Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Christian Bale

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Written by: Christopher and Jonathan Nolan
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard and Morgan Freeman

It's been four years since The Dark Knight set a new standard for both summer blockbusters and comic book adaptations. It's also been four years since the late Heath Ledger created one of the cinema's most fascinating and unpredictable villains.

British director Christopher Nolan took a risk back in 2005 when he decided to reboot a tired franchise that had essentially been reduced to a box office joke. He set out to erase all mental images of "Bat nipples" (see: George Clooney) and Two-Face's purple bubblegum features (see: Tommy Lee Jones). He succeeded, with the release of Batman Begins, followed by the monstrous success of 2008's The Dark Knight. Now, with the third and final chapter of his series, Nolan sets out to appease his rabid fans and conclude his critically acclaimed trilogy on a high note. He mostly succeeds.

Set eight years after the events in the sequel, The Dark Knight Rises begins with a plea from an injured Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) for Batman to return to his former heroic self. Since the conclusion of the last film, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) has become a bordering-on-Howard-Hughes recluse, prowling the grounds of Wayne Manor, with only his loyal butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), for company. After having sacrificed his reputation so that attorney-turned-sociopath Harvey Dent could remain a symbol of hope to the people of Gotham, the Bat Suit was put into retirement to collect dust. That is, until a hulking mass of anarchist muscle by the name of Bane (Tom Hardy) arrives and poses a threat to the city. Throw in a costumed jewel thief (Anne Hathaway), an earnest young cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a potential love interest (Marion Cotillard) for our Caped Crusader and you've got a jam-packed plot with a large handful of characters and storylines to keep straight.

Clocking in at two hours and 45 minutes in length, the first half of the film suggests a conclusion that could potentially rise above the previous two instalments. Rises gets off to a dark and ambitious start, featuring commentary on the class system and offering glimpses of the urban terrorism that is to come at the hands of Bane. (With its distinct parallels to the recent Occupy Wall Street movement, the film presents some muddled politics, yet never delves too deeply into any sociopolitical themes).

However, as the film unfolds it becomes harder to ignore some of the more glaring plot holes (which I won't divulge here, lest I spoil the movie for someone). These goofs often detract from the action on the screen, resulting in more than a few scenes that will leave you scratching your head. 

As is to be expected with such a solid ensemble cast, each of the actors leave a strong impact in their respective roles.The always-reliable Christian Bale and Michael Caine both give moving performances, specifically in pivotal scenes their characters share together. Bale's Bruce Wayne is left jaded and broken-hearted. Even after eight years he hasn't recovered from his guilt over the death of Harvey Dent and the havoc wreaked by the Joker -- which ultimately led to the death of the love of his life. Rises features less Batman sequences and more quieter moments of a reflective Bruce, a wise decision in a film that focuses more on redemption and the ability to overcome personal tragedy.

As the only two women to appear in Rises, Anne Hathaway and Marion Cotillard do their best with what little they are given. Hathaway opts for a more subdued Catwoman, wisely moving away from the traditional purring kitten performances of the many actresses who came before her, dating back to the 1960s. In the underwritten role of Miranda Tate, a member of the Wayne Enterprises executive board, Cotillard is lovely in a small part. She still manages to leave an impact even though her character is one of Rises weakest links.

Tom Hardy

However, the two standouts are two new additions to the cast. As the eager-to-please beat cop, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Officer John Blake is a welcome, clear-headed presence in a film filled with characters battling severe depression, bouts of rage and broken hearts. His genuine humanity and courage under fire is what Gotham needs and Gordon-Levitt's subtle performance proves memorable in a cast of many. You'll catch yourself wondering how the city ever survived before without his calm, collected ways.

Then there is Tom Hardy, a captivating actor who has bulked up for roles in the past -- most recently in 2011's Warrior but also in his explosive career-making turn in the little-seen 2008 British flick Bronson. However, it's his role as Bane that will likely put Hardy on the map. He manages to convey wrath, hatred and, ultimately, love, while buried beneath a claw-like contraption clamped over the majority of his face. His performance temporarily makes you forget Bane's murky motivations. Some may gripe that the mask robs Bane of a personality, but I think we can all agree that Bane -- a coldly calculating, machine-like terrorist -- was never going to have the same vivid insanity as the Joker.

In the end, The Dark Knight Rises tries to do too much and the second half of the film drags as a result. It's a well-executed spectacle that never quite rises to the level of The Dark Knight. It's overly plotted, with a bloated running time and chock-full of half-realized ideas. Despite this, it's still a mostly satisfying and entertaining conclusion to what has ultimately been a wildly successful model on which future comic book adaptations can model themselves after.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Movie Review: Inception (2010)

INCEPTION (2010)
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard

British director Christopher Nolan is on a hot streak. With his 2000 indie cult hit Memento still gaining new fans each year, he's had a string of monstrous hits, from The Prestige to The Dark Knight.

Nolan can now boast to having rebooted a once-tired comic book franchise and having one of the best films of 2010.

