The Dark Knight Rises Movie Review

The Dark Knight Rises is probably one of the best films of the year. This trilogy ender brings in what is expected from it and more. Just like its predecessors, this is more than the comic books.

Christopher Nolan ends his Batman films with bang. And it is an explosion everyone will remember. From the start of the film until the climactic end, you will never let your eyes off the screen. It’s that engaging. You will be drawn to this world filled with fear, death and hope.

The first thing that catches your attention is the terrific and haunting score. It brings the fear and feel of pain to the film. It is part of the story and Nolan really knew how to use it even if most of it is just chanting. It just brings that spine-tingling feeling when things are about to get deadly.

Just like Nolan’s previous films and his previous Batman films, the story takes time to build. It starts slowly until all the pieces are perfectly placed and the story slowly unveils it true form. And this works for The Dark Knight Rises. Each step taken is important to the whole film. Nolan made it a point that each small detail would have tremendous effects on the whole plot. That is what makes this film engaging. You will closely follow the film to fully grasp its deepness.

Adding to the greatness of this film is its talented ensemble. Christian Bale returns as a wounded Bruce Wayne and a challenged Batman who returns to action after eight years of being a recluse. Bale brings his A game to the film delivering a solid performance as a man who was broken, lost his purpose and his journey to salvation.

One of the other great performances in the film is Tom Hardy as Bane. People tried to compare Hardy’s performance to the late Heath Ledger who played The Joker in The Dark Knight. But they really have different approaches to their characters. Ledger did a great performance and Hardy did the same. Hardy, like Ledger, delved deep into character that you will no longer be able to recognize him. One of my praises to Hardy is his way of showing how evil and dark his character is just by using his eyes. He wears a mask which muffles his voices, but it’s his eyes that do most of the acting. Though there are times we might have a hard time understanding him because of the mask, we let it pass because he does a great job at being Bane.

Anne Hathaway also does justice to the Selina Kyle character or best known as Catwoman. Though she was never really called Catwoman in the film, Hathaway gives a smart, dark and witty take on the character. Michelle Pfeiffer was one of the great, if not the best Catwoman on film, and Anne did a great job bringing the character to life. She shows the sassiness Catwoman does in the comics and she and Bale have chemistry which had its moment in the film.

Gary Oldman had more screen time this time. And he never fails to deliver a great performance. Oldman returns as Commissioner Gordon and he does great work in showing Gordon’s hardship in keeping the dark truth about Harvey Dent’s death as well as his rise to stop the madness in Gotham. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also one of the new cast members. He plays a police officer named Blake who joins Gordon in his fight against Bane. He quickly fits into the cast and is able to let himself standout even in a scene with Batman. Marion Cotillard who plays Miranda Tate in the film displays her acting prowess worthy of her Academy award. She shows a soft and lighter side of life which Bruce Wayne needs in this time of darkness. She is also mysterious but with a hint of loveliness as much implied in the movie.

One downside to having a large cast is that we get to see a little of the rest. Two characters are downsized in this film namely Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Fox. But, despite having shorter screen time, their parts were very critical to the film’s plot.

Movie goers are in for a treat when watching this film. The cinematography is well delivered. Camera angles well chosen and the wide shots are just superbly caught by the camera. The Dark Knight Rises presents some of the best camera movements in film. Watching in IMAX is a great experience.

The Dark Knight Rises delivers a great story. It is a great mix of comic book style storytelling and a real world one. It brings together all the aspects of a super hero story blended with deep drama, action and a dark mystery that will leave you wanting more. It also has a lot of twists that will surprise you. The best thing about this film is that Nolan focuses on Bruce Wayne and not Batman which is a good decision. In order for us to get to know how the Batman works, he shows us what Bruce Wayne is made of. Nolan shows us his pain, his fears and his limits. This is probably one of the many reasons why Nolan’s Batman films are successful. It focused on character rather than action and special effects.

This film serves as a great ending to Christopher Nolan’s Batman. It closes the trilogy and it delivers more than expected. It is reported that Nolan will not be making a fourth Batman movie. With this film’s ending, he might stay true to his promise but it doesn't necessarily mean a fourth film will not be made. It may or may not, but Nolan leaves the franchise to able to do either one. The Dark Knight Rises is more than the comic book. Nolan has showed us that a comic book hero can exist in the real world. That anyone can be the one behind the mask. The only difference is the choices we make and the sacrifices we give.

The Dark Knight Rises is a film you will not easily forget and will be one you would like to see twice or thrice. It is a great ending to a masterfully made story. The Dark Knight really rises and he shows no sign on dropping. I give it 10 out of 10.