How does one even attempt at reviewing what many consider to be THE movie of 2012?
I guess the first step is asking the question, will “The Dark Knight Rises” beat “The Avengers?” Avengers is, by far, the BIGGEST movie of the year hands down. Dark Knight Rises will have a massive opening, but will fall short of early expectations. One point of difference between the two, though, is that I won’t be surprised to see DKR (short code) a strong contender for next year’s Oscars. Avengers may get a few technical nods, but acting and directing type noms WILL go to the Batman flick.
That is my prediction, now on to my thoughts on the film itself.
First, it’s LONG. We are talking 2 hours and 45 minutes long. That could play a factor in its ability to best Avengers. There is a TON going on throughout the movie so “potty breaks” are strongly discouraged. I had to warn you.
Some more thoughts- the effects are AMAZING, the fight scenes are graphic and the acting is right on par to what you would expect from a motion picture of this stature. Christian Bale’s portrayal of a now anti-social, reclusive Bruce Wayne is spot on. Anne Hathaway as cat burglar Selina Kaye (aka Catwoman) is brilliant! My wish? We see more of her.
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises
As Christopher Nolan’s last run as director of the current Batman series, I have to give him a grade of B+ for Dark Knight Rises. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that this chapter is bad, it just drags a lot more than even the last one (I enjoyed Dark Knight- maybe just a bit more than this one).
Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises
One other reason for the B+ grade? The villain. In this final part 3, Batman does battle with Bane who is about as bad as they come. Played by Tom Hardy, Bane’s mission in life is to cause financial chaos upon Gotham and its people. Bane’s problem is he is all talk and no action. He is a “tease” of a villain. I wouldn’t want to face him in a dark alley, but if it did happen, I’d expect a long, drawn out “let me tell you what I’m about to do to you” type dance. Perhaps this is where some more editing could have taken place. His voice is also a point of issue. Bane wears a mask that also acts as a voice changer. If you’ve ever tried to order from a non-working fast food drive thru, you’ve heard this “Bane” voice before. Maybe there should have been subtitles during his scenes. It’s irritating.
If you are expecting a big over-the-top Batman picture, you are getting one. If you try to dissect elements of the film (how did he get from here to there so quickly type stuff), you’ll go crazy discussing.
Fans of the series will like this closing chapter, neutral Batman fans may not. The good news? There is already talk of a reboot of Batman in the works.
Here we go again.
Dave Morales is a member of The Houston Film Critics Society
