REVIEW | The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

When the movie trailer opened with no sound except for that sole, clear, angelic voice of the boy singing the national anthem, then transitioning into a sinister rumble, serious and ominous, the low pounding escalating into some kind of chaos...and then we catch sight of the Caped Crusader in what would be revealed as the epic conclusion of the Batman trilogy, you just know-- that the Dark Knight will rise above all the superheroes who recently graced the big screen. And so you wait with pure excitement. That kind of restless anticipation. Because you just know it's going to be so, so good just by that teaser trailer alone.

And then the day has finally come to watch. After finishing the almost 3-hour epic finale, it turns out you were right. Christopher Nolan has rewarded your very high expectations.

In this emotionally gripping and intellectually satisfying epic finale, Gotham City is at peace time, and Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) is in seclusion for eight years now; bearded, depressed, and lethargic. People are curious; where is the billionaire Mr. Wayne? And people are talking. Batman had murdered the city's hero Harvey Dent eight years ago, didn't he? He's a fugitive now. Gone. A legend. Then a beautiful cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) arrives, waking Mr. Wayne from his stupor...and then a big storm starts brewing, triggered by a terrifying behemoth of a terrorist with a bear-trap-like mask named Bane (Tom Hardy), finally forcing Batman to step out of the shadows to save his beloved city. But after almost a decade of hiatus, can we rely on the Caped Crusader to fight again? Or will he...*chokes*...die in the killer hands of Bane?

Christopher Nolan's reinvention of Batman is an important turning point in the history of superhero films. Dark and dead serious, stark and gloomy, the maturity of Nolan's treatment has transformed the fantasy of Batman into something more tangible and real. And with Hans Zimmer, who is God's gift to cinema, composing the film score, as well as the clear and elegant cinematography, you will be swept away in this movie. You will find yourself right there, in Gotham City, witnessing the inevitable fate of Batman.

In this epic finale, the core of the story are vengeance, politics, corruption, and terrorism on a grand scale, with our hero struggling and fighting against lost hope. And with unpredictable plot twists and turns, and with you rooting for Batman to survive and become once again the superhero that he is, The Dark Knight Rises is indeed tensing, emotional, and scary-- made all the more absorbing because of the wonderful cast...

I think someone here has a crush on Batman. 

"This Means War" for Mr. Bane, played by Tom Hardy. 

Christian Bale delivers a dramatic Batman role-- and, please, let's just ignore his unsettling, freaky Batman voice! Bale is aptly brooding, in pain, and determined as what a mortal hero should be. And he has a surprising chemistry with the surprisingly likeable Hathaway as the non-purring Catwoman. And the villain, Bane, played by an unrecognizable Tom Hardy, is a terrifying equal match to Batman when it comes to strength, and his actions evil and precise, causing him to be a very real threat and danger to our hero. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the young, idealistic cop John Blake, an avid Batman supporter, gives an already expected terrific performance (and DC comics fans will instantly "get" his pivotal role here). And Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Morgan Freeman, and Marion Cotilliard give justice to their supporting roles.

There's something about John Blake (Gordon-Levitt) that is exciting. 

The Dark Knight Rises is a thrilling, dramatic, and satisfying closure to the Batman trilogy. For fans of this mortal hero, especially fans of the Nolan brand of Batman, you will be rewarded for sure. For non-Batman fans, well, Nolan just might change your mind...because this is definitely going to be our collective choice as one of the best movies that came out this year.


5 out of 5 stars
In Philippine Cinemas on July 19, 2012