“Your punishment must be more severe.” —Bane
Today’s quick review: The Dark Knight Rises. Eight years after the disappearance of Batman, Gotham has entered a new era of prosperity and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has secluded himself from the world. But the arrival of Bane (Tom Hardy), an outcast from the League of Shadows, in Gotham sparks a chain of events that pull Bruce out of retirement. To save his city, Bruce must confront his demons and once again take on the mantle of Batman.
The Dark Knight Rises is a superhero movie and the final film in the Dark Knight trilogy. Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises raises the stakes one last time as Bane threatens Gotham itself. The movie features the same talented cast, tight writing, and clear vision as the previous two films, making it one of the better entries in the superhero genre and a fitting end to an impressive trilogy.
The Dark Knight Rises departs from the tone established by the previous two films in several ways. Between the time jump, Bruce’s early retirement, and the sweeping plot of the movie, the viewer gets the impression that something has gone wrong. Gotham has been saved, but its heroes have fallen. The sense of discomfort is deliberate, mirroring Gotham’s complacency and Bruce Wayne’s lost sense of purpose.
At the same time, The Dark Knight Rises keeps the mainstays of its predecessors: a realistic tone, crime drama elements, and a brooding Batman. Drawing inspiration from the iconic The Dark Returns graphic novel by Frank Miller, the movie takes these elements one step farther to show a Gotham that no longer needs Batman and a Bruce Wayne who is unable to move on. Themes of obsession and loss add a layer of maturity to the trilogy’s crime thriller formula.
The plot revolves around the masked terrorist Bane and his plan to bring Gotham to its knees. The task of stopping him falls to Batman, whose years of absence and lingering injuries put him at a severe disadvantage. The plot takes offers just as many twists and turns as The Dark Knight’s, but it takes more risks along the way. The plot threads are not as tightly woven, yet they still deliver plenty of action, mystery, and excitement.
Bane’s scheme sweeps up a number of supporting characters in its wake: Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a cat burglar looking for a clean slate; John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young detective who once looked up to Bruce; and Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard), Bruce’s partner on a failed clean energy project. Their varied roles in the plot, ranging from minor to pivotal, give the story its complexity and sense of unpredictability.
The core conflicts of the film are once again ideological. Bane considers himself Gotham’s reckoning for decades of corruption in a bastardized offshoot of the League of Shadows’ credo. Selina Kyle offers a more balanced take, disdainful of the rich but uncomfortable with Bane’s brutal methods. John Blake is an echo of the hero Bruce once was, while Alfred Pennyworth is his long-neglected voice of reason.
The characters in The Dark Knight Rises are as strong as ever. While no one manages to top Heath Ledger’s Joker, the cast brings together a number of the most respected actors in Hollywood with no real misses. Christian Bale handles his character’s transformation well. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman return as Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, and Lucius Fox, respectively and are all given important supporting roles.
The new additions to the cast help flesh out the world of the Dark Knight trilogy and set up the movie’s plot and themes. Tom Hardy plays a suitably meancing Bane, whose ruthless tactics and muscular build make him a formidable foe for Batman. Anne Hathaway presents a nuanced Selina Kyle, a thief caught between conscience and self-interest. Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes for a strong secondary protagonist as John Blake, an honest cop who shakes Bruce out of his languor.
Watch The Dark Knight Rises if you enjoyed either of the first two films in the trilogy. Although a shade less compelling than The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises is still a polished film with excellent writing, acting, and direction. It makes for a gripping watch and serves as a worthy finale to the series.
8.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for incredible quality all the way around.