User reviews

After eight years in seclusion, Batman resurfaces to face Bane, a mastermind bent on destroying Gotham and has ties to Bruce Wayne's past. Christopher Nolan's conclusion to his Dark Knight trilogy should be treated as a wrap up rather than a third installment. Despite many new characters being introduced, even their conflicts and motives are derived from events that occurred in the previous two films. Such an approach could be seen as a weakness, since the conflict could just end up being sort of a rematch rather than moving the story forward; however, Nolan's approach works terrificly. Over an hour is shot in stunning IMAX, but the film is more touching than it is intense… and that's its best quality. Hardy steps in as the genius mercenary Bane, who is slightly bigger, slightly stronger and slightly smarter than Batman, thus making him a challenge best suited for the grand finale. The Joker works best as Batman's arch-nemesis since they are polar opposites, with The Joker standing for everything Batman stands against. Two-Face works best as Batman's most tragic enemy because Harvey Dent is very much like Bruce Wayne… the only difference is: Dent copes with his tragedy through revenge rather than seeking justice as Wayne did. Bane works best as Batman's most challenging villain because of his physical and mental superiority—forget the Bane you saw in "BATMAN & ROBIN". Nolan carefully chose all his villains in the series wisely and executed them perfectly. Hardy had big shoes to fill following Ledger's posthumous Oscar winning performance; while Bane is no Joker, Hardy does a satisfying job and should not be compared to Ledger's performance as they are completely different roles. It is Michael Caine, however, that delivers the most memorable and touching performance of the entire film. A wonderful conclusion to a wonderful trilogy.

**** (out of four)

The Dark Knight Rises was a perfect sequel to a masterpiece. Christopher Nolan took a different direction and focused more on Bruce Wayne/Batman. This movie is filled with lots of emotions. It has such great characters and of course the dialogs is so good. The performances are incredible. It was my most anticipated movie of the century. The more I watch it, The more epic it gets. Personally, I think The Dark Knight Trilogy is the greatest Trilogy of all time and this movie gives the greatest ending of all time in the movie history. I remember seeing it thrice and the more I watched It the more respect it earns. Thank you Christopher Nolan, You Sir Are A Master.

Possibly my personal favourite of the Nolan Batman films, and I do like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight very much. Is it perfect? For me, not quite, there are so many plot strand in a long running time that the film occasionally(and there is a big emphasis on that) sags in momentum and some of the strands in the ending could have done with more development. It is a brilliant film all the same, one of the highlights so far of the year. As to expect from Christopher Nolan, it is a visually audacious film, with gorgeous cinematography, a beautifully realised Gotham City and great special effects. Hans Zimmer's score is not one of his very best for me, but there is still an epic and haunting quality that is just perfect for this film. The dialogue provokes thought and makes an emotional impact, and a vast majority of the time The Dark Knight Rises is ambitious and gripping. I don't consider Christopher Nolan one of my favourites, this said he is a hugely impressive director who shows great ambition and a willingness to make his subject matters interesting. He does a really wonderful job here, as the set/action pieces including the plane hijack and Bane's assault on Gotham are enough to make the jaw drop. The performances are just terrific from all involved, Matthew Modine fares weakest but he is far from bad. Christian Bale is still a charismatic presence, Matthew Caine appropriately loyal and Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman subtly understated. Joseph Gordon Levitt captures his character's idealism wonderfully. Tom Hardy is in beefed-up terrifying mode as Bane, a worthy successor to Heath Ledger's iconic Joker. Anne Hathaway was a curious casting choice, but as Catwoman she is spot on, here is a Catwoman who actually does much more than acting sexy(which she still is), she is very ruthless and no-nonsense here. All in all, a hugely impressive film, the best of Nolan's Batman trilogy- though I'm prepared for any flaming I'll get for this opinion- and one of the highlights so far of 2012. 9/10 Bethany Cox

There's a storm coming .....

Years after being villified, Batman is encouraged once again to come Gotham's aid, as it's in the grip of a group of mercenaries run by the villainous Bane.

First of all, you don't have to be a superhero fan to enjoy this great movie, it truly does have the most broad appeal, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. If you liked the two preceding films, I figure you'll love this one, I'm a fan of all three, this is my personal favourite.

