Director Christopher Nolan helped legitimize the comic book hero Batman, as grounded in the real world in Batman Begins and its landmark sequel, The Dark Knight. Many trilogies fail to maintain the promise of the superior sequel (Spiderman II, The Godfather Part II, and Road Warrior), but in rare cases, there have been great third acts like Toy Story 3, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and now The Dark Knight Rises. Though it fails to surpass its predecessor, as an ambitious film with grand designs and elaborate themes, it mostly succeeds.
Several years after the events of The Dark Knight, the legacy of Harvey Dent lives on as crime has been stifled in Gotham City and the wealthy and elite hold sway. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has become a hobbled recluse whose masked hero, Batman, has been hunted and banished under false pretenses. Gotham is pristine and ready for a new age, and relics like Batman and even Commissioner Gordon are not needed anymore and obsolete. A mysterious masked villain named Bane (Thomas Hardy) begins a calculated reign of terror which paralyzes the city. But what is his motive and what does this have to do with Batman? As Gordon (Gary Oldman) pleads for the return of the caped crusader and the city cries out for salvation, Batman must overcome a very powerful Bane to save the city. He is aided by his servant Alfred (Michael Caine), technical wizard Lucius (Morgan Freeman), and a young cop, John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and bedazzled by two mysterious women, Selina (Anne Hathaway) and Miranda (Marion Cottilard). But first, Bruce Wayne must return from the abyss to confront his past and battle for Gotham City’s future.
The briskly paced 2 hour 45 minute film is always engaging with memorable moments. The opening sequence is a marvelous midair hijack right out of a Bond film. (Come to think of it, Nolan’s got the Bond thing down as in the snowy climax of Inception.) A scene where a doctor gives Wayne failing marks in his physical is amusing. The climactic action between the forces of good and evil recalls the finale to Metropolis and the face off of its protagonist and antagonist are right out of Enter the Dragon.
Nolan likes intricate puzzles; witness Momento and Inception. He takes previous storylines including the convoluted ending of The Dark Knight and serves some nice twists here. The film is a cleverly built trap, and Batman’s fall from grace is a rapid decent into the depths of hopelessness and despair. To be great again, he has to literally and figuratively climb his way back; in a sense, the fates of the masked avenger and Gotham City are linked.
The film is able to explore some interesting relationships both past and present, and duality of key characters is a recurring theme. For Wayne, Commissioner Gordon and Alfred are fatherly figures through his orphaned childhood and adult life. Selina and Miranda are women with different backgrounds and agendas. Blake, the idealistic, honest cop shares a common bond with Wayne. Even Batman, the tortured, self sacrificing hero has a counterpart in Bane, the ultimate, super terrorist, who is intelligent, cunning, and ruthless.
With so many characters, it is remarkable how Nolan and screenwriter/brother Jonathan Nolan are able to weave together storylines featuring each role prominently. In particular, the paradoxical Selina is a ‘cat burglar’ and a survivor who has to learn how to trust another person. Her interaction with Wayne always intrigues as they play out a kind of dance, and we wonder her true motives. She is a kind of outsider and observer of the events that will determine the fate of Gotham City.
The film boldly tackles major themes adding layer upon layer. It’s about past sins and morality: the great deception over Harvey Dent for the greater good presents risks and has severe consequences here. Amid complacency there is class warfare: as Bane incites the masses and bolsters his numbers, the city faces a dichotomy of the proletariat versus the bourgeoisie. The film also tests the concept of trust and faith: sometimes the ones we trust betray us while others may surprise us with their loyalty.
There are minor missteps e.g. immaculate streets when the city’s infrastructure is at a standstill. A brief moment at a cafe at film’s end reveals a bit too much of a truth when subtle reactions could have sufficed. The film’s tone is dark, angst filled with rare moments of humor. That’s not a knock on the film but don’t go expecting Avengers type of laughs. There’s also an amusing cameo in the role of President and a macabre return of a key villain.
Hans Zimmer’s minimalist pulse keeps the mood humming along. Visuals are technically outstanding with minimal use of computer generated effects, and this is where it deviates from the more colorful, super heroes of The Avengers and X Men. Here we have a hero and backdrop that is set in a believable world which heightens realism and credibility.
Brimming with ideas as it challenges us in ways most action films movies don’t, The Dark Knight Rises is a strong conclusion to the trilogy. A deeply allegorical film that demands repeated viewings to truly appreciate its intricacies, it dares to bend and reinvent the mythology of the caped crusader, and although it doesn’t quite trump The Dark Knight, which set the bar impossibly high, its vision at times carries its audience to wonderful, lofty heights.
*** ½* of **** stars
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