The Dark Knight Rises

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine

And so one of the greatest film trilogies of our time comes to a close. The midnight screenings of The Dark Knight Rises had to be the equivalent of this generation's Return of the Jedi - a release so heavily anticipated that it eclipses all other releases in a few months' radius. Film giant and franchise producer Christopher Nolan knew this very well, and he has been contributing to the tumult ever since the awe-inspiring second film The Dark Knight hit the screens. After so long a wait and so many baited breaths, The Dark Knight Rises proves a fitting conclusion to this grand saga, but one that does leave a slightly hollow feeling in that it simply can't surpass its predecessor.

It's been eight years since Gotham City was terrorised by the Joker, and Batman (Christian Bale) has been in hiding following the deaths of Rachel Dawes and Harvey 'Two-Face' Dent. With the city living under the impression that Batman murdered Dent - a myth unwantingly propagated by Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) - it seems the Bat's time is at an end. However, Bruce Wayne is compelled to don the black suit again when a terrorist by the name of Bane (Tom Hardy) begins to wreak havoc on Gotham, and the mysterious cat-burglar Selena Kyle (Anne Hathaway) begins shadowing his steps.

With a huge budget, a phenomenal cast and the most convoluted story of the series, The Dark Knight Rises dresses to impress. There is no questioning the impeccable performances from all of the series' regulars, particularly Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, who shines brighter than ever. This is very much Nolan's crew, and they work together in perfect synchronicity. It is sad to see so little of Alfred (Michael Caine) and Julius Fox (Morgan Freeman) in such a lengthy film, as each only graces the screen for the briefest of moments. But in the end, it's clear that this film is focused on Bale, who as reached the end of his reign as the Dark Knight. Anne Hathaway genuinely surprises as Catwoman, rarely displaying her vulnerability but remaining grounded and seductive, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is as always a welcome screen presence. There is also a remarkable amount of screentime dedicated to the key antagonist Bane, played with a debonair knack for the theatrical by Tom Hardy, who is a frightening villain but one who is never really given a powerful motivating force. Anyone familiar with the comics knows Bane as the only man capable of physically besting Batman, and he is a fine choice of baddie for the finale.

What strikes most about the film, especially in light of viewing it at the end of a Batman marathon, is the glaring absence of Heath Ledger's Joker. It would have been foolish to reinsert the Joker into this piece after Ledger's passing, but the filmmakers seem to have opted to forget that the character ever existed. The man single-handedly brought Gotham to its knees and yet he is not worthy of a mention even from his arch-nemesis. The Dark Knight's only real legacy in the finale is the spectres of Dent and Rachel, both haunting Bruce Wayne and dictating his actions. It's safe to say without ruining too much that Rises focuses more on narrative threads last seen in Batman Begins, whilst blending the trilogy's story with existing Batman mythologies.

You came for action, and action is what you'll get. After a storm of an opening, the story simmers on a slow burn for nearly an hour before coming to a boil that lasts until the credits roll. There are plenty of jaw-dropping moments including the destruction of the football stadium (which really shouldn't have been put in the trailers) and the revelation of Bane's true plans. There are a few twists here for the uninitiated, but nothing that will catch comic fans off their toes. And when the dust finally settles, everything is wrapped up neatly with an emotional flourish that justifies everything that came before it.

This catharsis strikes as lacking. The film builds and builds to emphasise the hardest choices Wayne has to make, but nothing seems so overwhelming as his refusal to kill a foe in the previous film. In the end, his most powerful act in Rises is witnessed in the titular moment when he is trapped in a deep, distant prison about two thirds in, and not at the story's end. It is odd to see some vital moments simply tossed aside in favour of reaching the great moment of sacrifice and wrapping up the trilogy.

It's also odd to hear so much expository dialogue from these characters. The choice of A Tale of Two Cities as an influence is well-documented and remarkably clear, and so this story is by no means one that requires the level of explanation that Inception did. Nolan has always had tendencies towards repetition and enough exposition to welcome in the lazy blockbuster audience, but here it's a touch too obvious. When someone explains the name, make and workings of a device to someone who clearly already knows what it is and what it does, the reality of the world crumbles. Sound issues make Bane's peculiar accent somewhat incomprehensible at times, and there are a few too many stage whispers that don't reach the viewers' ears.

These things aside, there are tears, there are cheers and there is the welcome boom of Han Zimmer's pitch-perfect scoring to carry any audience member along. All the stops are pulled, and it seems clear that Nolan will stay true to his word and let the series rest here, as one of the greatest of its like. (Whether or not DC will let it rest remains to be seen.) Though it lingers in the shadow of its forebear, The Dark Knight Rises is an honourable end to a masterful set of films, and closes with a deep bow from its cast and crew that demands its audience's respect and applause.