Movie Monday - The Dark Knight Rises

In preparation for Batman Day on Wednesday, we'll finish off the look at the contemporary Batman films with The Dark Knight Rises.



Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer

Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Matthew Modine

Release: 2012

Following the events of The Dark Knight, crime has dramatically reduced in Gotham City. New, stricter laws have meant that criminals face harsh penalties for minor infractions. The Batman, still viewed as a criminal, has not been seen in years. Bruce Wayne has become a recluse after the loss of a close friend. James Gordon, now police commissioner, knows the truth about what occurred but has kept silent in order to keep the city safe. But after attacks from a terrorist known only as Bane begin to rock the city, Bruce Wayne must dust off the cowl and once more protect his city.

THE SQUEE

• The conclusion of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy brings the story of Bruce Wayne to a satisfying close. Without giving too much away, Nolan stays true to the gritty realism that has already been set up in regards to the character. Nolan's Bruce Wayne is incredibly damaged, both mentally and physically, and the focus on what type of society requires vigilante justice, and the response from those outside the law. These films have a clear arc in regards to the character of Wayne, an arc that is resolved in this film. It's well-told and relies heavily on the ideas already established by the other films – the conflict of ideas between Batman and his enemies, with Batman representing the ability of people to change and his foes acting as the old static order.
• OK, so Anne Hathaway is never actually referred to as 'Catwoman' in the film, but she is a cat burglar (and wears a headset with ears at one point) but she's still an amazing choice for the role. In this film, Selina Kyle has her own agenda and is slowly convinced to aid Batman. Hathaway sells the 'out for herself' aspect and Selina's eventual resignation to her decision.
• The use of Bane – as ridiculous as Tom Hardy looks sometimes (and occasionally sounds), Bane is shown to be easily a match for Batman, reflecting his original role in the comics. He's a fanatical monster that matches Batman's devotion to a goal, making him an appropriate opponent that can be believed as someone who can defeat the Dark Knight.

THE SUCK

• Oh so many plotholes. This is a film that has an amazing sense of imagery (think the Bat-symbol on the bridge) and other symbolism, but it means that it suffers too much from the Rule of Cool. Things don't have to make sense when following this rule because they look just so good. However, the old refrigerator problem occurs – hours later, staring at the fridge, something suddenly strikes you and you realise that there was a huge problem with the plot and why does Batman have missiles on his bikes anyway? How did Alfred explain Bruce Wayne's disappearance? How did Blake figure out Bruce Wayne was Batman by looking at his eyes?!?

Overall, it is a great film, well-deserving of its success. It sticks with the dark, brooding grittiness that the Nolan films emphasised but we won't hold that against it. It's strong visually and hits the right notes in regards to the themes already developed by the other films in the series. While it's strongest as the finale of a trilogy, it still stands well on its own merits.