It’s been four years since Christopher Nolan raised the bar
for superhero movies and indeed summer blockbusters in general with the
critically acclaimed hit The Dark Knight. He’s since treated us to the dream
heist movie, Inception and cemented his position as the premier purveyor of
smart, engaging action movies in Hollywood. Nolan has now returned to the Dark Knight series to give us what he is insistent is his final chapter in Bruce Wayne’s
story, The Dark Knight Rises.
At the start of the movie, we’re shown a Gotham City which
has enjoyed 8 years of peace since the Joker’s rampage, because of a new law
passed , the Dent Act which has afforded the police stronger powers to fight
organised crime. Batman has not been seen since the night of Harvey Dent's death;
having taken responsibility for Dent’s crimes as Two-Face and has since become
a hated figure. The two men responsible for the lie this peace is based upon
are both damaged men. Bruce Wayne is
physically disabled and needs a walking stick. No longer Batman, his life has
lost all purpose and he’s since become a recluse. Gordon is haunted and unable
to enjoy the success of a crime-free Gotham. When new villain Bane, played by
Tom Hardy, threatens the city, Bruce is forced out of his self imposed exile,
back into action as Batman.
Tom hardy is certainly the stand out among the new cast
members of the film as the nefarious bane. With his face covered and his voiced
muffled by a cumbersome mask, he’s able to portray terrifying menace with his
eyes and his physical presence and performance is brutal. Indeed you do feel as
if batman has met his match and it’s hard to imagine someone else in the role. Hardy
swaggers his way through the film, breaking necks and growling some of the film’s
most memorable lines. Anne Hathaway also joins the cast as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
and she brings the necessary grace and class required of the role and gives
Nolan film what his others have lacked, a powerful female character. This film
has two of these, with Marillon Cotillard playing Miranda Tate, a smart
businesswoman, and board member of Wayne Enterprise’s board. Joseph Gordon Levitt
is on fine form as John Blake, a young beat cop, who comes to play a big role
in the fight against Bane.
The returning cast members are all excellent too. Gary Oldman
again brings gravitas and sincerity to his role as Commissioner Gordon, able to
portray a good man suffering under the weight of the secret he’s kept for
years. Morgan freeman is reliable as
ever Lucious Fox, Batman’s resident gadget man, providing him with new toys
including a flying vehicle he dubs ‘The Bat’. Michael Caine, whose Alfred is
often credited as providing the emotional heart of these films, is bound to jerk
a few tears.
Much has been made about the potential political message of
this movie and Nolan’s whole Dark Knight trilogy. Obvious allusion to post 9/11
America and the war on terror have run through these movies. This time there’s
are shades of the global financial crisis and the Occupy movement. Some think
the 99% are portrayed as villains here, but Selina Kyle and John Blake are both
representatives of the 99% as well as the revolutionary Bane and his army of devotees.
The 1% hardly gets a flattering portrayal, shown as arrogant, greedy and plain
clueless throughout. I don’t think
Nolan sets out to hammer home any political
message, but rather raise points for discussion, leaving it up to the viewer
decide. Of course each person will read into it, with their own personal
politics in mind. The image of an American flag in tatters is symbolic of an
America damaged by war. If the theme of Batman Begins was fear and The Dark Knight
was about escalation, then the theme of this movie is consequence. Characters throughout
the film are faced with the consequences of their actions. The false myth of
Harvey dent, the law passed after his death (a stand in for the Patriot Act)
and the war justified by a lie drives home the film’s most important message
about truth.
The story of this film harkens back to Batman Begins rather
The Dark Knight, many plot points tie back to the first movie and bring the
series full circle nicely without repeating what’s been done before. The first 45
minutes of the film are a little slow, covering Bruce’s journey to once again
don the cape and cowl. Batman’s return is handled incredibly well and from
there on in the pace picks up, as does the action, and it doesn’t
disappoint. Spectacle has always been Nolan’s
strong point and he’s gone all out for the finale to his magnum opus. There’s some terrific fights and chases, the
flying ‘bat’ adding a new dimension to the action. The destruction of the
football field seen in the movies trailer is staggering on the big screen.
However, this film lacks the tension of The Dark Knight,
which kept you on the edge of your seat with an atmosphere of constant dread.
It also drags a little, bound to happen with a film almost three hours long.
Also, for a Batman film, it doesn’t feel like you see enough of Batman. This
could be seen as a weakness or strength, as the focus this time, as was in
Batman Begins, is on Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is what has always made Batman
interesting and relatable and Christian Bale’s quiet performance is terrific. He’s
able to make us feel for this man as he overcomes physical injury and faces the
demons that have been plaguing him his whole life. It’s hard not to be stirred
when the Dark Knight truly ‘rises’ again. The finale of the film is suitable
action packed, if a little unoriginal, but what this film lack in thrills or
tension it makes up for in heart, with emotions running high throughout. This
doesn’t let up until the fantastic ending, which had the crowd up on their feet
and applauding by the closing credits.
This is satisfying conclusion to a great franchise and it’s
bound to entertain and keep fans guessing right until the very last scene. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of The
Dark Knight, but that was a tall ask. To paraphrase, it’s not the films we
deserved, but the film we needed.
