Geek Syndicate
The Review:
FILM REVIEW - The Dark Knight Rises
Please be aware that this review contains plot spoilers. The final installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy is here, but has it lived up to the reputation of its predecessors? Have the new villains worked well together? Has Nolan successfully revamped the franchise? Let’s take a look. As one of the most anticipated films of the year, The Dark Knight Rises was always going to have a considerable task ahead of it. Back in 2008 when The Dark Knight hit cinema screens, there was talk of Nolan potentially making a final film and completing the first ever Batman trilogy by a solo director. Nolan cleverly stated that he would not return to the franchise unless he felt there was a genuinely compelling story to be told. That time has come. But first, some background. As a fan of Tim Burton’s Batman films as well as the comics, I was hesitant when Nolan initially took the helm. There were attempts by Joel Schumacher to re-boot Batman in the mid nineties and while commercially these were successful, critically they left much to be desired. However, Nolan soon dispelled the fears of many, proving himself worthy of bringing a new and improved Batman into the twenty-first century. The Dark Knight Rises has brought that journey to a spectacularly well-engineered end. It is also one of the rare times that a trilogy can claim to have a memorable and equally entertaining final installment, which is itself an impressive feat. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham is in a rare state of peace. We see a new side to Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), who feels guilty after failing to reveal Harvey Dent’s crimes. Gordon has written a speech detailing the truth, but decides that the citizens are not ready to hear it, as he believes there is trouble coming to Gotham.
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman & Tom Hardy
The Blurb:
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night,
turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of
his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.
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That trouble is Bane (Tom Hardy), who gets hold of Gordon’s admission of guilt and begins to wreak havoc on the city. Gordon is injured whilst escaping from Bane’s lair and ends up in hospital. Here he meets patrol officer John Blake (Joseph-Gordon Levitt). Gordon’s decision to promote Blake to detective is a smart move within the plot, as it gives the young, talented