Review: Dark Knight Rises

No spoilers…

Dark Knight Rises Mondo Wallpaper

It’s here.

It’s finally effing here.

And it is EPIC.

There have been nay-sayers, there have been fanboyscough – but throughout there has always been Nolan. Enduring Nolan. Amazing Nolan. Nolan and his unflinching commitment to delivering the best telling of the Batman story he could could possibly tell.

I am here to tell you that he delivers against that commitment.

Deftly wrapping up all the threads that were laid in Begins and TDK, Rises is a film of EPIC proportions. It’s Nolan and Bale, obviously, but there’s newcomers like Tom Hardy, Marion Cotilliard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt too, each splashing the film with their own shades of Inception…  but ultimately, this is Bane’s film.



Tom Hardy is excellent in DKR; knowing, knowledgable, physical – he owns the screen whenever he appears. Another great addition to the cast, somewhat surprisingly, is Anne Hathaway. I don’t know why, but I had my doubts about her role as Selina Kyle’s cat burglar from the moment her casting was first announced but, honestly? She’s ace. Returning to Hardy briefly before moving on, I’m happy to report that the issues with his voice (that were first reported after the 7min preview back in December), have been fixed and the character of Bane oozes through Hardy with animalistic strength and menacing determination.

Remember, for the Dark Knight to rise, first he must fall. And fall he does – in spectacular fashion. In Bane, Batman truly has met his match.

This isn’t the Batman that you’ve got to know through the previous two films, mind. First in story: time has passed [eight years in fact] and a lot has happened. Before Bale dons the cowl in this final chapter, we’re made all too aware of the damage that leading the kind of life Bruce Wayne leads can have. Second, in tone: the 160+ mins are of a completely different breed than what’s come before. Nolan has grown both as a director and storyteller and we, the audience, get a much more mature and visceral cinema experience because of it.

But let’s be clear, Dark Knight Rises is a film of endings. Not in a LOTR: Return of the King ‘lets-end-the-film-five-times-over-the-course-of-an-hour’ kind of way, but in a closing of chapters, tying up of loose ends and the release of deep, set tension and pain way. Whatever Warner Bros do with the Batman licence next, it won’t be a part of this universe, that’s for certain.

There are niggles, few, but most can be plastered over by the sheer courage of the director’s vision to create such an epic conclusion to this trilogy.

When the credits rolled, I cheered and applauded as the final pay off comes together, perfectlty.

See it.

Immediately.

You’re gonna love it…

 

 

Dark Knight Rises: Exclusive Nokia Trailer

“Mr Wayne…” 

I am so up for this. Tickets have been bought, opening weekend is in (IMAX style, natch) and, of course, the Nokia campaign is kicking off very shortly in full swing

Check. It. Out.

^Bonus Dark Knight Rises Wallpaper

There might be a few more tricks up their sleeves between now and launch.
Watch closely…

 

BANE

To say I’m a little excited about The Dark Knight Rises would be an understatement. It is the end of the Nolan-universe era and it promises to be… something else.

I’m extremely, extremely lucky to have worked quite close to the film – especially around the 6min prologue released at the back end of last year. Even that was enough to work me up to a frenzy. Tom Hardy, one of my favourite actors, looks absolutely incredible as BANE.

This latest image says it all…

– Bane Wallpaper –

90 days and counting.