Review 66: The Dark Knight Rises
It has been eight years since Batman (Christian Bale) 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
The plot is work of genius, it's so intricate, so complex, so ambitious, so beautifully detailed, filled with twists and turns, and a love letter to the Batman comics, such a visionary blend of psychological storytelling as well as pure spectacle.
What this movie does so well is that it shows us the consequences of the events of The Dark Knight and how it effects Gotham and it's people. Everything seems to be find on the outside but it's all built on this lie.
Bruce Wayne has become a recluse, become a broken man after events of The Dark Knight and the Dent Act has been started which gives the Gotham City Police the power to nearly eradicate all the organised crime in Gotham. However that system can't hold up forever and then along comes trouble in the form of Bane and we know what happens.
In terms of storytelling, Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan draw heavily and intelligently from the 1993 “Knightfall” storyline, which was Bane’s debut; Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and the 1999 “No Man’s Land” storyline.
Another inspiration behind the story of The Dark Knight Rises is Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities”: Both feature protagonists (Bruce Wayne and Sydney Carton) who are both orphans and who are both prepared to pay the ultimate price for their cities and those nearest and dearest to them.
Both see a beautiful city (Gotham for Bruce. Paris for Sydney) and a brilliant people rising from the abyss
Like The Dark Knight it's got a lot to say about our world, financial meltdowns, the haves vs the have-nots and unrest in the streets giving it clear paralles to the real world of America right now but is also deals with themes of Class Warfare, Justice, Redemption, Politics and the Failure of a Corrupt System & Overcoming Pain and Fear .
Class Warfare: One of the keys themes explored in The Dark Knight Rises is that of the class divide between the fortunates and unfortunates which posits that, in the face of an ever-widening gulf between the rich and the poor, tensions will rise to an exploitable break-off point. The history of the real world is littered with dodgy political figures who use the threat of social and monetary disparity between the upper and lower class to slyly get into power.
In The Dark Knight Rises these figures are find their equivalent in excommunicated League
of Shadows member Bane who, in the recession heavy period is chocking Gotham's poor, rallies the disenfranchised to rise up against the spectres of banks and businesses that have sucked the cream out of the system and left them wanting.
Gotham's hope's for salvation or destruction rests not only with Batman but with its swarming disregarded masses.
Justice: Batman has always been a hero who fights crime and seeks justice, but the focus of The Dark Knight Rises shifts the emphasis on portraying Bruce Wayne's caped alter as a man responsible not only for righting criminal wrongs but also righting the wrongs of society... Bruce Wayne emphasizes the need for philanthropy to those who are less fortunate, as opposed to Bane's policy of handing power back to the people and then imprisoning by their own natures. Given the chance to rule themselves to rule themselves from within, Gotham erupts into violence and depravity.
And without the symbol and example of Batman and the absence of a police force that is able to intervene, the populace turn to the mob courts to deal out justice; the lines between revenge and justice blur as society piles the blame on the privileged and the wealthy.
The Dark Knight examined this interplay between justice and and revenge and this also dealt with in this movie, though more emphasis on the reciprocal relationship between justice and the truth: After his defeat at the hands of Bane and his subsequent escape form the overseas prison, Bruce appears to have finally come to terms with the guilt that he felt for the deaths of Rachel and his parents.
Redemption: While Batman Begins in no small part dealt with Redemption - Bruce Wayne, being a man who was dying on the inside and ready to commit murder in order to assuage guilt - The Dark Knight Rises raises the stakes thematically in dealing with the redemption not of a man but of an entire city with is Gotham City for living upon the lie about Harvey Dent.
The people of Gotham learn the truth about Dent and the lies upon which Gotham's judical system has been built.
The film also deals with Redemption of Batman in the eyes of the public. After committing the ultimate sacrifice for the city, a monument is erected in Batmans honour in Gotham.
Politics and the Failure of a Corrupt System (Corruption): The Dark Knight Rises scorns the partisan policies of both the Right and the Left: key to Nolan's message is it's jaded vision of how societies begin to buckle under the weight of their lies and collapse inwards on themselves when their justice system is based on a lie.
Just as the previous two films probed the morality of sometimes taking political liberties by using espionage or torture to gain vital information as a last resort, The Dark Knight Rises raises the question of whether or not it's immoral to base your justice system on a lie if the end result is that you will significantly reduce crime. It's difficult not to echos of The Patriot Act and the films Dent Act as well as echoes of Guantanamo Bay in the criminal but wrongly imprisoned foot-soldiers who are incarcerated in Blackgate Prison. The Dark Knight Rises also has a collection of other political themes that are stirringly reminiscent of key contemporary events and global concerns, riffing on the "Occupy Wall Street" protests, the need for clean sources of energy as well as a frightening warning about the dangers that go hand-in-hand with nuclear power.
Overcoming Pain and Fear: Pain is a key motif in The Dark Knight Rises, whereas Batman Begins had motifs of fear and overcoming it, The Dark Knight has its thematic foundation grounded in chaos and exploring how such chaos can be overcome. The Dark Knight Rises also deals with both these subject matters but also throws into the equation the need to overcome pain. When we first meet Bruce Wayne in this film, he is a shadow of the man we saw beat the Joker in The Dark Knight. He limps around Wayne Manor with the need of a cane, aged and greying. As well as in constant pain of from his injuries - both mental and physical - sustained during his tenure as Batman. He finally meets his match when he meets Bane, severely underestimating the strength and will of his opponent after being lured into a trap.
