Alex Reviews...

The Dark Knight Rises

I'm sure the luckier among you were able to find a cinema still with seats open to see one of the most anticipated films of the year. The Avengers might have whet your need for superhero action for a while, and The Amazing Spiderman might have...well...reminded you that not all comic adaptations are epic (just my opinion, I know many people liked it...just not many that I'm friends with), but The Dark Knight Rises has been the film that everyone's really been waiting for, albeit with baited breath. Can Nolan and Bale hit the same mark of greatness they achieved in the last Batman outing? In my books, yes, yes they can. 

Now, I can't in good faith give away too much about the film because it hasn't been out nearly long enough to presume that everybody has seen it. So I will just give a quick run through of what you can look forward to:

New Villains: The Dark Knight introduced Batman's most infamous nemesis - The Joker, and that paired with the performance of the late Heath Ledger meant that many, including myself, wondered if The Dark Knight could be topped. Then we heard that The Dark Knight Rises would include Bane - one of the more interesting villains that if you have a moment you should look up, and Catwoman. The boots of Bane are filled by a British superstar Tom Hardy who again manages to bulk up to a simply ridiculous size to portray the hulking villain, yet still retains the presence and charisma that showed the young actor to be a ever rising talent. Bane is a much more grounded villain who has just as strong ideals as The Joker, but none of the insanity. He may not show a love for wanton destruction, but he is not shy of it either, and he really does manage to capture every scene he is a part of. There's something about the way he talks and the somewhat relaxed demeanour of Bane that makes him a truly chilling villain, and although The Joker was terrifying for a different reason, Bane by no means is an easy follow-up for our caped crusader.

Not only that, but Catwoman has entered the fray and plays a prominent role in the fate of Gotham this time round. Anne Hathaway was, perhaps unfairly, a slight worry for the role - though that may be because the more recent renditions of Catwoman would seem out of place for Nolan's Batman franchise. But, come on, this is Chrisopher Nolan we're talking about here. I personally think Catwoman, and Hathaway, are a welcome presence in this film and although some of her lines are a bit grating, she makes up for it by not simply being a ridiculous sex kitten character, but a fleshed out icon that strengthens rather than tarnishes the series. 

Darker Batman? - The plot of The Dark Knight Rises certainly makes no effort to pull any punches so expect a much higher body-count that previous outings and just as much emotional investment. This film is meant to take place a good while after the events of The Dark Knight and the fate of those involved in that film, so expect to see the fallout as a result. Gotham is different, and so is Bruce Wayne. Christian Bale allows us to see a lot more of Bruce Wayne this time around, and the struggles he has to go through in making the choice to be a hero for his city. I'm glad that Bale's acting chops have been recently recognised by an Academy Award, and he fires out another stellar performance this time round, reminding you that Batman is Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne is not unbreakable - he needs to overcome a lot in this film. 

Not the lone hero - The other element of the Nolan Batman films that have made them so exemplary is the level of talent in the support cast and the thought that goes in to the development of the support characters. Alfred (Michael Caine), Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) are all back in force, and with such acting talent at the helm you can expect some meaty performances on the good-side of the table. Then we have the new characters of Blake and Miranda Tate, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard respectively. Blake, a young 'hot-headed' police officer who is determined to take a hands on approach to helping Gotham and Batman, and Miranda Tate who has visions of helping Gotham from a different position, allying herself with Bruce Wayne and Wayne enterprises in their ventures for a better city. The title fight may be between Batman and Bane, but Batman can't do it alone. 

Twists, turns and tie-ins - For those of you have seen Nolan's other films and other Batman editions, you will know that you can expect an exciting and rough ride in terms of plot, and The Dark Knight Rises manages to keep a tension that builds steadily and keeps hold of threads that have carried over from the previous films. This is Nolan and Bale's last Batman film, and they finish gloriously. The plot isn't hard to follow so you won't feel lost at any point, but it is intriguing enough to hold your attention anyway. Fans will probably spot things that others wouldn't but there is enough excitement and enough surprises to keep everyone entertained. 

The other bits - Just for those who are interested, expect the same booming scores from Hans Zimmerman - hope that your cinema gets the sound levels right as at some times the music can make the dialogue a little hard to decipher, though not at particularly important points. There's a heap load of action, Bat-gadgets and explosions, but what is different about this Batman is how much of it is set in daytime. I think this shows that Batman is forced, at points, to come out of his element of darkness to deal with an enemy who is a far larger challenge than he has yet to have faced, and it won't be as easy as jumping up behind enemies with a swoosh of a cape. The film itself is long, very long, but it's definitely worth it and doesn't really slow down enough to remind you how much time you've been sitting down. 

So, general consensus? The Dark Knight Rises is an amazing end to a spectacular trilogy. If you haven't seen the preceding films, the length and drama might be a bit overwhelming, but why would anyone see the last film of a trilogy without seeing the lead up? Madness. It is a shame that there won't be any more Bale and Nolan Batman outings, but everyone knows that the longer a franchise runs the higher the risk of it losing its magic touch, so its reassuring to know that the Batman can finish on a high. 

I would also like to add that my thoughts go out to those who were affected by the tragedy surrounding the premier showing of this film in Aurora, Colarado. There is really nothing I can say that can describe how devastating and unfair the world can be, and I really hope that everyone wishes strength and compassion for those involved.