The Dark Knight Rises

The end is here.

Now that the film is finally out, I can correct the many guesses I, and thousands of batfans had before the world premiere. The film does deliver what's promised but in a very Christopher Nolanish way not many fans will agree with. The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after the end of The Dark Knight. Batman (Christian Bale) has not been seen since being framed for the murder of Harvey Dent, and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Batman’s plan to make a martyr out of Dent resulted in new laws and severe penalties that cleaned up the streets of Gotham while filling its prisons. It is a time of relative prosperity, or as it is referred to in the film, peacetime after a long war.

Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, is still in Gotham, though almost as reclusive as Batman, save for the parties he throws that he doesn’t attend. Instead, he hides in his mansion, hobbling on a cane as his body deals with the toll his years as Batman took on it. In a way it was thought Batsy would spend the first hour of the film on a wheelchair as Bane would fuck him good, that didn't quite happen as in the comic book, however I think it was very clever of Chris Nolan to show a beaten Bruce Wayne that can no longer sustain heroic battles jumping from rooftops, it looks and feels very realistic, after all, how can you not be weakened after fighting a gallery of rogues on your own?


Of course, peace is temporary and soon Gotham City will urge Batman to return and save the city...

Forced back into action to take on the terrorist Bane, the Dark Knight returns to protect the city that looks at him as an enemy. The Dark Knight was a brilliant film on numerous levels so going in this film already had a big hurdle to overcome. While it may not have completely overshadowed the previous entry, it easily finds its place on equal ground. This final entry to the Nolan series continues to bring these three films together becoming essentially one long film. Rises brings new realm of personal journey to numerous characters old and new. Christian Bale steps back into the role like he never left bringing a new pain that seems to elevate both Wayne and Batman to another level. Most fans will be happy to know that while the growl like voice is still here, it is toned down a bit so not to be quite as off putting. Michael Caine is given a bit more to do taking the character study between Alfred and Wayne that has been building and he delivers more of his motivational and emotional speeches like only he can. Gary Oldman gets a bit more to do as well getting to channel the Gordon we have been waiting for since the beginning. Tom Hardy steps into the role of Bane, a character that is met with mixed emotions. Known in the comics as the villain that broke the bat, has had many incarnations, most of them not all that good and not widely known to those that aren't comic fans. Believe it or not, Nolan has taken a fairly single dimension character and brought to life a destructive force that smashes through this film with no remorse. The big surprise was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. She seemed to be channeling some of the previous versions, most notably that of the 60's series minus the camp. She really makes this character work bringing the sexiness as well as a more empowered woman aspect to the character. She is easily the best incarnation of this character so far.

The story is well crafted bringing all the characters together along with the story to create an epic piece of filmmaking. There are numerous levels to the story that worked well for every character giving each of them their own small story without ever making the film feel overcrowded or forced. It takes a bit to get going, but not in a bad way. There are some pretty heavy moments that push this film along, but will keep you away from the action for longer than you may want. Much like the source material this trilogy is a character study of the inner struggles of a man and not so much about the action. Make no mistake there are plenty of action sequences, each bigger than the next. Nolan has slowed the action down a bit, namely during the fight scenes letting the viewer finally get a better glimpse of the Dark Knight in action. Kudos to Nolan as gone are most of the fancy well-choreographed fights and in their place is a brutality that is needed to make the Bane story work.

This is not only a great film, but a brilliant cap to an already brilliant series. It's a truly amazing experience to see this film come to life and wrap up a series that has continued to get better and better. There are plenty of moments that will make both comic and non-comic fans alike smile and cheer. Nolan has stamped his mark on the Batman universe and has done something almost never thought possible. He has delivered a brilliant Batman trilogy and managed to keep the entire brilliant cast in tact all the way down to members of the Wayne Corp board members. This is a film that will make you cheer and sad that it is coming to an end. As this series comes to an end and the credits role you will find yourself sighing in relief and happiness knowing Nolan pulled it off and wondering what's next for the Batman. 

Are you talking to me?

Yes, I like the new iPad.

Now, what you've all been wating for, what did really happen in the film? Read at your own risk, although I don't think you're going to be that surprised.

The Dark Knight Rises secrets finally revealed (huge spoiler alert)

 

• The Scarecrow character is not seen in the film,  However Dr. Jonathan Crane is in it, in a minor role as the Judge in Bane's make shift court room. 

• Batman is heard saying in the film trailer "not everything, not yet" as a reply to Selina Kyle's "you've given them everything" So, eventually Batman sacrifices himself to save Gotham City and perishes, however Bruce does not die, so in a way Batman is thought to be dead. Although by the very end of the film we see comissioner Gordon discovering a new Bat Signal on the roof of the MCU. There is a will reading where all of Bruce's assets are sold off but Wayne Manor is not to be touched and it is left to be a boys home in the name of Bruce's parents.

• Officer John Blake kills two people to save himself. He is disturbed by doing this. Also the Mayor is killed, he's one of the only trilogy characters that doesn't make it.

