Score: ****1/2 out of ***** (A)
Long Story Short: Perhaps the most popularly anticipated movie (certainly for me) in the past few years, The Dark Knight Rises finally swoops in and everyone knows it's the last hurrah for Bale and co. The old standbys (Oldman, Caine, etc.) are just as prominent as ever, but the film also finds crucial roles for a new set of characters as well, led by Hardy and Hathaway. The first half of Rises shines brightly and promises an epic climax. Those final fireworks might not meet the (super high) expectations of every fan, but the last few minutes provide a fitting end to the tremendous trilogy
Now we're talking! This is the most anticipated movie for me in years, after the sheer brilliance of the Nolan Batman franchise's second entry, The Dark Knight. Before I go any further, though, let me give an overview of this blogpost since it's not going to be quite the same as usual. I'll review the film itself pretty much as normal, and then I'm going to give some brief thoughts on the two earlier films in the Nolan Batman franchise, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, as well as on the franchise as a whole.
So, The Dark Knight Rises at last. Thanks to a variety of factors, particularly my soaring expectations for the it, Rises is one of the most difficult films to review. I only saw it last night, and yet my opinion of it has shifted around quite a bit already. Before I get into the main review, I'll address two things related to the film but not actually affecting its quality: one trivial and one tragic. First, the title is kind of dumb; not only is it the same as its predecessor save the addition of one word, but that one extra word is one of the most overused in today's film culture. Second is the tragedy that occurred two nights ago during a midnight premiere showing of Rises in Colorado. You all know the gist of it, and many probably know more details than me. Needless to say, it's a horrifying tragedy, and, although the film setting really is irrelevant, it put the event in a different perspective for me and many other fans as well, I'm sure. I guess it's the juxtaposition of great excitement and feeling of comfort with chaos and destruction. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and community.
OK, now that that necessary but grim acknowledgement is out of the way, I hope we can have a better time discussing this entire film. The Dark Knight Rises was directed, of course, by Christopher Nolan, and returns Christian Bale as Batman as well as Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman. Newcomers include Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Spoiler warning: I'm not going to discuss the film's bigger surprises (ie: not hinted at by trailers) in detail, but I will discuss much at least in the abstract. I'll try to toe the line, but fair warning. The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after The Dark Knight. As the characters explain in brief here, that film ended with the defeat of the Joker, but also the fall of District Attorney Harvey Dent, the city's "white knight." Batman (Bale) and police commissioner Gordon (Oldman) decided to cover up Dent's crimes, though, placing the blame instead on Batman. So Batman has been dormant in those eight years and Bruce Wayne, lost without either Batman or the love of his life, Rachel, has holed himself up in his manor.
The city's politicians and power players meet at Wayne Manor, however, to honor the eighth anniversary of Dent's death. Gotham is rid of organized crime, thanks to the muscle of the Dent Act, but there is scheming both at the top, among some new faces, and at the bottom, with a sneaky thief named Selina Kyle (Hathaway) crashing the party. Kyle removes something of value from the Wayne Manor to give to a rival businessman. As Gordon and the police give chase, Gordon stumbles upon a mysterious operation run by the masked terrorist Bane (Hardy). Gordon manages to escape and gets picked up by young cop John Blake (Gordon-Levitt), an enthusiastic officer motivated by his troubled childhood. As it becomes evident that Gotham is not as secure as we thought, Wayne feels pressure to don the cape and cowl once again. But does he still have what it takes, physically and emotionally, to be the city's savior?
For any film, let alone a superhero movie, The Dark Knight Rises boasts a formidable cast. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Batman is, of course, the main character. I am pleased to say that Bale turns in his finest performance yet. The film's enhanced focus on the dichotomy of his identities is helpful, but Bale grabs hold of the material and gives it all he's got; from brooding to bright, vulnerable to implacable, he hits all the right notes at all the right times. Michael Caine as butler Alfred is also even better this time around, with a show of genuine emotion and intensity, despite less screen time. Morgan Freeman is a big name in a minor role again, most notable for his humor, but he's still a most welcome part of the team. Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon has an expanded role, though unfortunately a good chunk of it is wrapped up in the film's weakest sections (I'll get to it later). Still, particularly early in the film, he easily produces the air of a grizzled veteran in charge of Gotham's security.
