The Dark Knight Rises
DC Comics
2012
Let’s cut to the chase, The Dark Knight Rises was a well-made movie, for the most part, but I couldn’t help detecting a slight camp factor starting to creep in, a la Joel Schumacher’s debauchery, known as Batman and Robin. This isn’t done in obvious way, but discretely placed throughout the film.
I’d never thought I’d roll my eyes at any scenes in this franchise, but I caught myself doing just that. What am I referring to? An example would be when, in a scene where Anne Hathaway‘s character, Catwoman, is rescued from Bane (played by Tom Hardy) by Batman (Christian Bale), and decides to “disappear,” Batman style.
This causes the Dark Knight to respond “So that’s what that feels like.” Although it garnered a chuckle from the audience, I didn’t feel this fit into Christoper Nolan‘s (director) great sense of realism offered by the other two preceding Batman films, but rather dislocates the realistic momentum that helps grant the sense of authenticity when watching the former Dark Knight installments.
Also, it takes away from the effort and work accomplished by Wayne/Batman in his training, regarding the stealth-like arts of the assassins that helped him hone his unique talents in the first place. What, did Catwoman got through the same training (not just in disappearing, but in fighting ability as well)? This is never discussed in the film, and seems out of place.
Also, there were many of those dreaded one-liners that make it into most Hollywood fare. Case in point: “Cat got your tongue?” I felt myself thinking Ertha Kitt was going come back from the dead, and do her famous purring sound effect. The obviousness of a certain character’s fate is another eye-roller. My largest complaint is that head-scratcher of an ending (WTF?). Limping aside, the Dark Knight, does indeed rise, from its great opening sequence,glorious sets, astonishing sound, good acting, decent plot, suspense, and great use of its characters: there’s Alfred’s devotion, to his employer.
There’s the use of loved ones, long gone (Bruce’s parents, Rachel, etc). Another is Bruce Wayne, seen teetering on the brink of failure, only to truly rise up again, and help his redemption, come to light, for supposedly being a murderer (via Harvey Dent). This tension is superbly culminated, when Batman, while meeting up again with Bane, in an awe-inspiring moment, declares: “I came back to stop you.” Whoah. Honestly, I didn’t expect this installment to be as good as it was. I mean, how does one exactly top The Dark Knight, in its perfection, as a super hero movie? It doesn’t. But, like it’s main character…it damn-sure tries.
