The Dark Knight Rises: Review By Zak Lee Ferguson

8 years on and Gotham is at piece, crime non existent, Bruce Wayne reduced to be a social pariah, outcast, hidden, until the mercenary steel masked Bane is opening up more angst loss and power and authority over Gotham. What unfolds is something beyond expectation, celebrations of Dents supremacy, Gordon riddled with a hidden secret and guilt, Alfred morose and mourning for his lost prodigal son. Enter Blake a rookie cop one of whom questions the expansion of what happened to Batman. Further along the lines we have a generator in toll that if in the wrong hands is a nuclear equivalent that marks the ruination of Gotham, with thief and sensualist Salina Kyle on the prowl and hunt for information, sly mischievous, sooner or later Bats in back in cowl and cape and is on thin ice.

Throughout there is a deep unnatural ferocity and intention and planned precision in Banes stance and parlour and demeanour and motives. Gotham seeing the likes of the league of Shadows casting its mighty dark sentiments upon the warped fractured city known as Gotham. But why? Who? Is there more to it than there seems? The Dark Knight Rises fills you in, opens on up many questions and Easter eggs and source material that of course have materialized throughout the last year and half our predictions, thoughts views. Everything you want seems tightly wrapped in a gift but no spoilers are included here just my precise aim to ignite your confidence, this does not suffer from the usual threequel syndrome.

This is the one Batman film out of the Dark Knight series of which isn't as heavy as previous, as intentional and symbolic, this being the most prolific in Wayne's dimension and world, not his ego and the Morales and alterations and castings and mirroring of psychoanalysis as played through The J0okers anarchic schemes. This is the superhero film out the beast. Nolan has a slender precision for action, timing, dialogue, story development, here it lacks in through enticement and general aura but fills in on the punches, material that have quavered through years and years of source prizes in our many issued Batman comics. The film lacks a depth and dimension and rare aesthetic and feels rather rushed, and though a long running time a quick skimmed pace that sees many an action sequence thrust upon us. Nolan's exertion and partition for this material and the realisation and thriller-esque-ness is further more realized except this is more exemplary of a superhero film. Ofcourse the finale, but not as deep, sentimental and reverting as previous tow but as enticingly juicy, scrumptiously portrayed and handled. EACH FILM HOLDS ITS OWN. Batman Begins an origin story to down cast all, The Dark Knight a example of great story telling, performance, and the action felt used and percentage for usage story wise, the action here is just for kicks or to show of Hardy's perfection sized methodical physique and dark brooding psyche.

Here we see Wayne's demoralising pitfall and succ*mbing to the need to not feel right in his grievance for vengeance but to do right for Gotham, but the whole film feels tacked down, story premise subdued and replaced by some spectacle or other and then forgotten. It doesn't divulge or delve deep as did Nolan's previous deep harrowing thrillers. This being the finale that it is it delivers on everything bar story presumption and follow through equations that leave you scratching your head. This film feels empty and hollow, not least because it feels apart, though very much still Nolans Batman but the score and the furthered extremis seems a tad too mainstream but never pitt-falling into being your classified MAINSTREAM ROMP, though it has romptastic action sequences. The last Dark Knight does shine bright not least for the joyous portrayal of Ledgers joker, all but never existent in this lore or mentioned, but the ample inclusion of previous story arcs intriguing but again aforementioned seamlessly lazily granted then parted.

Hardy is authoritive and is a compelling and perceived and precise and intimidating and impacting in scenes shared between BALE/HARDY. Along with Michael Cain's Alfred and Bale's Bruce's ever more departing existence and temps with each other it is an emotional film. Perhaps my expectations laid too much high, but Nolan delivers a tour de forvce that is neither a masterpiece nor avangard threequel we deserved but still a masterly crafted EPIC.

Beautifully shot, epic action sequences that feel a tad too redundant unrelated and story points seamlessly flit about then evaporate, not as dark or brooding as perceived but still a fantastic end to a magnificent tour de force series that has defined cinema. Hopefully performances from Hardy and Bale and the scrumptiously feisty Hathaway are looked upon fondly in awards.

Hathaway's reincarnation of Catwomen both realistically callously deviously beatifically magnificently sly performance that holds key notes of character precision.

But many a scene with high expectation fall flat for me, many a visual effect a tad unfurnished and pre dated and unoriginal. Bale and Hardy envelope their characters as does every single character get a arch and growth, Levitte a surprise and powerhouse- the ending both shocking and revealingly devious and wink wink nudge nudge but I'm not going to do it tricksters stuff going on in Nolan territory. What a great end to a perfect series. This is near perfect- but perhaps I must thrust myself upon a later viewing instead of this morning 4 am showing!

A sad wave goodbye to our fractured but determined and troughed Batman

The Dark Knight Rises and I hope will Rise to the point that the billions with equal in double as the previous and double this years THE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE.

Thank you Christopher Nolan for treating us to an impacting, emotional, relevant film, economically, socially, pop culturally and geekdom-ie. You have made a film enthusiast very very very happy.

Not a masterpiece but an EPIC. More Superhero bonanza than psychological symbolic deep thinker thriller as the two previous films where, but still a deep demanding press on today's culture shock and the continued and closing of one of the best film series ever created. Thank You Christopher.