A Fitting End

“The Dark Knight Rises” had unbelievable hype to live up to after the success of its predecessor. Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker in 2008’s “The Dark Knight” was iconic. Fortunately, the final installment of director Christopher Nolan’s trilogy goes out on a high note, turning out to be the best film of the three.

“The Dark Knight Rises” takes place eight years after the death of Harvey Dent from the second film, and Bruce Wayne has become a recluse who has physical deteriorated from years of inactivity. A new villain has shown up in Gotham. Bane, played by Tom Hardy is a physically opposing presence that Batman has not yet faced before. While the Joker might have tried to play mind games with Batman, Bane wants to destroy the city that the “Caped Crusader” protects. Once Wayne sees that the police aren’t enough, he dons the famous suit, yet again, to save the city.

With a running time of two hours and 45 minutes, there is quite a bit more story that happens with characters such as rookie cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) and philanthropist Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard). Even with new characters and a long length, the film doesn’t drag for a second. One thing that might surprise some is that Batman himself does not have a copious amount of screen time. This is a film that is much more about Bruce Wayne than his alter-ego. Some would have preferred more time with Batman, but with such a focus on Bruce Wayne, it allows him to give his most compelling performance yet. While it is a given that Batman is exciting, the emotional and physical journey Wayne goes through is just as fascinating.

Other characters have their time to shine as well. Gordon-Levitt’s character turns out to be one of the most interesting characters in the film. He is a rookie cop, but he’s very smart. John Blake is so clever that Bruce Wayne takes him under his wing and works with him.

Anne Hathaway performed surprisingly well as Selina Kyle (Catwoman). Going into the movie, she seemed like an odd fit for the rest of what the plot would be. Yet, she has her moments that display her importance to Bruce Wayne’s drive, encouraging him to keep moving forward.

Marion Cotillard’s character creates a love triangle between her, Kyle and Wayne while trying to save Wayne Industries from going under. She is mysterious and her part in the film is expanded upon much more in the final act. Unfortunately she does not do much before this time, which at times make her feel useless.

Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman also reprise their roles as Alfred Pennyworth and Lucius Fox, respectively. Caine deserves an Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance here. His screen time is brief, but he is the emotional core of the story and is brilliant. Freeman does what he does best: Be a likable and clever character. Early in the story he introduces Bruce Wayne to the flying vehicle called The Bat, which plays a major role throughout the entirety of the movie.

Last but not least is Bane. Tom Hardy is a phenomenal actor, but unfortunately his range was limited in this film. He came across as calm and calculated, while also being able to go toe-to-toe with Batman, but the facemask along with the voice modulation used really robbed him of what could have been a fantastic performance.

All of these characters come together to create a story that not only is interesting and well-paced but also more cohesive and driven than “The Dark Knight.” Bane, Miranda Tate and John Blake’s backstories are all interesting and each one affects the end of the movie. Nolan succeeded in not having any throwaway characters, making each one feel important.

“The Dark Knight Rises” is a very satisfying ending to Nolan’s trilogy. He ties plot elements from the earlier films and provides closure at the end. With a few big plot twists and great performances from across the board, this is a film that is worth seeing. While The Joker might have been a more charismatic villain than Bane and Ledger’s performance will go down as one of the greatest, the story in the second film was lacking. “The Dark Knight Rises” is a fantastic film worth seeing.

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