The Dark Knight Rises Review

Plot Summary:
Eight years after Batman (Christian Bale) took the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes, all is good with Gotham until Bane (Tom Hardy) arrives with a plan to destroy the city. Batman falls out of his self-imposed exile to stop Bane. However, Bane may be a difficult match for Batman.

The Positives:
One would go into this film expecting a film better than The Dark Knight, considered by many (including myself) the best superhero film ever made. It was a tough challenge for Christopher Nolan to top his previous Batman film. What Nolan gives us with this film is a film that ends his trilogy beautifully, ties up every possible loose end in the series, and makes his whole trilogy connect in the end.

As with most of Nolan's films, the casting is really well put together, everyone gives a great performance here. The main show-stealers are Anne Hathaway's Catwoman and Tom Hardy's Bane. Both play their characters exceedingly well and play great villains to Batman here. Bale, Caine, Cotillard, Gordon-Levitt, Oldman, and Freeman all give wonderful performances as well.

I also loved how Nolan connected this story to the real world as much as possible. Bane acting as a terrorist and citizens taking over a city as a result relates very much to the Occupy Wall Street situation and 9/11 terrorism. Nolan's smart script makes sure to have the audience think through these situations as well, making this more than average summer entertainment. Nolan creates tension and well-placed suspense in these scenes and throughout the film as well.

This film also has an emotional edge, which is what Nolan lacks in some of his films. The way the characters interact with each other, and the way they are developed and introduced makes us care for each character, even the villains. The climax of the film made me so uneasy and nervous for Batman the entire time. This is due to how much development Nolan added to Batman's character in this film. As a result of the development, this climax is easily the most memorable action finale this year has to offer.

The Negatives:
None I can think of.

Conclusion:
The Dark Knight Rises should not be compared to The Dark Knight. Nolan accomplished in telling Batman's story in three separate but perfect films. This trilogy will easily go down as one of cinema's finest. Nolan deserves an Oscar nod for this film. This is the best film of the summer and also the best film of 2012 so far. A well-done, smart, heartbreaking, and suspenseful masterpiece that is worth more than one viewing.

Rating: 10 out of 10