The Dark Knight Rises

 

Christopher Nolan does it again!  I don't think I've seen one movie with him as director, that I didn't like - Prestige, Memento, Inception - the man knows what he's doing!

The Dark Knight Rises acts as the final chapter in a three film series, concluding Batman's vigilante escapades, fighting crime in Gotham city.  In the face of a new terror named Bane (played by Tom Hardy), Bruce Wayne has to come out of hiding and become Batman once again.  I'm going to stop there, because the plot is just too good to give away.  

Christian Bale fell in to the role as he always does, with certainty of his character.  Nothing new there.  But it was Anne Hathaway that dressed to impress - literally.  Hathaway was wonderful with her depiction of cat woman, creating a character with a moral dilemma, but who still isn't hopeless.  She was feline in the best way possible - Michelle Pfeiffer would be proud.  Joseph Gordon Levitt did a wonderful job as well, like he always does.  I've never had doubt in his acting abilities and he didn't disappoint.    

Tom Hardy was the star of the show, however.  Even though his face was halfway covered throughout the entire film, his vocal abilities and his physicality overcompensated wonderfully.  He did an amazing job with his character, living up to the fear his character is supposed to inflict.  I enjoyed the background story of Bane, because it really added to the character's development and the plot.  I appreciated the accuracy related to the original comics, when Nolan included the famous scene where Bane breaks Batman's back.  Even though not everything could stay true to the comics, they left the important things for the die hard fans.  

   

The editing of the film was very inventive, especially the way they cut up the scenes to depict the passing of time.  I thought it was unique and it kept you on your toes.  The only thing that bothered me about this film was the ending, and that was only because the plot took a twist, deviating away from what is expected of certain characters.  I can't go into details, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but for those who know the Batman comics well, know that certain characters should not be together.  As for the open ended feeling of the film, I was annoyed.  With the knowledge that Nolan is not going to do any more films for this series, it leaves me feeling disappointed that we may not see the appropriate continuation the film calls for.  

I give this film 8.7/10 for being wonderfully dark, with doom and gloom in every corner, however, still making room for that one speck of light that makes its way till the end.