FILM REVIEW: The Dark Knight Rises

Here we are, standing in London’s Leicester Square, anxiously waiting to see The Dark Knight Rises in the most massive queue we have ever been in. We’ve turned in our mobile phones and had our bags searched, and now we’re ready to shove our way through the crowd so that we can find the best seats in the house. There is an excited chatter as everyone wonders what this final installment of the Christopher Nolan Batman series will bring. Before we can begin to guess, the lights dim: it is time for our 164 minute adventure to begin.

We are quickly drawn into a somber scene in the all too familiar Gotham City, eight years after the death of Harvey Dent. The city has succeeded in drastically reducing crime thanks to the Dent Act. As a result, Batman is no longer needed and is seen as a masked criminal. With the withdrawal of Batman, so comes the withdrawal of eccentric billionaire, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). Wayne is soon forced out of his mansion and back into his bat-suit with the introduction of new characters, both friend and foe.

A feisty, out-for-herself cat burglar named Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) is the first of many to catch Wayne’s attention as she brazenly taunts both he and Batman. Selina’s introduction leads Wayne to meet another female, Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard), and the two women contrast brilliantly throughout the movie. A young police officer named John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) also enters the film as a character that plays a pivotal role in resisting the villainous Bane (Tom Hardy). Coming out of retirement isn’t easy, and Batman will learn this the hard (and sometimes humorous) way.

With a few laughs and plenty of surprises, The Dark Knight Rises is an excellent film that we will certainly watch again; it is designed to bring the Batman series full-circle in order to provide an acceptable ending. For the most part, the film is a success, but we do have a few complaints. Despite the loudness of the film, there were times when we could not understand what some of the characters were saying—particularly Bane, whose voice is highly distorted. We were also disappointed with the casting of Joseph Gordon-Levitt; his ‘Gotham City’ accent is inconsistent and he just doesn’t seem to fit his role like the other characters of the film do. We spent most of the evening being annoyed by his presence; maybe a few more views and we will get used to him . . .

Though we won’t say who dies, there is one particular death scene that should have been re-shot, as it was so comedic that it elicited laughs from most of the audience. We’re not being harsh, but we did expect more from such experienced actors. However, these flaws are fairly minor in the grand scheme of the film and they won’t keep us from returning to the theatre to experience it again (a shirtless Christian Bale only provides further incentive). Brush up on the previous films and be sure to see it in IMAX: this film deserves to be experienced on the biggest screen possible! The posters claim that ‘The Legend Ends,’ but we’re hoping that this series will continue.