Dark Knight Rises Review

So, after 7 long years, and the tragic death of Heath Ledger (22.1.08), Nolan North's blockbuster franchise comes to its climatic end. Two-Face is dead, and Commissioner Gordon has carried out Batman's last wishes before his disappearance, using Dent as a matyr against crime.

8 years later, the Dent Act has repressed the crime wave, and Blackgate prison is bursting at the seams with over a thousand deadly inmates. Life's good right? 

But Bane's arrived, making his appearance in one of the most memorable scenes in television. It's similar to North's other revolutionary scene, the hallmark "hallway scene" in Inception. From this moment onwards we know, in the words of Selina Kyle, "a storm's coming".

Speaking of Selina Kyle, I believe that Anne Hathaway performs excellently as the titular Catwoman character, though Nolan, in his continuing tradition of making the Batman franchise more grounded to reality, never mentions the word "Catwoman" once. She is perfect in encapsulating the graceful fighting styles and wry remarks that make Catwoman who she is, the perfect mirror to the stern and gruff Batman. 

Christian Bale excels in portraying an ageing Bruce Wayne, now a recluse after the Dent Act's destroyed organised crime. Michael Caine provides some emotion with his dreams of Wayne's future, but any hopes of retirement go out the window as Bane's assault begins, bankrupting the Wayne Foundation and taking away their prize project, a fusion reactor now designed as a nuclear bomb. His appearance to the public is one of the many standout scenes in the film, and the ensuing violence is pure class. 

What happens next is roughly an hour of devastation as Bane's minions run rampant through Gotham City, barely held back by a guerilla force led by Gordon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, a police officer who is perhaps one of the best characters in the entire film. 

Towards the end the action heats up, with a final battle between thousands of police and the disallusioned masses and criminals of Gotham taking place on a wide street, all while snow falls around them. Its a pretty sight, though why fists and feet trump rifles and shotguns escapes me. 

On a side note, a famous villain returns to Gotham, making it his third appearance in the series. But no fear gas...

The ending is particularly melodramatic, with a giant twist that makes the entire series come full circle, tying all the way back to a particular League....

The final 5 minutes are another twist, but for one who has seen all the tiny hints, tips and foreboding signs throughout the series it makes perfect sense. I must go back again.

On a funny note, as Bane retells with huge satisfaction, Gotham City and the Dent Act are built upon a huge lie, as anyone who has watched the Dark Knight will know. The Truth Hurts.

9.5/10