Marg: The Dark Knight Rises

I have been struggling with how to begin this review since Tuesday night. A very real act of horror will always be associated with the Dark Knight Rises, and it would be insensitive not to touch on that. I will only do so briefly, just to say that it's all incredibly sad. I want to address the film on it's own merits separate from that unpredictable tragedy.

The Dark Knight Rises is also difficult to write about because of the risk of spoilers and also because it is so hard to articulate all my feelings about it - and I have so many feelings! But, for instance, when asked my feelings directly after the movie I said "I... eihj.. um...."

This review might be unjustly sparse. 

The simple fact is, The Dark Knight Rises is a brilliant film. 

I wasn't expecting it. I am not a big fan of Batman Begins, and while Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight was absolutely spectacular, the rest of the film was good but not great. So I was expecting something entertaining, but not overwhelming. But it just was so good. Overwhelmingly satisfying and entertaining and excellent. 

Whereas in the previous films of the trilogy, some casting choices fell flat *cough*katieholmes*cough* - DKR boasts one hell of a cast. I am a big Christian Bale fan, who looks a bit more The Fighter than Batman here - he seemed to put more into his performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman than he did in the last film, and the payoff is great. Other returning cast members continue to shine. Gary Oldman slips occasionally in his American accent, but is able to give more depth to Commissioner Gordon. And of course, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth (ha, Pennyworth) is touching and at times heart-wrenching. A surprise appearance by another returning performer is also a delight.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (my heart of hearts) joins the cast as an earnest young police officer named Blake, able to see the truth where others can't. I'd watch that guy eat a bowl of soup and be a happy girl, but he really is suitably cast for this role. 

Anne Hatheway is a god damned revelation as Selina Kyle. Nolan's characterization of Catwoman is so much more human than previous incarnations - less camp, more intelligence, less crazy-bitch-trope, more realistic will for survival. Her point of view is one to be taken seriously, Hathway's performance utterly empathic, yet still devious. When I first saw images of the Catwoman costume, it turns out I didn't know what I was looking at. It's actually a costume that makes total sense. 

Turns out Tom Hardy is a beast. Who knew? 

Bane voiced my inner-monolog for literally days after watching the film. 

Lest you think that I could ever believe any film is entirely perfect, of course there are some quite minor issues - some discord between the ages of certain actors and their character's ages, a question as to why no one thought about spreading out their body weight, and where on earth Alfred could have gotten his eternal non-youth (he never ages!). And on the subject of Alfred, I think any movie that allows Micheal Caine to seem sad is just a cruel one! Cruel, I say!

I bet he'd scream if that suit moved by itself.

There are some things to say about the politics of the film itself - again, without going into spoilery details, Gotham is a city with a wide gap between their Bruce-Wayne level elite, and their disenfranchised middle and lower classes. Much like we have seen in the real world, some of those lower classes are trying to stand up against the rule-bending, unfairly rich - the 1%, if you will. Selina Kyle and Blake both represent two sides of the same not-obscenely-rich coin - he believes that hard work and honor are the key, she has a more desperate sense of self-preservation. Neither of them desire the change that Bane brings - but much like the protestor suddenly standing in the middle of a violent riot, there are some things outside of their control. It might seem quite conservative that the silver-spoon-born Bruce Wayne is the key protagonist - but it is key to note that it isn't Bruce Wayne after all. It's Batman.