Not the Batman Movie We Deserve, But The One We Need Right Now

Christopher Nolan has once again shown us what a real movie looks like.  If the Avengers was a comic book The Dark Knight Rises is a work of literature. This isn't the movie to take little Jimmy to for his birthday.  This movie is brutal, violent, epic, emotional, intense, suspenseful, and ultimately a fitting conclusion to Nolan's Batman Trilogy.

Christian Bale earned his cowl in this movie. The dude knocked it out of the park. Like, into the next state out of the park.  The range of emotions he displayed were just of the charts.  I would say more but I will save it for my spoiler heavy review.

I had two dreams about Bane before I saw TDKR and one after I got back from the movie.  Needless to say, they were borderline night terrors (if you don't know what a night terror is search Daffy Duck Night Terror on Youtube). Tom Hardy was a bad you-know-what, ruthless and intimidating. I wouldn't want to be caught in the same state as him, let alone the same room.

Anne Hathaway was better than I expected as Catwoman, her very first scene displays the diversity of her acting skills.  She also gets some of the funniest, and best, lines of the film along with having a mean roundhouse kick.

Michael Caine was fantastic as Alfred.  He has some of the most emotional scenes of the movie and he nails every one of them.

Morgan Freeman was very good as Lucius Fox and Marion Cotillard was pretty good in her role as well.  

Gary Oldman was great as Commissioner Gordon. His guilt at hiding the secret about Harvey Dent's true character emanates from him.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt owns the screen as Police Detective John Blake.  His optimism is extremely refreshing in a movie this dark and depressing.

Hans Zimmer delivers his greatest score yet, the music is an integral part of the film especially with the musical themes that fit the characters so well.

The fight scenes are the best of the trilogy.  The camera is away from fighters, which enables you to see everything that is going on.   There is a lot of action but it always has a reason.  Nolan never blows something up without a reason and the fights are always extremely personal (not to mention brutal).

The final act is just 35 minutes of pure adrenaline rush during which I didn't move.  I stopped eating, I stopped drinking, I may even have stopped breathing I was so caught up in what was going on.

I really can't say much more without spoiling the film, so I will right a spoiler heavy review after I see it again.  I will say this, The Dark Knight Rises is the best movie, By Far, that I have ever seen and it should be required watching for every U.S. citizen.  Go see it as soon as you have 3 free hours and you will not regret it.  

As one character says in the movie, "Oh boy, you are in for a show tonight, son".