The Dark Knight Rises Review

Well, I am back for a review. It's been a while. I've been trying to keep the site updated with trailers and posters. Reviews take more sit down time I just do not have. Anyway, finally comes the review for the MUCH anticipated by me review. I will tell you. Batman is far and away my favorite superhero and I am a SERIOUS superhero fan. And if I was only going to see one movie in the theater this year it was going to be this.

It is a true masterpiece of movie making. And much like Return of the Jedi to The Empire Strikes Back (my number one movie of all time) it truely brings everything full circle. The movie starts 8 years later after the The Dark Knight and the death of Harvey Dent. The movie does a fantastic job of setting up exactly what Bruce Wayne has been doing. Also, the effects of the events on all aspects of his life including Alfred and Wayne Enterprises. Then comes Catwoman. Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle scared the hell out of me when she was cast. I have to tell you. She was freaking great. Very slick, inventive, smart, classy, and flat ass kicking in some parts. Christopher Nolan does a great job of tieing in Bane and Catwoman. Setting up the untrust that Batman and Catwoman always had for each other. Bane is played to near perfection by Tom "Inception" Hardy. Nolan sets the superhero standard for realism in characters. Always giving you the since that if a person had the skill and the resources that it could ALL really happen. Bane is got a cross between a bodybuilder and powerlifter's body. Large. Brutal. However, without the just stupid absurdness that "Batman and Robin's" Bane had some 14 years ago. And the voice that was created for Bane is a cross between almost desperate and scary. If Jason Voorhees was a ninja, extremely smart, and had resources he would be Bane. Nolan continued to do a good job of satisfying all fans of Batman by including key elements of previous comics but, keeping the realism of reality.

There are excellent performances from all of the supporting casts as Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman all deliver in the Oscar worthy acting we come to expect from them. The one person that was surprisingly fantastic was Joseph Gordon Levitt. Hard to believe this is the wise cracking kid from 3rd Rock from the sun and got hocked pucked in Halloween H20. The guy is engaging, believable, motivated, and keeps the film moving while other plots are unfolding. I will shock people but, I believe he could win a best supporting actor award for this.

This was not as good as The Dark Knight. However, what could be? I literally have The Dark Knight has the number 4 film in my top 6 holy grail of movies. And much like Jedi to Empire this was strong and fitting. It will certainly satisfy 95% of all Batman fans I would think. My heart goes out to the victims and the families in Colorado. It scares me that it will effect how movies are made. As The Dark Knight Trilogy are the standard for which superhero movies should be measured. Although, Marvel does a good job of giving that chipper almost cartoonish comic movie that are enjoyable you never for a minute get this and the Avengers confused. That is a comic movie. The Dark Knight Trilogy are all REAL movies. That can be fitted in with the Goodfellas, The Godfathers, The Empire Strikes Backs of the world. I give this movie 4.85 axes out of 5. The only reason this is not a 5 is because it's not The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight deserves its 5 rating by itself. This movie could never live to that standard. But, folks. This comes damn close. ENJOY!!!