Review: "The Dark Knight Rises" PG-13
In Gotham, now looking like New York again, eight years have passed since Batman and Bruce Wayne disappeared. Chris Nolan (Inception), returns to direct the third and most psychotic adventure in the franchise yet, channeling the gritty 90's aged comics including the infamous Bane issues, and the Arhkam city ones, where the city is literally captured. When Bane (Tom Hardy from Star Trek, pumped up and on tall boots), and Selina Kyle (Ann Hathaway), seem to be working together to obtain Bruce Wayne's fortunes, Batman is called back into action once more. The problem is that he has seen better days. As Wayne, his body is a wreck from all those stunts. In one crucial scene a doctor tells him he has destroyed all the cartilage in his knees. So much is going on this thing has to be seen again soon. Bane attempts to deliver his ultimatum, which reminds Bruce and thus Batman of the old nemesis and teacher, Ras al Ghoul, as the new menace who breathes through a black mask is of the mysterious League of Shadows, the same organization. When also a socialite and a clean energy magnet attempts to buy out Wayne it is that instant when Kyle uses her hacking skills and cleverness to bankrupt the billionaire, forcing him to deal with the clean energy lady. Then something amazing happens, the director actually stages the Bane comic in movie form! Yes! Only they do have to change some things, otherwise Batman would be completely crippled, and would not have been able to rise again. Still the story takes on the imprisonment of Batman in those later comics, and the siege of Gotham in demented glee, with Scarecrow as a maniacal judge quoting from old Roman doctrine, "Banishment or death?" It's just nuts how awesome this movie was.
Hardy was not trying to top Ledger but he could not, so there were some setbacks to his character, such as the mumbling, but he got the word across that he was not only a darker villain but also a colder, nastier opportunist. Joker had been more about playing cruel jokes while Bane is more about just being an unchained animistic bully.
Hathaway's version of early Catwoman was similar to the older Newmar character, but not so campy, and was not bad. She was actually a better Selina than in the Burton one. Even though the blonde cat was more fun to watch. She was a more late comics 90s crossover with the late 60s type. Pretty good there.
Chris Bale did a little better job showing messed up Wayne than in previous outings and understood more of the whole schizoid feel of the character.
(Fortunately the premiere I saw this at did not have any terrorists, as did the one in Colorado, as I am not in Colorado. That stinks that some people take this stuff so extreme they have to go bat crazy and actually kill people, before it starts even. Come on! It's a movie!).
(And no, Rush Limbaugh, the character of Bane is from the comics from twenty years ago, not a riff from the Romney campaign and a slight at Bain capital. Who does your research? Elmer Fudd? Bane is right up there with Killshot and the Killer Croc, as even this minor Batman fan knos that, as does everyone else on the planet. I suggest Rush should stay away from commenting on comic book villains unless he does some actual research).
Review by Adam Browne.
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