The ups and downs of one of the most talked about movies of 2012...or ever.

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2012)

Where can I even begin with The Dark Knight Rises. It is one of the biggest films of all time and the most talked about and on and on. The one thing I can say for certain is that this film was just absolutely massive, too big for its own good. For all the series now (Twilight, Harry Potter, Hunger Games) that have or are splitting their last films into two...Dark Knight Rises could have been split into two or even three films. It was too much all at once. It was an entirely trilogy of story and happenings jammed into one movie which makes it feel simply overwhelming at times. It ups the ante and absolutely defines epic but just feels so crowded at times. The film deals with some powerful political and social issues, creates some absolutely epic villainous battles and easily redefines the superhero genre. This will never be compared to Marvel's Avengers in style or content. This is the furthest thing from your typical Batman flick. It even easily sets itself apart from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It doesn't even feel like the same trilogy but it does indeed complete a trilogy defiantly and exactly. Did I feel there were significantly some poor things done in this film? Absolutely. I think it was because so much had to be packed into the movie. Were there plot holes? Oh man...gaping, 747 sized plot holes. Was I annoyed by some things? You bet. Did the epic stature, the performances, the sheer unapologetic balls it took to make this win me over past all the negative? Yep kinda. If Christopher Nolan were standing in front of me and demanded to know what was wrong with his movie...I'd say...not a darn thing sir because this film took absolute dedication, brilliance and some serious SERIOUS ambition.
Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Neither character will you ever see in the same way again. Bale is good. I still don't know if he's my favourite Batman/Bruce Wayne actor...I'm still not convinced but you can't deny his dark twisted side and he is a strong actor. Sometimes I feel like his Batman his overacted, even in an incredibly dark movie like this one. His growly voice is legendary but its almost barely understandable by the third instalment. Tom Hardy is our new villain, Bane. I won't talk about his poorly edited voice because its been talked about to death. Hardy still gives a great performance. He is a powerful villain and their chemistry is good against each other. Its not as good as Ledger and Bale's was but its good. Their adversarial battles are based on pure strength making their two main fight scenes intense and brilliant. Joseph Gordon-Levitt joins the cast as a true blue Gotham officer. He is a good addition and a good character. I wanted to see more from him but he is definitely a strong member of the cast. Anne Hathaway is our legendary Catwoman. This was one of the biggest issues I had with the film is that she wasn't Catwoman. She could have been any random thief because there was no back story or definitive things that made her the character we all know as Catwoman. That being said Hathaway was good in the role, not her best, but she was good. I thought she overplayed it sometimes the same way Bale does. Marion Cotillard is another new addition who does well. She doesn't really stand out but she is still good. There is one cast member that I thought was truly amazing in this film and that was Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon. Oldman was amazing, breathtaking, Oscar worthy I think. He showed a level of emotion and strength rarely seen in an action movie character especially a supporting character. Returning cast members Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine add their usual stature and solid performances to the film. Whether the actors in the film were good, really good, or outstanding...no one held back. No one was bad, everyone came together as an ensemble cast and made an epic movie.
Ambition. That is the word I kept thinking about all through this film. This has to be easily one of the most ambitious action films ever made. The story spans every possible aspect of a storyline. You could not create something so massive without some plot holes and there are plenty. Bruce Wayne's sudden and immediate recovery using a "magic" robotic leg brace is ludicrous, Bane's death was severely disappointing...a complete let down, the flying Bat-machine was silly...really didn't fit in with Nolan's world, the scene in the "jail" hole went on WAY too long, Catwoman was misused and mis-created in my opinion. However, the very first Batman/Bane battle just about brought tears to my eyes...it was brilliant and completely symbolized and personified the amazing comic from where it came from. The action scenes, including the very first car chase scene when Batman returns was just amazing. The cinematography in the film was hands down unequivocally brilliant. Nolan is an absolute master at direction and should get an Oscar nod for directing on cinematography alone. Truth be told I could personally debate and discuss and dissect The Dark Knight Rises for months...in some ways I have been. I thought the ending was brilliant, a perfect ending in most ways. And in case anyone is wondering...I believe his "legal name" was a cheeky joke and not supposed to demonstrate who he was going to become. I can't say to see this or not because most likely you have seen it, or you will see it, because when all is said and done this film will be legendary and the trilogy is pure excellence throughout all else. The good absolutely outweighs the negatives because of the sheer intellect and ambition and cast. 9/10 (After viewing it three times)