At the heart of The Dark Knight Rises ultimately is a great character story, you get a lot of Bruce Wayne, not so much the man in the Batsuit, fighting in this movie, you get a lot of Bruce Wayne doing a lot of the fighting on his own and having to scrounge for pieces and spare parts. He goes into a place where he doesn't have his suit or any of his gadgets and he has to overcome a lot of pain and he's forced to use his wits and improvise to get himself out a lot of sticky situations.
Christopher Nolan's directing is unobtrusive, the score by Hans Zimmer is just incredible, the cinematography is stupendous, the production design is marvelous, the costume design is gorgeous, the make up is rich, the scenery is breathtaking, the sound effects are excellent, action scenes are intense, the special effects are masterful and the ending was superb.
The acting is just brilliant, Christian Bale exhales yet again as Bruce Wayne/Batman. At the begining of the film, we find a Bruce Wayne who is damaged by his experiences as Batman, he's older; he's not in great shape. He's become a recluse in the 8 years since the Joker's rampage, hidden from life a both a playboy millionaire and a crime fighter, deeming himself totally unnecessary to Gotham; He's gone into a self-imposed exile. He sees no future for himself as Bruce Wayne because he has no hope for a normal life and he's obsessed with single-handedly saving the world and that puts him in a very vulnerable position. This is Bruce at his lowest, facing his demons both physically as well as psychologically, over the course of the film, he looses access to his resources, his home, his suit, his gadgets & his allies and yet he confronts his fears, applies himself, improvises and ultimately perceivers. Ultimately his arc throughout the film is about him letting go of denial, realising his limitations as well as embracing real hope and finding a way to move on and letting go of the burden of being Batman.
Michael Caine is at his best as Alfred, his relationship to Bruce has become strained since the events of The Dark Knight, he's always felt a great deal of responsibility and affection towards Bruce since his parents were murdered and he has stood by his side since day one. Alfred feels that it's his duty to help him find a way to put this pain behind him.
Now that Bruce has become and recluse and decides to become Batman again, he can't accept Bruce putting himself through more psychological pain, which leads him to resign to impress the seriousness of the situation.
Gary Oldman is wonderful again as Commissioner James Gordon, His work cleaning up Gotham City since The Dark Knight has left him world-weary and slightly board, which makes more like a soldier who yearns for the chance to be on the front line again. His life has taken a turn for the worst, his family has left him and the Mayor of Gotham City is planning to dismiss him. He is also coping with a lot of guilt in his role in covering up Harvey Dent's crimes; he's the main facilitator of the lie that Gotham has been built upon these past 8 years and it's a secret that's eaten away at him.
He's prepared to resign as from his role as Commissioner as a result, but senses a new storm brewing on the horizon.
Morgan Freeman is incredible once again as Lucius Fox,
Marion Cotillard is lovely and feisty as Wayne Enterprises empoye, Miranda Tate, she too like Selina Kyle takes away some of Bruce's sombreness and encourages him to rejoin society and continue his fathers philanthropic works.
Anne Hathaway is excellent as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, she beautifully captures the elusive, wily, witty, seductive allure of the character, she's an antiheroine you don't know where he alligences lie. She's both a grifter and a con-artist as well as an all-round oportunist; A classic femme fatal going at life on her own, always looking for the next unsuspecting victim.
She's also a bit of an enigma, her actions often blur ethical lines.
Throughout the film, she forms a playful, teasing relationship with Bruce & Batman and might just be his chance at a normal life. Like Bruce, she's frozen in time as her ultimate goal is to erase her criminal record and start a new life far away from Gotham City. She embodies the desire for new life which is lacking in Bruce
Her destructive role makes her a feminie counterpart to Bruce
Tom Hardy... Wow! That guy was just a towering might as Bane, he's not someone to be reasoned with. This is the first time that Batman has come across someone who can match him both physically as well as mentally. He sees himself as a "liberator of pain", fighting to bring down what he sees as a corrupt system. He believes what he's doing is right and his clam demeanour intimidates those around him. As well as being physically imposing, he is also, ruthless, self-confidant, strong-willed, intelligent, cunning, resourceful and charismatic. Bane is not a force to be reckoned with.
Possibly the most chilling part of the character and Hardy's performance is how clam and gentlemanly he sounds, explosions go off, chaos is happening left and right, he's in a battle of brawns against Batman and yet he remains as cool as a cucumber.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is very likeable as police officer Blake. He started life out as an orphan and has had fend for himself the majority of his life eventually becoming an police office. His instincts lead him to believe that there is this great, new threat on the horizon. Gordon promotes him because he sees a lot of himself in him. He represents the idealism that Gordon and Wayne once held but have since lost over the course of their battle against crime.
Ben Mendelsohn, Burn Gorman, Aidan Gillan & Juno Temple round the cast in smaller but significant roles, all of whom deliver fine performances.
The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect finish to a phenomenonal superhero trilogy, and a proper way to conclude a superhero series, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic
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