It's a long movie, but it flies by at a canter, no single frame is wasted, it moves by at a terrific pace, it has incredible action sequences, but the story is terrific.

It's really interesting to see Batman coming in from a position where he's decided and feared, he's no longer accepted as Gotham's hero and saviour.

Christian Bale is the perfect Batman, and he is matched every step of the way by Tom Hardy. Hardy is off the charts as Bane, the last time we saw the character was back in The Batman and Robin film, perhaps best forgotten, here though he's an iconic villain.

I can't speak highly enough of Bale and Hardy, but this is also, I think the best of Anne Hathaway, she is excellent here.

A decade on, and this film is still fabulous.

10/10.

Christopher Nolan's epic trilogy concludes in glorious fashion and gives us a thought provoking and suitably satisfying conclusion to an epic saga. It's emotional, intense and has a great villain in Tom Hardy.

Not being a huge fan of superhero movies, I didn't have much expectations for Batman Begins. However viewing the 2005 Christopher Nolan production, I was pleasantly shocked. Then after my huge expectations for, "The Dark Knight", Christopher Nolan blew my expectations to the dust. Will the same happen with the 3rd and last film, "The Dark Knight Rises"? Quite simply, Yes! My big expectations were once again, blown away. What a production! This is a true cinematic experience, to behold. The movie exceeded my expectations in terms of action, and entertainment. The editing, sound, score, visuals, direction and action are all top notch.

The film contains a fine cast of talented actors. Christian Bale, of course still makes is a great Batman. Michael Cain is fantastic, as he always is. He gives such a powerful performance, he really ought to be considered for an Oscar nomination. Tom Hardy as Bane is utterly terrifying, at times, and completely ominous. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman/Selina Kyle is a scene stealer. She is completely engrossing. Everyone is so great, the dynamic scenes between the actors are so well done, so well written, and so well directed. The Dark Knight Rises is is emotionally riveting and amazing to view.

At a running time of almost 3 hours, the film never becomes dull, which is pretty impressive. The movie's action sequences are spectacularly well created and very intense. The dialogue between the character's are intelligent and highly believable. The movie's soundtrack is terrific and really exemplify's many of the movie's scenes. Extremely well editing and sound use really develop many of the movie's action scenes, so it's not just explosions and visuals like in many other movies. Nolan creates a grand, dirty, engrossing world, and his action sequences just hum.

In conclusion, this film is a gorgeous reminder that great writing and direction can enhance any movie-going experience, even superhero movies, which are usually thought of as mindless entertainment. I am wholly satisfied with Christopher Nolan's vision and thank all who worked on this film for bringing such an intricate interpretation of its very famous literary source. I cannot recommend this film anymore than I have, I just have to say everyone and anyone should see it. 10/10"

I think as a film stand point, the dark knight is a better movie that is better acted and tense the whole way through. The dark knight rises to me is a more fun and action filled movie that you can sit back a bit more. The acting is still amazing and combined with the atmosphere/visuals of the movie creates a the sense of realism that the movie has. That realism is where the intensity stems from throughout the movie, the audience believing that something like this could actually happen makes it that much scarier. Bane is also an excellent villain, in the dark knight the joker challenges Batman mentally but Bane physically challenges him which is a completely new challenge for Batman. The plot is incredible, it it starts fast and instantly brings you into the action. It then takes a step back to develop the characters further and build up the challenge Batman has to face. Once one of the many challenges was overcome by Batman in launches the viewer straight back into action for one epic final battle that lasts almost an hour......and it is GLORIOUS! Not one second was I bored, it is truly incredible how each movie in the trilogy is this good, it shouldn't be possible. I've not even mentioned the incredible soundtrack to compliment the astounding yet grounded action. I can't compliment this movie enough. If you haven't someone seen this trilogy yet....watch it, you won't be disappointed.

I came out with slight disappointment after watching DKR for I had huge expectations from Nolan after an exceptional TDK.

I am huge fan of first two installment of Batman Trilogy. I liked DKR, it's a good movie, but it could have been much better.

So rather than discussing its merit, which are many, I am pointing out its shortcomings.

It's the weaker than other movies of trilogy and simple reason being it lacks strong characters. DKR is all about storytelling, just like Nolan's Inception, but not as efficient. And in doing so, it fails where Batman Begins and The Dark Knight had succeeded.

