The Dark Knight Rises

I don't know if I have ever started a review like this but I want you to do yourself a favor and stop reading after this first paragraph, in fact stop reading everything about this movie. There are no spoilers in this review, I'm not going to ruin anything but if you really want to enjoy this movie then you need to get away from it all.   If you are anything like me before you saw this movie you read everything that came out, you rewatched the previous ones, you are probably even shaking in anticipation.  Nothing I write is going to sway your opinion one way or the other, and being one of the most hyped movies EVER how can this movie possibly rise to the occasion. Plus with reviewers getting death threats for posting anything negative about the movie I think a step back would do us all some good.  So step away and go enjoy The Dark Knight Rises and what I can promise you is an epic finale to a near perfect series.

Alright so now you are either someone who has followed my directions or a rebel who enjoys torturing thenselves.  For the latter while I appreciate your devotion reading everything will not make Friday come any faster.  For those who have seen the movie:  OH MY GOD HOW AWESOME WAS IT RIGHT AHHHHHH! I loved this movie.

While the movie is long, a running time of 164 minutes, I don't know if anything could have been cut.  It seems like it takes a while to get there, but everything seems so important.  If anything it feels like some of the movie was rushed (if that is even possible at almost three hours).  After examining the movie, it is impossible to tell what if anything could have been cut out.

You already know what you are getting from the series regulars like Christian Bale (A growley and deep voice), Morgan Freeman (a wonderful smile and clever quips), and Michael Caine (a stirring speech to inspire the Bat-Man).  But what about the newbies?  Well they are just as good, if not better.  By now I am sure everyone has seen Anne Hathaway in her cat suit, but her performance is just as hot.  I loved that while the script contained some not so subtle quips Selena Kyle is never referred to as Catwoman.  And why would she be, she is just a regular hi-tech burglar.  It makes the whole thing feel more realistic which keeps the audience entrenched.  While it was assured a couple movies ago that Joseph Gordon Levitt was a star now there is no doubt.  Tom Hardy plays an incredibly soft spoken part for a man so powerful.  It is impressive just how jacked he got for this movie, and while there are some moments that are hard to hear the mask doesn't stop you from understanding the character.  As for Marion Cotillard, Nolan thought her performance was so necessary he pushed back the filming schedule and the release just so she could be cast in the movie and it is tough to disagree with that.

The effects are amazing.  One of the features that make Christopher Nolan the best director of our current generation (and he is, don't kid yourselves), is his love for filming things without CGI whenever possible.  It is not possible to film the bat wing flying inbetween buildings, but the opening sequence featuring a mid-air hijacking was incredible and really set the tone.  That along with the reemergence of Batman into the public eye and the football sequence that we have all seen by now (and if not the trailer is at the bottom) are just as epic as the buildup to the movie has been.

Christopher Nolan is able to pull off a climax in modern day storytelling that I think many directors today are afraid to even try, worried they may not be convincing enough.  All the anticipation builds to this conflict making the ride totally worth getting there.  You can not help but be on the edge of your seat, feeling the danger these characters are in.  Plus knowing that this is the end for Nolan and Bale, that they are done with the series doesn't help you feel at ease.  There is a real sense of danger throughout, I'm sure the eight year old inside you is scarred.  Nolan has shown before he is remorseless and loves to leave his viewer wanting more.  He leaves you wondering: could this really be the end?

The direction that Nolan chose to take this movie is amazing.  There is not any cartoonish silliness and his trilogy has set a new almost impossible bar to reach in what we should expect from our blockbusters.  The combination of fierce and well shot action sequences set against real world concerns of class inequality and terrorism is an amazing feat.  Even more astonishing may be keeping his movie away from the 3-D glasses, although if you get the chance some of his long shots are definitely worth an IMAX viewing.  I won't say it is better than The Dark Knight, it's not.  That movie was near perfect and Heath Ledger's performance was untouchable but the finale is edge of your seat stuff.  The Dark Knight Rises is an amazing conclusion to a near perfect trilogy.  A