So I Just Watched… The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros/ DC Comics, 2012)
Before I begin I have to say that this is going to be the hardest review I’ve ever done. The reason it’s simple enough: while I follow and read a ton of books by each publisher (Marvel and DC) I don’t favor universes as favorites, so for me it’s not a competition of who get’s the better treatment. Unfortunately for the rest of the world it is, as comments regarding the superiority of TDKR as a movie over The Avengers has been flying all over the net lately. That’s just plain wrong. Anyone comparing these two movies in terms of quality it’s a moron looking for an argument. You cannot compare these two films AT ALL since they are both fair representations of the their respective properties and very different products in term of the quality delivered to their audience. Having said this I can go on about the movie now.
The Dark Knight Rises is the final chapter of the Batman Trilogy of Christopher Nolan. In short this is the end you have been expecting since the ride began in 2005. The story as a whole ties perfectly whit everything that was set in Batman Begins. A mastermind terrorist called Bane has been planing on completing the original plan of Ra’s Al Ghul for Gotham and the 8 year absence of Batman has allowed him to prepare himself to strike. Bruce as become a reclusive in his own home with a body battered and broken by the abuse he put on himself in his first stint as Batman. As the films begins Gotham is primed for peace time because of the Dent act that allowed police forces to lock up criminals without trial. Selina Kyle, dubbed by the press as “The Cat” is making every move she can to give herself a better means of life but her past always is catching up with her.
When Gordon comes across Bane’s army he knows that Batman must rise again to stand up for the city he loves so much. Bruce overcomes his various illness by setting up devices to fix his damaged body and don the cowl again. But he doesn’t count on Bane waiting for him. In what it has to be the most unfair fight in the history of comic-cinema Bane breaks Bruce. From that point the story builds around him putting himself back together to reclaim his city. Every cast choice plays their part perfectly. But some of them feels pretty forced on us as an audience, specifically Joseph Gordon Levitt and Marion Cotillard. While I believe their roles where great, the movie wouldn’t have suffered if you took them away. I don’t want to dwell on spoilers more than I already have, but the disdain of Christopher Nolan towards Robin it’s what kept “John Blake” from being called “Dick Grayson” or “Tim Drake” and “Miranda” just makes the imposing Bane a facade.
The political views expressed on the film shows that Nolan doesn’t underestimate his audience at all. The beautiful score by Hans Zimmer can be a little too intrusive at times (specially the chanting march first heard on the final trailer). Overall and despise the nitpicks this was a great film for me. It was not as perfect or great as The Dark Knight was in 2008. but it gives a sense of closure to one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. The Dark Knight Saga by Christopher Nolan is a story about Bruce Wayne, make no mistake about that. It’s the story of a man’s struggle to find peace for what it was taken from him as a child. It’s not just a great piece of comic cinema, It’s also one of the greatest sagas in the Movie world. Period.
Great write-up.. though the comparison to the Avengers is one I disagree with. The Avengers movie seems trivial next to this masterpiece of a saga.