Batman Begins was all about fear, doubt, self-realization and redemption where Bruce Wayne discovers his destiny as Batman. BB had a story arc which set background for main characters - Batman / Wayne, Ra's al Ghul, Gordon (to some extent) and most importantly Gothom City and hence set stage for a fitting climax.

The Dark Knight explores the theme of chaos, morality and belief effortlessly and establishes characters of Joker, Harvey Dent/Two Face, Rachel etc. So effortlessly that people choose to ignore even some major plot holes. Heath Ledger's interpretation of Joker was so mesmerizing that it single handily carried TDK to path of greatness/ critical acclaim.

But Dark Knight Rises is all about story telling - efficient but not exceptional. Bane, Miranda Tate, John Blake, Peter Folly (Deputy Commissioner), Selina Kyle - characters are introduced but never explored/ expanded - they just start working on their part - just like cogs in the wheel. They are not so much part of the story itself but just the agents which move the story forward.

Bane's character is dull and single dimensional and do not evoke any fear or awe. He's meticulous, intelligent and strong and this is established quickly in movie but after that he slumps into a just another movie villain. Taila / Miranda character is never fully explored. Even Wayne/Batman is devoid of any emotions in this one and he feels so sure of himself that I start wondering if it's the same Batman that I saw in first two installments. Only new character which had some shades was that of Selina Kyle and Anne Hathaway did justice to it. Add to that helplessness of Alfred portrayed superbly by Caine. Other actors are good but there's not much for them to do.

There's no dilemma, choices, moral battles, hope, chaos or fear - things that make characters and plot interesting and which made Batman Begins and The Dark Knight really good movies. Even the theme of "Occupy WallStreet" is very weak and, at best, is closer to London riots with its looting and arson. There's even perfect order in Bane's revolution. Movie moves effortlessly from one plot to another and to climax that it become at times predictable.

But maybe Dark Knight Rises was supposed to be like that only and Nolan had too much to deal with in 2.5 hours. And maybe that's the main problem with DKR - too much is going on in the story that it seems crammed at times. And when there are too many characters and so many story arcs, it's tough to do justice to characters and story telling at the same time.

Dark Knight Rises have a good story but lacks strong characters and relies on Inception's style which incidentally differs from style of first two installments of Batman Trilogy.

And for me, soul of Nolan's Batman Series is its strong characters, their underlying emotions and a theme which is much deeper and meaningful than all fight, gadgetry and style. And this is where DKR fails.

6/10.

Christopher Nolan has outdone himself with this one. At 3.30 in the morning, I was tired. Just getting out of it, I've never been so awake.

Perhaps what set this film apart from his other films was that it had a genuine emotional heartbeat. I felt that this was a flaw of Nolan's other films - the vision of emotion was there, but it was hollow. In this I bought it. I felt it, hero and villain alike.

Christian Bale was typically brilliant as Batman, and I felt that Bruce Wayne was more heavily embraced in this final installment. Bale added emotional depth to the character - a plot point that I think went astray in The Dark Knight - picking up from the development made in Batman Begins.

Tom Hardy as Bane was quite simply, terrifying. No longer a dunderhead "enforcer", but one of the criminal masterminds behind "Gotham's Reckoning", coupled with a physical dominance strong enough to send shivers down your spine.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle defied my expectations. Hands up who was not entirely convinced that that girl from the Princess Diaries could handle an intensely physical role like Catwoman. But here I am, hugely impressed. She added immeasurably to the value of the film.

Marion Cotillard fulfilled the role of Miranda Tate admirably, though I suspect this was the most underdeveloped character of the film - though after watching, I can see why.

The unsung hero of The Dark Knight Rises is Michael Caine as Alfred. A heartfelt performance that helps drive the emotional content of the film, helping Nolan sell his most well-rounded film to date. Caine's performance in both presence and absence.

Special mention goes to Joseph Gordon Levitt, who is consistently proving himself to be a big player in the Hollywood game. His role as officer Blake felt like there could've been more, but it may just have come all a bit much. It was a great performance, and Levitt sunk his teeth into role.

If you can, go see this in IMAX. If any film was to sell the format to skeptics, The Dark Knight Rises would be IT. I'm happy Nolan stuck to his guns and shot in 2D. 3D would have been unnecessary.

