Review of The Dark Knight Rises (2012) by Ryan A — 17 Jul 2015

The Dark Knight enhances the world of Batman so impressively that there is not that much room for The Dark Knight Rises to develop anymore. There are some new gadgets and villains but a return to Wayne Manor, that was burnt down in the first film, symbolically represents the third film being more on the same level as Batman Begins rather than its predecessor.

There was something more exciting about Bruceâ??s penthouse in the second film than Wayne Manor because its seclusion and quietness is more representative of Bruceâ??s demons and the tougher times he faces. But this is mirrored in Bruceâ??s character due to the fact that he is a damaged man, suffering from the loss of the love of his life that actually fed him wrong information regarding whom she loved, and unfortunately Alfred faces the brunt of this as a result of Rachelâ??s indecisions. Bruce faces a psychological battle more than the physical battle Bane offers. He must defeat his own demons and rise again (hence the title) in order to defeat the wickedness spreading through Gotham. Thus, Christian Bale completes his role as the Caped Crusader as he really has to act more as Bruce rather than Batman in this film, even though we subtly wish that the Batman of The Dark Knight returned.

Tom Hardyâ??s Bane is the first villain that can actually match and probably at times better Batman for physicality and fighting proficiency. This new creation of Bane delivers an interesting juxtaposition of his stature and voice. The character transcends the illusions people have of him as a beefy nutcase, and instead is presented as a beast with feelings, similar to The Beauty and the Beast. Tom Hardy, like Christian Bale, is one of those few actors that can transform their bodies drastically and his portrayal of Bane is completely different to himself in say Inception where he was a thinner being. His physical transformation and presentation of a fearsome beast of a man deserves to be credited wholesomely even if his villain doesnâ??t quite live up to the standards set by Heath Ledger.

Whilst The Dark Knight has a handful of brilliant scenes, The Dark Knight Rises does not quite have that many scenes that stand out. On its own, the film would be a classic, if it were released after Batman Begins it would have been a classic, but because Nolan made The Dark Knight, the best superhero film ever, The Dark Knight Rises was never going to overcome its expectations to be even better than its predecessor. In the previous two films, the memorable moments were scenes involving Batman battling away with his nemesis. The Dark Knight Rises continues the pattern, as the stand out sequence in the film is the Bane vs. Batman fight in the underground tunnels of Gotham. It is Batmanâ??s first physical fight that proves too much for him. Our hopes of Batman being victorious as a result of his previous encounters are ultimately quashed in such a simple manner that youâ??ll be stunned at how much a force Bane really is.

Due to Rachelâ??s death, there was room for a new female protagonist, and why not recycle one of the most famous characters in the Batman Universe. Selina Kyle, who also goes by the name of Catwoman, is portrayed by Anne Hathaway; an equally famous actress in Hollywoodâ??s Universe. She is kind of on the fringes of everything that happens, as in she does not make a big difference to the proceedings, except for removing some of the solemnity from Bruce. Anne Hathawayâ??s portrayal can be described as simply being good, never blowing you away, but always reliable.

The rest of the cast that are extremely present and influential in the first two films are quite absent during The Dark Knight Rises. Alfred Pennyworth, Lucius Fox and Jim Gordon played by Hollywood icons Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman are all sorely missed and needed, but the force of Bane is too potent. To Bruce, Alfred manages to guide him in his endeavours with unusual anecdotes that also function as a tool to forward the narrative and divulge into other charactersâ?? actions. He is a wise, friendly butler that plays a big part in the development of Batman. Lucius Fox serves as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises and one of the few people that know of Bruce Wayneâ??s secret. He supplies Batman with his kit and weapons whilst also like Alfred sometimes guides Bruce down the right road. Jim Gordon is Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department and an honest police officer whom Batman trusts, although in this film he is mostly hospital based and dictates the police force from his bed. Essentially, the aforementioned characters are all elderly figures that are believable in their guidance, helpfulness and protectiveness of Bruce/Batman, and perhaps the film needs more of them.

Unfortunately, the film can become confusing because there are many characters and tonnes of different locations that it can be quite hefty and baffling at times. The foreign prison where Bruce is kept is perhaps one of the few points in the film along with the elongated beginning that undermines the film as being a true classic because, unlike its predecessor where every scene is electrifyingly astonishing, this film labours at times which reverses it from the audienceâ??s excessive prospects. Nevertheless, the film builds to a dramatic climax.

The ending may not be completely satisfying considering our escalating expectations, however, it satisfies the trilogy not only with a sensational explosion but also on a lighter, happier note emphasising to you that Bruce Wayne no longer requires the drug that is Batman. For the audience, Christopher Nolanâ??s Batman trilogy is like a drug, once you get a hold of it, youâ??re going to end up wanting more! Letâ??s all hope Ben Affleck does us proud even though we are all going to be sceptics of new reincarnations after this trilogy.

Due to its predecessorâ??s status as possibly the greatest superhero film ever made, The Dark Knight Rises suffers because it cannot exceed the expectations it was set. Despite it falling short of The Dark Knight, it completes a trilogy with a film that never ceases to astound.

â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â??â?? 8/10.