new experience for Batman viewers.
Geek Syndicate
The flashbacks provide an emotional reminder of how Alfred has always striven to do right by his master. Michael Caine plays the role brilliantly and emotively, never overacting. Similarly, the flashback to Jim Gordon placing a coat over the shoulders of a young Bruce Wayne conveys the early bond between the two characters.
Another interesting sequence is the show trial presided over by Jonathan Crane. The set is wonderfully surrealist in this section of the film; Crane appears to be perched high above everyone else on a makeshift desk where he holds court. The dialogue in this scene is some of the most quick-witted in the entire film. When Crane gives Jim Gordon the choice of death or exile, Gordon chooses death to which Crane delivers the brilliant riposte of “death it is then…by exile” Redolent of similar set pieces in Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton’s early work combined, this sequence works very well at conveying how far gone reality is from the minds of criminals in Gotham. Flashbacks to the previous two films are interspersed at key moments and are effective at reminding the viewer of the relationship history between certain characters. In particular, this is true of Bruce and Alfred. One of the most moving moments of the film is the parting of these two, a result of the mental deterioration Bruce has suffered.
crusader to return and carry out justice are all nicely tied together by this scene. Overall, The Dark Knight Rises is a fitting end to the trilogy and a finely executed piece of film. There have been criticisms that the middle portion of the film is flabby and needed to be cut. I would disagree. For a film that runs at almost 3 hours long, it felt as though everything had a purpose and no material was wasted. The only criticism I had was the rather quick return that Bruce makes to Gotham after being trapped in Bane’s prison. It felt slightly glossed over that there was no explanation given as to how he found his way back, especially without Alfred’s help and having been crippled for months. Despite this, the plot feels solid and consistent. It certainly didn’t feel like three hours as the action is fast-paced and engaging. Nolan’s Batman has risen for the last time and it doesn’t disappoint.
The reveal that Blake’s first name is actually Robin is a clever technique that works well for the film. Blake has consistently tried to befriend Bruce and figures out fairly quickly that he is Batman, just like the sidekick, Robin. Blake’s attempts to help Batman wherever possible and trying to persuade the caped
Michelle Lacey
Rating:
GGGGG
64