire the Batman persona, has become a sort of self-isolated hermit living in his rebuilt mansion. However, a chance encounter with a skillful and gorgeous burglar named Selina Kyle, as well as the emergence of a violent and diabolical new villain called "Bane", force him out of retirement, as he resumes the role of the caped crusader. At the same time, an idealistic and good-hearted cop named John Blake works with Comissioner Gordon to piece together what is happening.
After many twists and turns, the stage is set for the final battle for Gotham's soul. And it is an incredible, memorable and fitting conclusion.
First off, let me address some problems I had with the film, which bothered me while I was watching it. This film is slow to start. And occasionally sloppy. I'd say the problem is that it doesn't hit it's stride until about 45-60 minutes in. Not that the first hour is bad, it's just a bit... "off." This is also a simpler story than the prior film, which at first I thought discredited it, but then I thought about it and accepted that this is a different film. There are different characters, villains and motivations, and when I was able to just deal with the fact that this was a new film, I actually really enjoyed it.
The acting was universally marvelous. Christian Bale is finally given wings to fly. He excelled in "Begins", at least for the first hour, but he was held back by the conventions of the origin story. And the second film was so plot-driven, that he wasn't able to prove himself, especially against the Oscar-winning performance of Heath Ledger. Here, he is given perhaps the most screen time as Bruce Wayne, and it pays off. Bale delivers gold with his performance.
Tom Hardy as Bane, our new villain (a hulking, violent Brute who is forced to wear a mask that delivers constant painkillers due to past injuries) is outstanding. Comparisons to Ledger are inevitable, but one must remember- Bane and Joker are not the same. Hardy plays Bane as a ferocious warlord. He is terrifying for different reasons than Joker. Joker would get under your skin and creep you to the bone... Bane will tear you limb from limb after systematically destroying your spirit. His voice is also interesting- he sounds very proper, old and weary (as a bi-product of his injuries and mask), which serves as a nice contrast to his startling appearance. I loved Hardy's interpretation of Bane.
Anne Hathaway steals the show as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She is a revelation, giving the character a slithery sex appeal and a feline ferocity that is indescribable. Hathaway swings it out of the park, and delivers the standout performance here. I applaud her, and guarantee she may be my new celebrity crush after seeing this film.
Other returning performers are incredible as always, including Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Luscious Fox. Newcomers including Marion Cottilard continue to elevate the film. This is one of the finest casts to ever grace the screen, and everyone finds their place perfectly.
Direction-wise, I found this to be a striking film. Nolan has finally found just the right way to shoot action with this film. His visuals serve the story perfectly, and there is none of the irritating Shaky-Cam work that bothered me in the first two films. While this is far from his visual masterpiece (I found the camera-work and direction in "Inception" to possibly be his best), this is still a competently made film, and Nolan's visual poetry with the camera and the actors comes through in spades.
The script is extremely tight and well-paced, and works just about perfectly, although there are hiccups with the first hour as mentioned above. I also had problems with a few of the dialog exchanges (characters spell out too much in this film), and there seems to be a trend to over-explain everything here. It got a little grating, but thankfully got better over time.
The production design is gorgeous. It was nice to see the return of Wayne Manor, and some of the sets were outstanding. The costumes were again fantastic. From Batman's cape and cowl to Bane's breathing apparatus to Selina's sexy get-ups and gorgeous dresses, the costumes were perfect. And the score by Hans Zimmer, while not as iconic as the last film, is marvelous, and new themes work perfectly.
I don't know, I found this film to be a great conclusion to Nolan's series. While it's a bit more basic than the last two films, it has finally found its stride, and functions as a perfect send-off to the series.
I give "The Dark Knight Rises" a 9 out of 10. It has a shaky, problematic first hour, but once the pace picks up, it works marvelously. Bravo, Nolan, you've made another incredible film!