The Dark Knight Rises updated

Updated 28 August 2020

 

The Dark Knight Rises 2012

• Director: Christopher Nolan
• Films seen by this director: Dunkirk, Interstellar, Inception, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Prestige, Insomnia
• Based on Book: No
• Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ann Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Tom Conti
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Christian Bale –Public Enemies, I’m Not There, Terminator Salvation, Batman Begins, The Prestige, Equilibrium, American Psycho, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Velvet Goldmine, Little Women, Prince of Jutland, Swing Kids, Henry V
• Michael Caine: Interstellar, Inception, Harry Brown, Flawless, Batman Begins, The Prestige, Children of Men, The Weatherman, Last Orders, Get Carter, The Cider House Rules, Little Voice, Mona Lisa, Educating Rita, Sleuth (both versions), Alfie
• Gary Oldman: The Space Between Us, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Harry Potter, The Book of Eli, Batman Begins, Friends, The Fifth Element, Immortal Beloved, Léon, Romeo is Bleeding, True Romance, Dracula, JFK, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Prick Up Your Ears, Sid and Nancy, Meantime
• Cillian Murphy:  Transcendence, Inception, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Cold Mountain, Girl with the Pearl Earring, 28 Days Later
• Morgan Freeman - Transcendence, Oblivion, Invictus, Gone Baby Gone, The Contract, Million Dollar Baby, Bruce the Almighty, Levity, Along Came a Spider, Nurse Betty, Amistad, Kiss the Girls, Moll Flanders, Seven, The Shawshank Redemption, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Glory, Driving Miss Daisy
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Looper, Third Rock from the Sun, Inception, The Lookout, Miracle at St. Anna, Brick, 10 Things I Hate About You
• Ann Hathaway – Les Miserables, Rachel Getting Married, Alice in Wonderland, Brokeback Mountain, Becoming Jane, Ella Enchanted
• Tom Hardy – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Inception, Legend
• Marion Cotillard – Contagion, Macbeth, Nine, La vie en rose, Inception, Public Enemies, A Good Year
• Tom Conti – The Tempest, Derailed, Friends, Shirley Valentine
• Why: Christian Bale. Good trilogy.
• Seen: 24 July 2015 and now again 28 August 2020 

The last one. A bit sad. What to see on our Friday evenings after this? But let’s enjoy this one first.

It starts out very James Bond-y with no connection to Batman. But we learn that eight years have passed, and Bruce Wayne has become a recluse and a cripple in his mansion.

Ann Hathaway is a beautiful criminal, a skilled cat burglar. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a hot shot young cop with a tragic childhood and a hero worship for Bruce Wayne and the Batman.

Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman are still with us, still loyal to Bruce Wayne, still hopeful that Batman will return. Michael Caine is still loyal and fearing that Batman will return and Bruce Wayne will be lost.

This is heavy stuff. With heavy emotions. And Batman is a prisoner in hell.

Again, serious moral dilemmas. Interesting political intrigues. We care about the characters.

Oh! The twists the story takes. Wow!

Can it really be over?

 

4* of 5. Maybe even 4 ½