Almost seven years and three hours later, the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy is finally finished. It’s been a long journey with some ups and downs, but the overall result was spectacular. The Dark Knight Rises is a fantastic capper to the series, but even these Batman stories couldn’t end without some issues. Let’s prowl Gotham’s dark and seedy alleys by reading on…
Short nitty-gritty plot description from IMDb is as follows: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham’s
finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has
branded him an enemy.
What can be said for a film that has been reviewed, talked about and analyzed to death, even more so with me coming in late reviewing it. They’re are plenty of reviews out there that will go into great detail as to the meanings behind the film and it’s previous entries. They’ll dissect, poke, prod and leave the film bleeding in a sewer somewhere. I won’t be doing that with this review. I’m going list what I loved and also what I hated. They’re will be no spoilers, but plenty of mentions of Anne Hathaway in tight leather. So enjoy…
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| Where’s the catnip when you need it? |
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. As soon as the beginning credits finished and I was introduced to Bane’s voice, I instantly knew I was going to hate it. Sounding like a drunk Sean Connery impersonator who is in turn impersonating an over the top comic book villain cliche, Bane’s voice was the worst offender in this otherwise stellar film. Often times hard to understand and completely not matching the body type, the voice is a disaster. Surprisingly enough though, Bane the character is absolutely fantastic in his powerful and cruel ways. A villain who can go toe to toe with Batman and beat the ever loving crap out of him. Bane may be no Joker, but he’s sure as a hell an imposing beast of a man. Tom Hardy did a great job psychically, but has to take some blame for that goofy voice, not all the blame though, as I’m sure the people behind the scenes did some further tinkering. Christian Bale once again brings in a brooding, troubled Bruce Wayne, who also happens to be the Dark Knight, Batman (spoiler!). Bale’s Batman voice trots along behind Bane at being once again, awful. I understand wanting to disguise your voice, but how can no one laugh when the superhero who saved your life sounds like he’s trying to pinch a loaf. Anne Hataway as Catwoman, wears tight leather and knows how to kick some ass. Yes, she probably only weights 60lbs, but we can forgive her due to being oh so sexy. The scenes between her and Batman are a treat to watch, with some fantastic choreographed fight scenes being the highlights. She may not beat Halle Berry as the best Catwoman*, but she’s definitely a cat I would gladly take home and foster. No review can be complete without mentioning Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s fantastic role as Blake, the up an coming rookie cop. I was pleasantly surprised with the role and liked every scene he was in. He was tough, courageous and didn’t back down. He was the everyman superhero. Honestly, I could go on listing every person in the film, but it would take all day. Just know that everyone puts a solid performance and not one person brings the film down.
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| Good morning Miss Moneypenny. Now let’s take over the world! Muhahhahahhahahaha…ha. |
The films overall plot was a little convoluted and the villain’s master plan seemed to be a means to no end. The movie also runs fairly long, clocked in at a little under three hours and sadly there will be some boring parts. You’ll be squirming in your seats during these scenes, waiting for the next big action set piece. I’m all for character development, but when it’s two hours in, I need some action to keep me awake. Thankfully, the last hour of the film is fairly non stop and will keep you entertained to the very epic ending. Music is once again a glorious treat for the ears. I especially loved the Bane theme, which was heart thumping and kept the pulse racing. If you loved the music in the previous Nolan films, you’ll be pleased to know the tradition continues.
Conclusion time! I like to think I wasn’t overly negative with the film, as I enjoyed it immensely. Was it my favorite of the three? No not at all, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great time at the movies. If you can find yourself getting over Bane’s ridiculous voice and moving past the slow scenes, you’ll be happy to know that The Dark Knight Rises delivers a joyous ride and satisifying conclusion to Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Anne Hathaway in tight leather…
Rating:
* Did you really think I was serious??? Still though…
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| Catnip! Where the hell is the catnip!?! |