The Dark Knight Rises - Thoughts

If hype were ever to be taken into consideration, The Dark Knight Rises is probably one of the most hyped ever. Add to that, being a follow-up to the hugely popular Dark Knight, expectation were through the roof. As much as I’ve enjoyed the Christopher Nolan reboot, the first 2 movies were cool but not exactly standout in my opinion. Couple the inflated expectations with my moderate enthusiasm, and I was just about looking to check out The Dark Knight Rises, not exactly counting the minutes to release. In this third and final closing installment of the trilogy, a new terrorizing villain named Bane unravels a plan that leaves Gotham City helpless, and forces Batman to reemerge.

After over 12 months of teasers and trailers I entered the theatre telling myself, this had better be worth all the drama. As the narrative slowly unfolded, a layer of mystery became evident. Being a Batman flick, this only seemed like a natural fit. As the movie pushed on, I realized that The Dark Night Rises wasn’t just an action movie, and had some pretty intense story/drama elements, that made it exceptionally gripping.  In spite of the oddly long 3 hour runtime, The Dark Knight Rises was fluid, with the story traversing seamlessly. Not once did I look at my watch, and even the slow moments were sufficiently enthralling. I remember seeing Batman Begins and thinking to myself that this iteration was very current, real, and something audiences could relate to as every day. The Dark Knight Rises builds on that, bringing in financial implications, and corporate power struggles to the mix. What makes Batman standout from most other superheroes is his human form, and I believe that audiences get to see him here at his most human and humble best. In short, The Dark Knight Rises satisfied at every level, and was an intensely fulfilling experience. The closing moments, and taking of shape of characters in the Batman universe sealed the deal for me, leaving little to be wanted.

With so many characters, an all-star cast, and multiple performances of perfection, Christopher Nolan deserves credit for meshing it all together as well. Christian Bale, already accomplished in playing Batman succeeds in portraying a human, breakable, and recluse side to the protagonist. Tom Hardy of Inception fame played Bane, and was unquestionably the epitome of grit and terror. Not for a second was his intensity questionable; making the Bane character seemingly unstoppable. Anne Hathaway played Selina, and surprised in a feisty way that perhaps only Michelle Pfeiffer has succeeded. Between questionable loyalties and immaturity, she fit the bill of the cat burglar glowingly. Michael Caine stars as Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s butler, bringing a level of love and care that negates the need for other family figures in the Wayne residence. Morgan Freeman plays Fox, a man who stands for all that is right, and probably symbolizes the idealistic corporate head. The combination of excellent performances and well scripted characters that have developed from the first movie adds to the list of successes and strengths of The Dark Knight Rises.

Unlike most new multiplex experiences, I watched this one on a large 70mm screen. Big is better and that indeed added to the larger than life experience. Video was clear, and tones were in keeping with the other Batman movies in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. There were no vibrant primary colors, and night scenes were predominantly blues and blacks. Sound effects were decent, and dialog acceptable; surround stage usage was also noticeable. Probably watching this on DVD in a smaller home theatre sorta environment will probably yield better acoustic results.  Worth particular mention is the fantabulous score by Hans Zimmer; the music adding to the grandeur and intensity of the scenes, contributing in large part to the goose bumps factor.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (All real and fantasy free…. Batman’s Finest Hour)