"The Dark Knight Rises"
What is it about?
After staying in the shadows for 8 years, Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement to take on another crazy guy.
How are the top performances?
CHRISTIAN BALE as Bruce Wayne/Batman
I've always felt that Christian Bale is much better at the Bruce Wayne part of the role, but hey, this is an Oscar winner with a proven track record, of course he's good in everything. Probably the last time we ever see an Oscar winner dress up as a superhero, so drink it up while you can.
TOM HARDY as Bane
Tom Hardy has close to as thankless of a role as you can get, because following Heath Ledger's Joker as the main villain isn't a dream job. While I have my problems with the film, Hardy does his best and has to be commended. I even like the much-maligned voice he uses. It's different and unexpected. He can't growl in an angry voice while Batman is growling. You can barely understand both to begin with.
ANNE HATHAWAY as Selina Kyle
I just want to point out how great Hathaway is, because I knew she would be fine once the casting was made last year. She's a pro and hits all the right notes for the character.
There's much good about it:
Alfred gives two outstanding speeches.
The action rivals or surpasses any other superhero movie.
The pulse-pounding music.
The way Nolan tries his best not to enter the realm of corniness: Bane's mask isn't fueled by steroids, Selina Kyle is never referred to as "Catwoman" by name, her goggle sort of, kind of look like ears instead of blatantly giving her a Catwoman outfit.
Also, just like The Dark Knight, this movie is undoubtedly very conservative based. The Dark Knight was really a brilliant allegory on the conservative view of terrorism, with Batman playing the role of George W. Bush and the Joker as Osama bin Laden. Batman has to do whatever he can to find the Joker, even if that means beating the living shit out of him in the interrogation room and tapping everyone's phone. At the end, he assumes the blame but in his mind it's okay to be the bad guy, as long as you kept the city safe.
The Dark Knight Rises is an obvious nod to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. Bane is basically a Liberal's wet dream. His plan to take over the city, toss the rich out of their homes and have the "people" "take back" the city is essentially what every Liberal deeply jealous of the rich wishes could happen in real life. But who has to save the day? Bruce Wayne and the 1%, that's who.
Looking at it along these lines, I love what Nolan went for.
Do you have any complaints, you whiny bitch who complains about everything?
Alfred gives two outstanding speeches.
The action rivals or surpasses any other superhero movie.
The pulse-pounding music.
The way Nolan tries his best not to enter the realm of corniness: Bane's mask isn't fueled by steroids, Selina Kyle is never referred to as "Catwoman" by name, her goggle sort of, kind of look like ears instead of blatantly giving her a Catwoman outfit.
Also, just like The Dark Knight, this movie is undoubtedly very conservative based. The Dark Knight was really a brilliant allegory on the conservative view of terrorism, with Batman playing the role of George W. Bush and the Joker as Osama bin Laden. Batman has to do whatever he can to find the Joker, even if that means beating the living shit out of him in the interrogation room and tapping everyone's phone. At the end, he assumes the blame but in his mind it's okay to be the bad guy, as long as you kept the city safe.
The Dark Knight Rises is an obvious nod to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. Bane is basically a Liberal's wet dream. His plan to take over the city, toss the rich out of their homes and have the "people" "take back" the city is essentially what every Liberal deeply jealous of the rich wishes could happen in real life. But who has to save the day? Bruce Wayne and the 1%, that's who.
Looking at it along these lines, I love what Nolan went for.
Do you have any complaints, you whiny bitch who complains about everything?
It's just too much. It's too silly. It's too corny.
Seeing a giant guy in a ridiculous mask talk about his diabolical scheme is too absurd in the wonderful universe Christopher Nolan created with the first two films in his Batman trilogy.
The Dark Knight, especially, is such a masterpiece that it makes you forget that you are watching a man in a giant bat suit take on a crazy clown in wacky makeup. "Batman" and "The Joker" could easily be swapped for a detective and a crazy criminal.
Basically, the second film was a comic book movie for people who hate comic book movies. You didn't say "It's just a Batman movie" for any plotholes in the second. But you're forced to say it here.
This movie goes too far. It's too comic-booky. Too ridiculous. And maybe it's Nolan's fault because he set the bar too high.
Best Scene
The final 3 minutes hit every single right note and leave the trilogy with the epic ending it deserved.
Final Thoughts
If you strictly based on fun and action, it's better than The Avengers. However, Christopher Nolan's Batman films are not corny throwaway crap like The Avengers. They are real films. They are grounded in reality.
This felt more like a movie Nolan had to make rather than one he wanted to, because the tone is not consistent with the first two. This is a good movie, but a Christopher Nolan Batman movie is supposed to be extraordinary.
This felt more like a movie Nolan had to make rather than one he wanted to, because the tone is not consistent with the first two. This is a good movie, but a Christopher Nolan Batman movie is supposed to be extraordinary.
Bobby Grade: B
Great Quote
"I blame those awful writers. They make me feel like a...yak in heat!"
--- Marge Simpson, The Simpsons
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