I suppose at this point, I have to turn my focus on Nolan. If he ever reads this... aspiring filmmaker to filmmaker, I've never been so envious, jealous in all my life. It's a film that leaves me floundering, wondering what I could possibly do to get anywhere near this ballpark. Well done. I think an Oscar Nomination is in order.

From here, I'm not sure what to expect of the future. Does our imagination carry us forward, or do the studios? Time will tell.

10/10

I had the honor of watching TDKR during a screening and was completely blown away! Christopher Nolan's third film in his Batman trilogy doesn't disappoint. The movie is incredibly well made, its huge production is quite breathtaking to view. This is a true cinematic experience, to behold. The movie exceeded my expectations in terms of action, and entertainment. The movie's score high-lites many of its incredible scenes, and at times, it takes your breath away.

The film featured excellent performances, by all the cast. Christian Bale, as always is great as Batman. Anne Hathaway was completely engrossing, she became "Catwoman", just like Michele Pfeiffer did, although their interpretations were very different, both were equally effective. Tom Hardy was the main villain "Bane" completely shattered my expectations. One of the best superhero movie villains, I've ever seen. The terror caused by him, is completely believable and quite menacing. Marlion Cotilliard, Michael Cane, Gary Oldman, and others all did well in their respective roles. Now I know most will miss Heath Ledger as the Joker.(I know I do) I hope people don't compare Tom Hardy's performance to Heath Ledger's, its completely unfair and the two characters are very different. Just read the comics.

The colossal size of the film is a spectacle to behold, but surprisingly you don't get lost with all the explosions and extravagant action scenes, like in other films,(AKA Transformers, or POTC.) If one were to gripe, and I suppose there will never be a film made that one cannot find a point at which to grip, it is painfully long running time here. I found myself more worried about the pain in my posterior than the emotional final minutes after almost 3 hours that I had spent in a cramped seat, but that's just how I am. However the ending is just fantastic, so emotional and bring the trilogy to a very satisfying end.

Sorry if I'm being all fan-boyish and kissing this movie's behind, but I really admire it. It may not be among my personal favorites but generally this seems to be the movie event of this year. As a film though, this is amazing. A true lasting legacy in superhero story telling and summer-blockbusters.

The best thing about this movie is how satisfying it is. It doesn't leave you frustrated or confused. You can't really complain that it didn't explore certain ideas or follow through. By deciding to have an official ending to this trilogy's story, the themes surrounding Batman are very fresh. We don't know where he'll end up. It's not the same old thing about whether he can continue to be Batman or not, which was already getting repetitive in Spider-man 2. The conclusions are not as important as the feelings they invoke as they come about. Nolan is especially good at capturing the complete tension of actually not knowing what will happen and deeply questioning what you *want* to happen and why.

This movie is bigger than the previous two, far more ambitious. There are no obvious annoying weaknesses that usually come with films in general, especially blockbuster action movies. All of Nolan's movies have deep psychological themes and this takes those in another new direction. I thought Inception was hugely original and insightful about the way people think. That level of abstraction and depth is present in this film. Bane bursts into it, his reputation is quickly established. Nolan uses people's expectations and anticipation to the fullest. We are left to wonder about what has happened in the 8 years since the events of The Dark Knight. Why have the characters become the way they are now?

In the latter half, it does seem like the movie is trying to pull off so many different plot points and connections, but they all work. The cast is very large and impressive. You don't see "good acting". You see fascinating characters. They're just playing their part in the grand story that's being crafted. There are many unfamiliar faces but they all have a strange, unique look to them. We often see a person's flaws and previous decisions coming back to haunt them. They find out the hard way what mistakes they have made. Where their limits are. Where they lose control.

The score is almost tribal, very raw and energetic. You don't get much chance to pay attention to it but many parts of the movie are pounding with excitement. There are countless quotable lines and disturbing slices of dialogue. They cut deep. The Joker was a great character and this is a very different movie but the themes are just as dark, only perhaps indirectly. Underneath, it's very sinister. Writing and efficiency appear to be among Nolan's greatest strengths. The story has many layers that interweave and apparently they came in under budget.