To those four familiar faces are added four new ones in Rises. Tom Hardy portrays Bane, the film's main villain. Bane doesn't get to the level of Ledger's Joker (only the greatest villain in any superhero film, and one of the greatest villains in film history period), but he's still top tier in the genre. Bane's power comes from two things mainly: first, of course, is his incredible physical presence; whenever a character stands near the guy, you fear for their life. Second is his voice, a surprisingly high-pitched British accent muffled by his mask. It exudes absolute confidence and thinly veiled threat at all times. Just as good is Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle (no one ever calls her "Catwoman"). Kyle is also a supremely confident character, but hers is driven instead by emotional vendettas. Hathaway, both bodily and behaviorally, makes Kyle very sexy, but this is simply another highly effective tool in her arsenal, distracting the baddies and causing them to underestimate her. Helped by a mischievous sense of humor, Kyle provides a needed counterbalance to the film's grim overall tone.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake is the film's only new butt-kicking good guy. Gordon-Levitt makes him extremely likable, as he always does, and yet the character definitely has an edge to him thanks to his tragic roots (and connection to Bruce Wayne). Unfortunately, Blake is also slightly infected by the condition Gordon has (be patient, it's coming). Finally we have Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate in the smallest of the new roles. She's a wealthy philanthropist, and everyone keeps trying to match her up with Bruce Wayne despite them having little in common. Suffice it to say that she's mostly a plot device, but I'll leave it at that. ;-)
As you've probably heard if you've even skimmed other reviews, The Dark Knight Rises goes all out in every way, all guns (and bat-gizmos) blazing. Sadly, there really aren't any hidden gem set pieces that aren't at least hinted at in the trailers and commercials. The opening scene (which I did not mention in the synopsis) is exhilarating even if it is hinted at in the commercials, and one of the fight scenes you know is coming will still take your breath away at how disturbing it is. Although the action in the second half has higher stakes and is bigger, I actually preferred most of the stuff in the first half of the film, featuring the kind of ingenuity that made The Dark Knight's set pieces so thrilling. Rises is hardly all action, however. Nolan makes the personal stakes just as important as those for Gotham as a whole, and there are plenty of clever twists and turns that will drop your jaw in horror in some places, and happiness in others. While the tone is grim - Bane is the biggest threat Gotham, or Batman, has ever seen - there is still well-placed humor, primarily involving Kyle, Blake, Fox, and even brooding Mr. Wayne. I was too intent on the verbal and physical action to pay much attention to the score, but worry not: the low-brass heavy theme is in force to herald the hero's exploits, adding additional weight to the action.
***
The Dark Knight Rises is a unique film to score. As unrealistic as they were, my expectations were fully to see an instant 5-star classic that blew my mind. It was unfair. My expectations caused the film's flaws to be blown way out of proportion in my mind. I know that I will be seeing this film at least once more in the theater, and then I'll probably have a better sense of how good it is as a whole. But I wanted to get this review out as soon as I could, so I'm doing the best I can. The main flaw I found in that first viewing was Bane's plot. It's essentially what the Joker did in The Dark Knight - just on a grander scale. The resulting.... situation following Bane's spectacular opening attack is a little tough to accept. It's to this situation that I refer Gordon and Blake's roles in the weakest part of the film. It's not the actors fault; I just didn't totally buy the set up. This part also dramatically alters the film's pacing, and results in the film being a bit too long. Maybe a second viewing will change my feelings on this to some degree. One example of changing opinions: at first I really didn't like how they handled the Tate character, but now I realize that it was actually done quite well, taking the film as a whole. Now for the strengths: the renewed focus on Wayne and Batman, the arc created and its resolution. Connecting the dots back to Batman Begins. Bane. Selina Kyle. The retention of the franchise's style yet addition of a whole new flavor. The fight scenes, so well choreographed and shot. And the entire first half of the film, creating such excitement and promising so much more... Perhaps the fact that the second half, with its ups and downs, didn't quite measure up to my high hopes was inevitable. Perhaps Nolan is just a master at set up of both grand plots and ideas, but is hit or miss with the blossoming (succeeded in The Dark Knight; failed with Inception). I will say that the very last few minutes, after the last explosion has gone off and the last punch thrown, are just about perfectly executed. And that is the ending this trilogy deserved.
