The Dark Knight Rises
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Warner Bros.
Since his humble beginnings in the pages of comic books, Batman has inspired numerous generations. Now, after seven years, Christopher Nolan ends yet another era for the beloved superhero with the release of “The Dark Knight Rises,” and it doesn’t disappoint.
As the final chapter in the Dark Knight trilogy, the story picks up eight years after the death of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and the fall of Batman (Christian Bale) in “The Dark Knight.” Thanks to the Dent Act and the work of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Gotham has been free of organized crime. While Gotham prospered, Bruce Wayne, the man behind the bat mask, withdrew from the city that no longer needed him.
Yet, with a masked villain called Bane (Tom Hardy) on the rise, Gotham sits on the precipice of destruction. In addition to Bane, the cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), better known as Catwoman, also catches Wayne’s attention. With the knowledge that Gotham is no longer safe, Wayne reclaims his role as the Dark Knight.
Nolan takes Batman to a whole new level with the use of IMAX technology. More than a third (approximately one hour) of “The Dark Knight Rises” was shot using IMAX cameras. Cascading overhead shots of the city and large action sequences are where the IMAX really transports the audience into the film. Nolan’s filming techniques put more emphasis on the quality of the picture, creating a more lifelike Gotham City.
Aside from all of the flashy explosions, high-tech weapons and big screen cinematography, “The Dark Knight Rises” also grapples with heavy themes, which have led some to classify it as “film with a motive.” Nolan uses Bane to play on two large fears: the collapse of the economic system and terrorism. Both seem a little too real in light of recent events; though he couldn’t have predicted their occurrence, the Occupy riots as well as the shooting at the Batman premiere in Colorado are but a few examples that serve to show the relevance of Nolan’s themes.
Though not as prevalent, a few other topics are discussed in the film as well. Nolan uses another character, Catwoman, to illustrate the difficulty of starting fresh in a society with so much technological access. Also, no Batman movie would be complete without a message on the origin of true strength. In this Batman film, Wayne’s ultimate conflict lies in recapturing his former physical capability and coming to understand that the journey to unlocking his strength is more than doing push-ups and slapping on a knee brace.
While “The Dark Knight Rises” easily measures up to its predecessors in almost every way, the villain Bane is somewhat of a disappointment compared to the previous ones. Granted, the bar was set extremely high with the performance and complexity of the late Heath Ledger’s Joker.
Bane’s voice, distorted by the mask he wears, comes off as almost too cheerful or comical, thereby detracting from his power to frighten the audience. Yet, Bane, who works alongside a number of other corrupt characters, redeems himself by keeping his motives a mystery until the end.
“The Dark Knight Rises” is most commendable for its role as a satisfying ending to the trilogy. This film is no ordinary cookie-cutter ode to Batman. While completely blindsiding the audience, it also works to perfectly tie everything up from beginning to end. By the end of “The Dark Knight Rises,” Batman fans can rest easy and believe in the future of a safe Gotham.