Perhaps the most important thing about Catwoman is that she's completely believable. When she beats up men, you don't roll your eyes. She's feminine and powerful in her own way. She fits into the world and we completely understand her motivations. She doesn't have a huge role but a very important one.

I didn't find myself moved but maybe I'm too cynical. I was more affected psychologically. Curious about humanity and all the different sides of it you see in this movie. It goes to many extremes. I felt humbled by my complete lack of life experience. What do I know about anything? How could I possibly understand half of the characters? I haven't been through anything or achieved anything compared to most of them. Michael Caine gets a bigger role this time. He was always critical but this time he's very much the emotional core.

I thought Christian Bale was overlooked in The Dark Knight especially. The movies hinge on him. Bruce Wayne's just a man but also incredibly inspirational. Bale's famous for completely committing to his roles and it pays off. Tom Hardy is impressive as Bane but I suppose that's no surprise. The rest of the leads are similarly awesome. There are many references to the earlier films. Very few questions are left unanswered. It's always nice when film-makers really think it through and make an actual decision and get all the details right.

So anyway, I'll miss Batman (since the trilogy has ended) but couldn't have hoped for a better, more epic and sincere finale to his story.

The Batman series by Christopher Nolan was and is probably one of the best superhero series ever. In an industry where very few sequels have been that good, The Dark Knight, I believe was designed by Christopher Nolan to be head and shoulders above Batman Begins; and it was. The Dark Knight surpassed Batman Begins, end of story. Now that you have accomplished what very few have managed, how do you surpass this one. A daunting and mountainous task indeed. Only now, Nolan wasn't even trying to surpass it. He was merely trying to present a movie that would build on its predecessor.

The movie is set 8 years after the Joker incident so that anything related to the Joker need not be shown (RIP Heath Ledger). Nolan presents us a completely different Gotham. A different take on it. And how 8 years can change people. How the harvey dent and joker incident can affect people and batman himself. In a time of peace, it is quite easy to plan and attack even an entire city. Everything is taken into concern. And it all adds up to one seemingly invincible villain. The logic is never lost at any point of time. The screenplay is penned to allow the impact of what has happened to Gotham and its people in "The Dark Knight" and what could happen if something goes wrong now.

All things said, if you are expecting something better than The Dark Knight, you are mistaken. This was never going to compete or surpass that. This is a very good movie in its own right. As for the series, there cannot be a better conclusion and I really hope nobody else continues this series if Nolan decides not to.

TDKR needs to be appreciated for staying true to its roots and still giving us something good, exhilarating and unexpected.

'The Dark Knight Rises' is the third and final instalment in Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking trilogy that reshaped the superhero genre as we know it. The main cast return as well as some newcomers. Tom Hardy as 'Bane', Anne Hathaway as 'Selina', Joseph Gordon-Levitt as 'Blake' and Marion Cotillard as 'Miranda'. The new additions are fantastic, especially Tom Hardy. He brings a menacing presence to the character and finally incorporates the main part of his comic counterpart, his brains. For sure Bane is incredibly strong, but he is also an unbelievable strategist that can systematically wear down Batman whilst also using his strength to defeat him. Hardy displays all of this perfectly despite us barely seeing his face, the mask he wears makes him more frightening and is used as an interesting plot device later in the film. A lot of people criticised the voice that Hardy uses for this character, but personally I love it, I think adds to the mystery of the figure. The best acting comes from Michael Caine as 'Alfred Pennyworth'. Nolan really fleshes out Alfred and Bruce's relationship in this film and Caine plays the reluctant mentor figure perfectly. One of his final scenes really shows off his acting, the regret that Alfred pours out and it's heartbreaking. Whilst all of the other actors are great, Caine excels in this movie compared to 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight'. The writing is brilliant, so many twists and turns and a sensational ending that really brings the trilogy full circle and has a great ending to Bruce's arc. The dialogue is excellent, in particular the many Bane monologues that add another layer onto his great character. The fight choreography improves massively and is loads better than the last two films. Hanz Zimmers score is superb and works in all scenes that it features in. Also, the cinematography is beautiful, Wally Pfister, who has worked with Nolan throughout the trilogy, really peaks in this picture. However, this movie isn't perfect, Bane's final demise is very underwhelming, especially for a character that makes as much of an impact as he does. Finally the twist at the end with Blake feels tacked on and is inaccurate to the source material. Overall, I love this movie, for sure it doesn't live up to the heights of 'The Dark Knight' but it is still exceptional and was a stunning way to end this unbelievable series of films.

