Sunday, August 5

Dark Knight Rises Review


I didn't read any spoilers before seeing the movie so this article is only for those who say the movie.
SPOILERS
See this movie!
 I might be morbid but I can't help but think that this is the last movie that the victims of the shooting saw or were going to watch. So many issues of gun use ran through my head while watching the movie. Even Selena Kyle (Anne Hathaway) comments to Batman that she doesn't get his non-gun use. So if you saw the movie you know the basic plot: Bruce is disillusioned and a broken shell of a man until robbed by Kyle. He slowly starts 'getting back in the game' only to loose all his money in the stock market thanks to Bane, pupil of Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson, who made a cameo) and crazy motherfucker. He gets terrorists and take over the city after beating up Batman. Bruce is sent to a prison where he heard tale of a child who climbed up the well-like prison and assumes it is Bane. With a three times is a charm in a long spiraling story, Bruce goes through his own spiritual and physical journey and somewhat metamorphosis.

 I cried in the scene where Alfred is saying goodbye to Bruce, pleading for him to leave the Bat Cowl but Bruce refuses. Alfred talks about raising Bruce and hearing his baby cries at night echoing in the halls. Joseph Gordon Levitt is also a delight as hot shot police officer that figured out Bruce's identity because of his own orphaned past and close-up encounters with both Bruce and Batman. The only mistake (and I don't notice that many when I watch movies) I noticed in the movie was a minor glitch where Bruce's hand moves on his cane when first talking to Fox (Morgan Freeman) about the company. There were plenty of 'duh' moments and 'I expected that' but it is sort of excusable. Hathaway and Bale have electric chemistry and great banter. Some great one-liners. The 'challenge of soul and body' is a bit trite and overplayed and is manipulative but the harsh realism is what gets to me. C. Murphy also makes a cameo, marking his appearance in all three movies. 

I didn't get the title of the movie until I saw it. Dark Knight was the name of the last movie so 'Rises' felt like a redundant add-on but after seeing the movie, I get it. You can't top Heath Ledger's Joker but Tom Hardy's Bane is smart and lethal (even though he sounds like Patrick Stewart on helium on times or hard to understand). Joseph Gordon Levitt does a great job and half way through the movie, I already figured out the ending. As for Bruce Wayne's 'death,' the woman next to me was crying loudly and I was like... 'really?' Anyway, the movie had that awesome pay-back with Alfred spotting a familiar couple at the end of the movie. I didn't like much the actress who played Miranda (Marion Cotillard), she can play damsel in distress but not evil seductress. Matthew Modine as Foley look a bit like Harvey Dent from far away that it got confusing at times. Anyway, awesome end to the trilogy!