Domenic Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is gifted in the art of extraction. The technology exists where a man may enter a person's subconscious while they are in a dream state to uncover deeply buried secrets. Cobb and his team are hired out by rich businessmen or international associates for a high fee. However, after the recent death of his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), Cobb is ready to retire and lead a quiet life with his two young children. Before he gets the chance to leave for good, Cobb is drawn back into one last challenge; the complex process of inception. A Japanese businessman, Saito (Ken Watanabe) hires Cobb and his team to implant an idea into the head of his young business rival, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), whose father is on his deathbed and will likely pass his entire fortune onto his son. Saito's plan: to convince Fischer, while in his subconscious, to dissolve his father's empire. Cobb's challenge is to make sure the inception of the idea is convincing enough that when Fischer wakes, the dissolution of his father's company will feel like a natural thought to him.

Visually, the film is stunning. Everything has a blue, washed out feel while the CGI never feels overdone. One scene, in particular, is a standout. Watch for a hallway battle between Joseph Gordon Levitt-s character, Arthur, and one of the "military men" that represent the hostile subconscious of Cillian Murphy's character, Robert Fischer. The slanted, air-bourne battle is visually overwhelming.

That being said, Nolan never relies too heavily on the technological aspect, preferring instead to create a deeply complex film with great characters and twisted revelations. Unlike most action thriller's that depend on CGI explosions to earn them money at the box office, Nolan has no such qualms about making the visuals secondary to the plot development, which is a rare treat and something that any film fan will openly welcome. Whether you see this in IMAX or on a regular movie screen, this film needs to be viewed in theatres. The visual spectacle of it all, combined with Hans Zimmer's ominous score, can only really be fully appreciated on a giant screen in surround sound.

Nolan, as usual, makes excellent casting choices. Like Quentin Tarantino, he tends to turn to the familiar faces and prefers great actors, in general.

As Dom Cobb, Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his finest performances. I usually find him to be a wildly uneven actor. When he's good, he's great (see What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Romeo + Juliet and The Aviator) and when he's bad, he's pretty lousy (see The Man in the Iron Mask, Titanic and anything that requires him to have an accent of any sort). The role of Cobb seems tailor-made for his talent. DiCaprio instills Cobb with a hardened exterior that masks the heartbroken torment of the man inside. DiCaprio's Cobb can be both a violent man prone to random bouts of irrational anger and a softer, more sensitive man who is mourning the loss of his beloved wife.

Nolan surrounds DiCaprio with a fantastic supporting cast. The always wonderful Ken Watanabe, as Saito, is a standout. Despite his evil scheme of implanting the idea in Fischer's head, he's a highly sympathetic character. This is both a combination of Nolan's excellent script and Watanabe and the rest of the casts performances: all the characters are flawed human beings, yet all remain likeable and real, which is a testament to all the talent involved. As Cobb's young cohort, Arthur, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is solid in his role as the aspiring leader of the group once Cobb retires. Although still learning the ropes, he is the calm, cool and collected counterpart to DiCaprio's often-irrational and emotionally fragile Cobb.

Cillian Murphy is his usual solidly reliable self as young businessman, Robert Fischer. He manages to make Fischer into more than just some spoiled rich boy who hopes to inherit daddy's money one day. He's confused as to what his future may hold and is, almost heartbreakingly, trusting and naive when within his own subconscious (even though, as a wealthy businessman, he was trained for the possibility of extraction or inception being done on his mind). He's got daddy issues galore, which give his character a sense of vulnerability not usually found in stock characters of his type. As British shapeshifter, Eames, Tom Hardy is a welcome newcomer (at least to Hollywood). His character is both a violent tactician and a master of disguise, effortlessly weaving in an out of Fischer's subconscious with both a cocky arrogance that comes from experience and a sense of humour. As Cobb's deceased wife, Mal, Marion Cotillard is beautiful, unstable and emotionally fragile. She exists now only as Cobb's fragmented memories, yet Cotillard plays the part perfectly.

Finally, we come to Ellen Page. Initially, at the start of the film, I thought she was miscast. She felt dozens of years younger than the rest of her co-stars. Her diminutive size and youthful appearance made it seem as though DiCaprio were working alongside a twelve year old. Although she's only a few years younger than Gordon-Levitt and Murphy, it felt like there was a larger age gap between them. That being said, she does an excellent job with her role as the new "architect", Ariadne. Thanks to her talent as an actress she makes Ariadne a strong-willed and wise character who acts as both Cobb's conscious and the audience's voice (she asks Cobb all the questions we, as an audience, want answered).

Inception is one of those rare summer treats that come along every once and awhile: a film that is too good and too clever to get caught up in the summer blockbusters. It's also a film that will not be to everyone's taste and will likely require repeated viewings in order to fully grasp all of its complexities  and philosophical ponderings. However, for anyone who appreciates a flawless script, stunning visuals and a great cast will, no doubt, love every wonderfully overwhelming minute of Nolan's new masterpiece.

FINAL GRADE: A