Bat-Nolan
Rather than repeating the clunky phrase "Nolan's Batman franchise" over and over again, I will refer to his trilogy from here on as "Bat-Nolan." Now that The Dark Knight Rises has been released, I'd like to look back at the series as whole, which in my opinion is worthy of mention with the likes of the Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones (I'm not counting the 2008 film) and other great trilogies. I love these series (not just trilogies), because I think it combines the best of TV and film. Film series offer more than the isolated effects of a single film while avoiding the accompanying drag of even great TV shows; in other words, each film is a grand and moving production in itself, with emotional roots and character growth strengthened from previous material. Bat-Nolan took full advantage of these benefits.
In 2005, Batman Begins (****1/2) told a great origin story and established an entirely new world for a superhero film, one that was unprecedentedly gritty and realistic. Nolan immediately established society itself as a major theme, one that would be important throughout his trilogy. In Begins, Gotham is terrorized not by super villains but simply by the mob, which has de facto rule over the city because no one in a position of authority has either the power (Gordon) or courage (courts) to confront it. Bruce Wayne, once kept out of touch with Gotham's realities, gets drowned in that world one tragic night, and spirals down to the lowest pits of the earth. Armed with experience of the highest ideals (thanks to his father) and the psychology of the criminal, Wayne turns the power of fear against evil. Batman can inspire the authorities to tackle the mob, but his unique skills are what's needed at the end of the film to defeat the "super" villain (Ra's al-Ghul), who comes when he sees the tide turning.
If Batman Begins was about the importance of introducing a spark of light in a dark world and letting it grow, The Dark Knight (*****) introduced the moral ambiguity created by the very struggle to extinguish evil. Hoping to hand over the reigns of Gotham's safety to the lawful jurisdiction of the police, Batman is forced by the Joker to stay in the game. Batman himself is a "necessary evil," as the Joker points out, and when society feels safe (ie: once the mob is defeated) they will turn on him for being mysterious and strange - for not being like them. Yet it's Batman who holds onto his sanity and his morality as the Joker spreads chaos without reason and without mercy, and it's "white knight" DA Harvey Dent who falls apart in despair at the hands of the Joker's senseless evil. Even when the Joker is brought to justice, Batman and Gordon can only contain the damage he's done by creating the lie that it was Batman who broke and not Dent.
The Bat-Nolan trilogy is a triumph of the superhero genre, representing the pinnacle of an archetype that has become ubiquitous over the last decade-plus. Bat-Nolan created a fully realized world, both in the personal sense of Bruce Wayne and his friends and family, as well as the ebbs and flows of the society in which Batman operates. For the most part, Batman is fighting against the large, intangible damage done by his enemies, although to be sure both Ra's al-Ghul and Bane have destructive plans of great proportions that must also be stopped. There are plenty of moments, despite the realism of the trilogy, that require suspension of disbelief (none more so than The Dark Knight Rises), yet it's easier to do so when the stakes tend toward the intangible rather than the physical battles. Bat-Nolan enjoys a tremendous ensemble cast to deepen the emotional connections among the films (so you're "rooting" for them) as well as to show the effects of the fight against evil on a variety of individuals. It's not all grim battle for survival in a world filled with evil; the characters smirk as they toss off one-liners to hold onto their humanity; bystanders and cops alike stop fleeing or fighting to cheer on Batman as he chases after the bad guys; when Batman is ready to go to work, the pounding, dissonant score comes together in a confident, powerful, harmonic blast.
Bravo, Nolan and company.
