The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: Christopher Nolan, David .S Goyer, Jonathan Nolan

Produced By:Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas

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

Plot: Batman returns to Gotham City 8 years after the events at the end of The Dark Knight, only to be pitted against a new villain. One that is determined to completely break both Gotham, and Batman into pieces.

I feel that no single word is enough to describe how much I enjoyed this film. Christopher Nolan has created a fantastic trilogy of a new Batman for the modern age, and this is his masterpiece. Whilst The Dark Knight had a terrifying villain with a devillish sense of humour and a well crafted plot, The Dark Knight Rises is something else entirely. This film tests Bruce Wayne and pushes him to his limits, through the ferocious character of Bane (Tom Hardy). And whilst his performance may not be as sinister as Heath ledgers' critically acclaimed character, Tom Hardy is a force to be reckoned with. He is both incredibly brutal and a master at terrorizing the citizens of Gotham.

I was impressed at the way we see how human the character of Bruce Wayne really is, and to realise that he isn't a superhero like others, he is just a man in a suit, but it is his beliefs that make him a hero rather than a spider-bite, or a genetic serum. In a strange way, I thought it was clever how Christian Bales' performance showed how broken a man like Bruce Wayne really is under his image. A short scene stands out at his doctors appointment where we see the full extent of the consequences of all his crime fighting.

 I enjoyed the chemistry created between Bruce Wayne/Batman and Selina Kyle/Cat Woman (although the name catwoman is never actually used in the film) as it came across as flirtatious rivallry. I was also impressed by the modern interpretation of the legendary character. Especially as her 'cat ears' are her goggles, flipped up. 

The films have been game changers for the superhero genre in cinema. With it's gritty realistic feel, and the final installment is no different. The even harsher environment that Gotham evolves into, lets the characters fit perfectly into place, and we quickly realise that this changes everything for Batman/Bruce Wayne. And whilst the film has had heavy publicity stating that it is the end of the series, a fourth installment could be possible, but not in the way you might expect. 

The directing of this film is absolutely flawless, the way it has been put together is fantastic. The plot is solid, with some brilliant twists that I didn't see coming. Some of the scenes are astounding, and rival those from 'epics' such as Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan. Every actor/actress in this film has a pitch perfect performance. Including one cameo from a recognisable figure from the previous films. There is not one person who lets this down, it's absolutely superb how well they all fit together. 

The film is quite easily one of the best released this year.

10/10.

Written by Eammon Jacobs.