During Batman and Bane's first brutal, MMA-style encounter about midway through The Dark Knight Rises, new baddie Bane overcomes Batman's attacks easily, monologuing, “Oh, you think darkness is your ally … you merely adopted the dark … I was born in it, molded by it”. The viewer is made to share Batman’s sense of despair as it becomes crystal clear Bane is fully capable of accomplishing something none of his predecessors could: the defeat of Batman as Gotham’s citizens turn on one another. The seemingly imminent defeat of our hero and upheaval of the social order makes The Dark Knight Rises more of a direct sequel – at least thematically – to The Dark Knight in my view, though on the surface it shares much more in common with Batman Begins’ characters and its “fear” narrative.
As the film begins the Joker’s legacy still looms large – a lovelorn Bruce Wayne is demoralized and depressed after losing what he thought was his true love and Gotham’s top cop and symbol of law and order Commissioner Gordon is forced to live a terrible lie – setting the framework for the story arcs these and other characters will travel. The Dent Act has made unprecedented safety a reality in Gotham but lines continue to be crossed for the greater good. The world Nolan creates for us is morally ambiguous, and pedestrian “good vs. evil” morality tales so typical of comic book movies are thrown out the window in favor of something infinitely more satisfying. Simple dualities are flipped on their head all over the place: there can be no despair without hope, no heroics without villainy, no order without chaos, and no bravery without fear.
Defeating Bane will not simply be a matter of sacrificing what is necessary to win the day as Bruce Wayne so naïvely tells Alfred early in the film. To come out on top this time the Batman will need to find the will to live life on reality’s terms, including embracing all the setbacks, loss and indeed fear that makes up so much of the human experience. Batman doesn’t need to die, either to end his own suffering or to save Gotham. He needs to be a true symbol of hope and the will of the human spirit by making the journey of Gotham’s citizens his own. All these themes and more are thoroughly explored and brought to their logical conclusions, making The Dark Knight Rises a supremely satisfying finale.
That is not to say this film does not have flaws. The thematic explorations of The Dark Knight Rises can be somewhat muffled within a movie that is essentially a giant tub of blockbuster popcorn. The sheer size and scope of it all meant Nolan had to cut more than a few corners, leaving one too many plot holes for some and leaving others to engage in extreme mental gymnastics to come up with an explanation of how this or that could have happened in a world where “realism” is preferred over the fantastical. And sometimes the story and timeline feel rushed, especially when Nolan jettisons exposition in favor of convenience. (Thus, the rumored but imaginary four-hour cut of the film that fills in all these holes becomes all the more tantalizing.) But in the end these are minor sacrifices when compared against some truly inspirational moments we come to expect in our summer megahits, like Bruce Wayne “making the jump” to escape the prison or watching Batman’s brand set a suspension bridge ablaze for all to see and be inspired by. The fact that you get so emotionally invested in these moments amid all the cerebral gloom is a testament to how well Nolan made this extravaganza work.
All in all Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises is a substantial piece of layered filmmaking. There is so much going on here it’s hard to succinctly capture it all: spectacle after spectacle are heaped atop one another until the film’s anxiety-inducing score and exhausting climax leave you utterly spent. So few movies can take you on such a breath-taking ride and make it pay off in a way that satisfies your emotional and intellectual inner nerd but The Dark Knight Rises accomplishes this in spades. This 164 minute rollercoaster of a movie makes all the camp and humor of The Avengers seem like a teacup merry-go-round by comparison. In The Avengers we were always certain the good guys would win in the end; here we haven’t a clue where this tornado is going to toss us – every twist and turn brings fresh new (and grim) possibilities. Zimmer’s score and Pfister’s cinematography are also both Oscar-worthy, as are a number of the performances.
But The Dark Knight Rises’ true brilliance is the manner in which it ties the two prior films together into one cohesive narrative and thematic package in a way few third installments can. Certainly no other third film in a comic book series has been able to weave together its preceding films so expertly and in such a thrilling manner. Most in this genre simply lay an egg and go away. This movie, however, is a totally enthralling affair wrapped up with all sorts of interesting themes about hope, fear and sacrifice. It may not be as good as The Dark Knight to some – which is simply a matter of preference – but there is no denying its brilliance. Technically sound, emotionally engaging and grandiose in scope, it is everything you wish for in a summer blockbuster, even if Nolan’s famous “realism” spends a portion of the ride in the backseat this time around. 9.3/10.