Film Review: The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises. Rated M (violence). 164 minutes. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan.        

Verdict: An overwhelmingly masterful experience of the perfect fusion between creative vision and cinematic storytelling.

With the final instalment to his Batman trilogy – Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008) – Nolan has delivered not only one of his finest films, but one of the best films of the year, if not the decade. From the extraordinary opening aerial sequences to the final five best movie minutes in recent memory, Nolan and his team immerse us – flawlessly – into an overwhelming experience of the perfect fusion between creative vision and cinematic storytelling. It is, in short, brilliant, masterful work.

With the Batman (Christian Bale) in retirement and nursing his physical and psychological wounds, the evil Bane (Tom Hardy, pictured) unleashes his dire plan for the domination of Gotham. When his mother’s precious pearl necklace is stolen by cat-burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), Batman finds himself forced back into defending the now entirely lawless Gotham from Bane’s destructive ambitions.

Nolan is in exceptional company – and this film could only ever have reached the dazzling heights that it does because of the involvement of his frequent, trusted and respected collaborators including cinematographer Wally Pfister, editor Lee Smith and composer Hans Zimmer (whose symphonic score is mesmerising).

Production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh brilliantly account for the terrific screenplay’s (written by the director and his brother) vast and variously demanding locations, while Lindy Hemming’s costumes are simply perfect.

The outstanding cast are equally up to the tasks at hand, with Ms Hathaway (in particular) relishing every delicious moment of her star turn as the villainous Ms Kyle. Hardy (Inception) is riveting as the mask-wearing tormentor Bane, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) delivers a fine turn as the young detective Blake – who masterfully carries the film’s (and our) determined hope for a fairer world.

It is rare to find a film these days that manages to stand up to the challenges of truly epic storytelling for increasingly impatient audiences. At almost three hours long, The Dark Knight Rises not only manages to feel like it’s over in half the time, but delivers you back into the world exhausted, drained and yet entirely satisfied – ready to have as many conversations about it with friends as possible.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.