9/10

I'm going to start off by saying that this was probably one of my most anticipated movies of all time. I went in the theater hoping for a masterpiece. I actually expected this movie to jump into my top five of all time. It didn't disappoint, I loved it.

The opening scene had me questioning what exactly was going on. Movies that make you think about the smallest details of the plot are my favorite. In the scene the audience is introduced to the new villain, Bane. As a kid watching cartoons I always thought that bane was a mindless hulk-like bad guy. In this movie he has a true to the comic's portrayal. He's smart, he has a plan, and he'll stop at nothing to put it into action. Much like Dark Knight, the Villain is a major standout. He has such an intimidating presence on screen. Tom Hardy put so much work into the physicality of the character. The first fight between Bane and Batman is one of the moments that they had to get right. Luckily it's one of my favorite moments in the entire film! In the scene they don't use too much sound, just Bane's taunts as he fights, truly frightening. His voice is so interesting. It's something you'll really remember about the film. After the film my friends and I couldn't help but do Bane impressions. He has so many quotable lines that he will probably be one of my favorite villains of all time. You might be wondering if he outperformed the Joker from Dark Knight. The answer is no, not quite. He's so different of a character it's hard to compare, but Joker was just too hard to beat. Christian Bale's performance as Batman and Bruce Wayne was amazing. This was easily his best performance as Batman. The story takes place eight years after the end of Dark Knight so Bruce is feeling the ill effects of being batman. He uses a cane now, and he has a little grey hair. This is a story about Bruce Wayne coming back, and doing anything he can for his city. Bruce and Alfred have some amazing scenes where you forget your watching acting. The emotion they both convey when they're together is stunning. Michel Cane doesn't have as much screen time as he does in the other movies, but he's so good in the ones he's in you won't forget his performance. Morgan Freeman is back. He has some particularly funny scenes with Bruce. They feel like old friends yet again. You really can't go wrong with any of the actors in this movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays young police officer Blake. He has some great character development during the course of the movie. I was cheering for him the whole time. If you come out of this movie saying "I just wish it had better acting" I'd question your sanity. Anne Hathaway as Catwoman was one big worry I had about the movie going in. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised. She did a great job of portraying the playful vigilante. She actually had okay chemistry with Christian Bale. Catwoman wasn't forced into the story, her character made sense within the plot. She didn't ruin the movie, which was all I was asking for. Plus, she actually looked like she could fight. She wasn't doing the "I'm a woman who can beat up ten men with one hand tied behind my back" routine. It was such a relief that they didn't try to do something annoying like Black Widow from Avengers.

The story was fantastic. It's amazing that Christopher Nolan wasn't planning on doing this movie before he made Batman Begins. There are so many callbacks and references to that movie I would strongly recommend watching that one again before you see this one. I kept saying "Oh I remember when he said that!" or thinking "That ties in perfectly". This one had plenty of twists and turns. Multiple times I was questioning what was true and what was a clever ruse. If there are any negatives, you might say there are some plot leaps. Not holes mind you, but something upon thinking about it you might consider a little unbelievable. With such huge story and scope I'm surprised there aren't more mistakes. The scale of this movie is far bigger than in either of the first two Batman movies. Bane has a plan for all of Gotham and batman has to stop an entire city of villains. The entire trilogy comes to a very fitting finish. I absolutely loved the ending. I was very satisfied how everything tied together. I especially loved the conclusion of Bruce's story, perfect. When I came out of the theater I couldn't wait to discuss the amazing things that happened in the end. This is a movie where the more you watch it the more you'll understand and enjoy it.

Of course, in the conclusion to a trilogy like this one you would expect to be dazzled by the special effects. They were quite impressive. The new batwing has some pretty amazing aerial maneuvers. You definitely get your money's worth with the cinematography. The opening and ending scenes especially stand out. There was an extremely cool Bat Pod driving scene that, as soon as it was over, I wanted to watch it again.

It can't tell you enough that this was an amazing movie. It was certainly the best of the year. If you're wondering if it's better than The Dark Knight I honestly can't say. Time will tell. It could be better, and that's some of the highest praise I can give it.

