Let me start by congratulating Christopher Nolan on
being the first to direct a Batman trilogy; he started his reign with the
inferior Batman Begins (2005) and followed with what is
probably the best Batman film ever, The
Dark Knight (2008). Nolan completed the trilogy with his new film The Dark Knight Rises (2012).As many believed it impossible to top the
sequel, Nolan came out all guns blazing and did the Batman franchise proud. We
must applaud the duo (Bale and Nolan) for their amazing work on a long-time
favourite DC comic and the way they have fully exposed the eccentric and lonely
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale).
I have to give praise to the writers, Christopher
and Jonathan Nolan, as they managed to keep my attention for the full 165min of
the film, without the usual action packed cinematography. The plot is set eight
years after the fall of Harvey Dent (former DA turned Two-Face) in what seems
like a criminal-free Gotham. Bruce Wayne is in a state of self-loathing and
Batman finds himself on the most hated list, as many Gothamites believe he is
the one who killed Mr. Dent. The appearance of the mystical Catwoman (Anne
Hathaway) as a burglar with a hidden agenda resurrects Bruce Wayne from his
slumber but Catwoman or Selina turns out to be the least of his problems.
Nolan said that the film should portray “pain”, and
so it did. The intricacy of the film and the history of the main antagonist
Bane’s (Tom Hardy), so-called, fight for survival show a deep urge to overcome
mental weakness and pain. Bane troubles Batman in a mental and physical way and
this allows for a more interesting storyline. For the first time Batman is on
the brink of failure and Nolan gives, with the help of slow and meticulous camera
work, the viewer a good insight on the struggles of Bruce Wayne and Batman. The
plot thickens and a shift of power is inevitable but Nolan allows for another
unexpected twist in the tale when Batman is, literally and figuratively,
stabbed in the back. Batman is caught off-guard as the film unravels the true
mystery behind the character of Bane.
Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) is, as always, on top of
Batman’s outrageous technological superiority with the rise of “The Bat”, (a
very unimaginative name for something so imaginative), a fast flying
super-plane with more gadgets than 007’s Aston Martin. Bruce Wayne says, “the
recourses of one man is the weapon of another”, very ironic as the villains in
the film use Wayne enterprises’ own technology against Gotham city. Regulars,
like Alfred (Michael Caine) and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), also make
their appearances in the film. Both Gordon and Alfred have their own devils
lurking from within and this, again, creates the “Pain” theme we
spoke of earlier. Rumour has it that Gary Oldman said that Nolan had verbally
explained the ending of the film to avoid leaks to the press. For that, I am
truly thankful because I think it is the best ending of a film this year (a
brilliant set-up for number four).
The appearance of businesswoman, Amanda Tate (Marion
Cottilard), and her cunning interest in certain aspects of Wayne Enterprises’
dealings lures the viewer to be suspicious, and it turns out her history is
even deeper than her pockets. The subtle emergence of Blake (Joseph
Gordon-levitt) and the fact that he never truly features as a lead role gives
way to suspicion, as it seems that he should play a larger role in the next
act, nevertheless, all will be revealed in time. Knowing that Ryan Gosling and
Leonardo diCaprio were on the short list for the role of Blake, we can assume
something big is coming. The casting director, even after turning down Leo and
Gosling, made a magnificent choice as Gordon-Levitt fits the role perfectly.
The film has a few flaws; Bane’s incomprehensible
speech is a worrying factor, and the question arises if whether or not Nolan
planned the distortion. In some instances, it sounds like a bad phone
application for the voice of Darth Vader. The amazing features in the film may
seem a bit farfetched and some a bit unrealistic (not as astronomically ‘out
there’ as Superman or Green Lantern, thankfully), nevertheless, it all came
together well, as I believe a superhero episode should have an element of
imagination.
It must be said that the hype around the “Dark
knight shooting” might place the movie in a bad light because of its
anti-capitalist plot; viewers might criticize the connection of vigilantism
between the film and the shooting spree at the premier. The fact that The Dark
Knight’s star performance actor, Heath Ledger, died shortly after The Dark Knight’s release leaves a dark
cloud over the franchise, Nolan made the point not to mention the Joker in
respect of Ledger and his memory. I urge viewers to ignore these issues, if
only for the duration of the film. The great storyline, brilliant cast and good
overall showcase of vigilante warfare makes The
Dark Knight Rises a must watch for 2012. The intricate plot will give the
film a wider viewer base but it should also comply with the high standards of
the comic lovers; it is truly a great episode in the life of Batman and Gotham
city.
Twitter: @EliCSmith24
