It shows today, and true enough, Christopher Nolan delivers the epic finish to the Dark Knight trilogy. I have a spoiler-filled review via my other site, but here's the short and sweet non-spoiler version for the public to note, featuring non-spoiler excerpts from the other detailed review. It opens today in cinemas in the Philippines, both in IMAX and conventional theaters. Thanks again goes to Warner Bros. Philippines and SM Cinema for the premiere!
Threequels rarely show that there's redeeming value for a franchise other than big box office numbers. Spider-Man 3 proved that some years ago, and there's rarely been any continuation of a story or movie that ended on a high note with expectation or promise. As such, it's a very big surprise and achievement to witness the final chapter to British-American director Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight saga with the film "The Dark Knight Rises". The film places an ending to the franchise that began with 2005's Batman Begins and escalated with 2008's The Dark Knight, and all plot threads and storylines built within the events of those two films culminate into one grand epic presentation, presented in both conventional and IMAX formats.
Breaking down the film itself, I will admit that it's epic in scale and fits nicely into the scheme of things. It plays down the eight year absence of Batman ala Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, and takes the isolation of Gotham and the Bane threat from No Man's Land and Knightfall respectively. Nolan has been known to be crafty when he creates his own treatment of Batman, and I thought this one served as a fitting ending to his saga. The only complaint I can think of frankly is Bane's voice in the prologue scene. They remastered and rerecorded it, and it just doesn't sound as authentic as it was months ago when it was shown in its original form. Other than that, while the film doesn't overshadow the success of its predecessor in terms of execution and plot, I still think it does an awesome job that earns it excellence in its own right. Some things felt anti-climactic, but it does what it can to end the story. It's literally Batman Begins' threat meets The Dark Knight's escalation, so it's the perfect conclusion to things in EPIC fashion.
In short, there's plenty of action and lots of exposition. Those who have seen Batman Begins and The Dark Knight owe it to themselves to see the conclusion to Chris Nolan's vision of Batman. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman return to their respective roles, and Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard add stellar performances for this movie. For 2 hours and 45 minutes of epicness, The Dark Knight Rises delivers on the promise of ending Batman's journey on a high and exciting note. Bank on it.
For more details and spoilers, read up my detailed review.
Good review Tim. Yeah, Bane’s no Joker, but then again, what villain really is?!? Hardy is great as Bane, and plays up his physical intimidation, as well as his intellectual one as well. However, everybody else is great here too and gave me the performances I need to hold onto when everything was all sadly said and done.
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