Edit: Time did tell. It didn't hold up. Still good. Nowhere near Dark Knight tkubas1.wordpress.com.

There are plenty of elements that made this film work, so I suppose we can tick them off one by one. For starters, the continuation on the focus of Bruce Wayne's story, which has made it all tick. This version of Bruce Wayne and Alfred become the familiar characters we're accustomed with since 2005, and the film invests heavily on the emotional bonding between the two, which deals back to the theme about fear that rears its ugly head again, and how a father figure cannot stand idly by to watch the one he brought up recklessly charge into battle after a long hiatus, and hoping for a life of normalcy with the mantle of the bat given up. Michael Caine may have a shorter screen time than before, but no less powerful.

When Sam Raimi had to put the popular and powerful Venom into Spider-man 3 pretty much against his wishes, we all knew how that turned out to be, effectively killing off the franchise until the decision to reboot it. There may be some similar fears with the introduction of a fairly contemporary villain in Bane, but the story gave him more purpose and meaning, and Tom Hardy was excellent par none in this role as the compete villain - with plenty of brawn, merciless, masterful, and with a plan any terrorist would be proud of. If the Scarecrow meant to induce fear, and the Joker to create chaos, Bane is carnage incarnate. Tom Hardy, even being the requisite mask, is fearful, and while the designs of his plan may dwarf the Joker's in complexity, it sure rivaled his in terms of delivery, and execution. Anyone in his path gets shoved aside with deadly consequences, and anyone alive is only because there is of further use. No hesitation, and no compromise.

And Nolan continues with the introduction of a lot more villains big and small, behind a mask or otherwise, in his Bat films than anyone would credit him for, especially when having those whose lines are blurred, or corrupt to the core and hiding behind social status and fortune. This in turn provides for another arc that boils underneath the main narrative, where the rich and powerful continue to enjoy their successes at the expense of the have-nots, and the Occupy Movement in a way being a very real parallel to the proceedings on screen. While the mobsters were clearly at the top of the food chain in the earlier Nolan films, this one shifted focus to politicians and the elite community, with their fair share of scandals and corporate greed.

While Bane was to the point, Selina Kyle played by Anne Hathaway, is both sensual and a force to be reckoned with herself, being like how she's best portrayed, on the fence. There's a bit of Frank Miller's Year One in this one given the presence of Juno Temple's Holly, and the back to basics as a jewel thief, compared to the mousy secretary in Tim Burton's Batman Returns with Michelle Pfeiffer defining the role, and the garbage that was Halle Berry's. Anne Hathaway nailed this one with what would be a truly memorable outing, and as if a homage of sorts to Burton's second Batman film, that the repartee between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle at a party became one of the highlights here, as does her thievery and combat ability. She may lack her whip, but more than makes up for it with her steel stiletto heels, and the very sensual and sleekly designed feline moves that you'd wonder how they got delivered while wrapped under that skin tight suit.

And not only is the technology put on screen fictionally impressive, the technical aspects behind the scenes also worked wonders, chalking up serious mileage in having more than an hour's worth of footage shot on the IMAX format. Wally Pfister's cinematography continues to impress with that staying consistent to the gritty look and feel developed for all the Bat films to date, before his departure into a film director's role for his next project. Hans Zimmer also probably developed the best score for Nolan's Bat films, and I dare say without which this film would be less stellar, with the score playing a huge role in adding plenty of character and emotion to the film, lifting it up with excitement during the many set action pieces, with recognizable themes assigned to major players, heightening dangers, and providing a boost to the many feelings in this one heck of an action-adventure.

With how things developed at the end, and what I felt was initial horror of sorts with Batman out in broad daylight, secret identity being porous and all, this film ended in what would be the best way possible - with possibilities, and a twinkle of an eye, Inception style with a did it, or did it not. Twists, turns, surprises and sleight of hand, making it a clear favourite as one of the best this year. Do yourself a favour and watch it in the IMAX format, just as it was intended.

Because you have just got to believe in Christopher Nolan, and the kind of films he has so far delivered. Take a bow, bat-crew, for a trilogy that has now set the bar for any comic book film, and especially any other follow Batman movie, reboot or otherwise, to live up to.