• John Blake goes to the will reading then talks to the secretary and thats how we find out his full name is John Robin Blake. He gets a bag that has some supplies with a map and GPS and some other stuff. However, don't expect him to become Robin or Batman, that is not clear and I guess Nolan intentionally wanted to leave the ending opened as to let fans decide the faith of the Batman legend.

Bane, a tough character but a little unconvincing though.

Batman meets his match.

• Alfred is never shown getting a plane ticket, he just ends up in the cafe in Paris or where ever they are supposed to be where he see's Bruce and gives him a nod and walks away. Never approching him.

• As I foresaw it, Miranda Tate is actually Thalia Al Ghul. We se this in the last quarter of the film. Her role is relatively important as she's been secretly looking forward to avenge his father's death.

• Ra's Al Ghul is dead, he only comes back in a dream that Bruce has while being held in Bane's Prison.

• Bruce never breaks his one rule which is "not killing anyone" that is nice, as Batman has never killed anyone in the comic book.

• Bane is killed by the cannon on the Bat Pod. Thalia is killed when the truck carrying the bomb is disabled by the Bat. 

• Gordon finds out who Batman is as Batman is getting ready to take the bomb out over the bay with the Bat. 

• Bane finds out the truth about Dent from Gordon. Gordon has written "The Truth about Harvey Dent" speech that he was going to read at the memorial from the trailer. He then decides to not read it. He puts it in this right inside pocket of his over coat. When Bane's men capture him, they search his body and find the speech. Gordon escapes, however he is shot while doing so. Bane reads the speech while standing ont he Tumbler. In it, Gordon resigns his position.

• Bane toys with Batman in the sewer. Lets him think he's winning then pummels him, then lets Batman beat him a little then beats him some more.
• Bane, takes Batman above his head like in the comic and smashes him over his knee and messes his back up. Batman's back isn't broken however he has vertebrae that are bulging out of his back and have to be reset before he can walk again.

• Catwoman shoots Bane with the Cannon just before he pulls the trigger on a sawed off shotgun in Batmans face. 

The best Catwoman yet.

Anne Hathaway & her PUSSYcat.

• It is never implied that Blake will be Batman, Bruce makes comments to him that if he is going to be a rogue he needs a mask but it is never openly implied. He never sees the suit in the cave. He does throw his badge away after the bomb goes off over the bay. If anything it is implied that he would become Robin. They unvail a statue of Batman at the end. It's a really cool statue by the way

• Only Dr. Crane, Ra's and Two-Face are mentioned. No other villains make cameos.

• They fight in front of City hall, up the steps and Batman has the upper hand for most the fight. Bane gets some good shots in but once Batman damages the mask Bane starts to lose it and can't stay focused.

• Batman has beaten Bane, while he is yelling in Banes face Talia Stabs him, while explaining her backstory to Batman she fixes Banes mask. She leaves Bane with Batman and she joins the truck holding the bomb. She tells Bane not to kill Batman, that she wants him to feel the heat of the millions of people he couldn't save when the bomb goes off. She leave and Bane says "You know I have to kill you now" Throws him down goes to shoot him, when Catwoman kills Bane.

Bruce Wayne can bang Selina Kyle.

Talia Al Ghul secret weapon: her nude hot body.

• Noboy calls Selina Kyle "Catwoman" in the movie, so she is an unnamed villain during the film. 

• Bane origin story is closely related to Talia Al Ghul, as he rescues her from prison when she is a little girl. He helps her to the wall so she can climb out. By doing this, all the other prisoners beat him up and the prison Dr tries to fix him but makes it so he has to wear the mask. Talia, gets out and finds her father. He hates Bane and thinks of him as a monster and hats him cause he loves Talia. His whole plan is to destroy the city, none other. Himself and Talia are ready to die to destroy the city. Bane paints Gordon and the rest of the city officials as the bad guys. The criminal element sides with him, but the normal people don't.

John Blake, man of mystery.

Robin? Nightwing? Azrael?

Overall, The Dark Knight Rises fits the logical progression of Nolan’s other two Batman films while at the same time serving as a nice bookend for the trilogy’s tale. The action sequences are epic in scale, and the “entire city at risk” theme that Nolan has been developing from the first film has gotten bigger and more chaotic and explosive with each film. In other words, everything about this film feels like a progression, from the character developments to the thematic threads. However, we have to remember this trilogy is Christopher Nolan's take on the iconic Batman, just like his predecessors did in the 90's.


Ultimately, the way I’ve decided to look at the Batman film franchise is the same way I look at the originating comic book: it’s a long-running series. Different authors and artists have tackled Batman over the years, and some tales are going to be better than others. Nolan’s trilogy stands as a quality cinematic adaptation and dramatic arc for the character, and if it were a comic book series, it’d be one that I revisit often. I don’t think it is the last, but as potentially the last for this creative team, it more than delivers.

However, the film is kind of a let down in many aspects and I guess that's fair, there are no perfect films, there are no definitive storytellings, there are only points of view, and you may or may not agree with some of them.  


Here is the final movie trailer: