Fanatical about Film in a Perfect Way…

Plot: 

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

The Good:

The Dark Knight Rises finally comes home, literally, to our movie loving TV screens. Whether you have a Blu-Ray or plain old DVD player, this will most certainly be one hotly anticipated addition to your collection, and will most likely provide the filler to many peoples stockings this Christmas season.

So how well does this final piece of Nolans puzzle fit into our home entertainment viewing needs? Quite well actually. Following the excitement of seeing the film initially in all its IMAX or cinema glory, taking this story into your own home allows you to fully appreciate the complexities of this film, more as a final chapter for this Batman trilogy rather than a stand out film in its own right.

From the opening “prologue” scene, thankfully one of the major improvements is the audio on Bane. A much clearer dialogue is apparent, without losing the edge and menace that his character holds. This was hugely important to rectify as it was potentially one of the worst things about this film in the cinema. It’s also a massive pet hate of mine! This sub-villain aside, on second viewing of this film, one begins to notice the clever linking of the majority of the characters, and their ability to go far and beyond what could have been quite base interpretations.

One of the bravest performances comes from Anne Hathaway. Her interpretation of Selina Kyle is so far removed from Michelle Pfeiffer’s original, and indeed any other character Hathaway has played in the past, that those who previously weren’t sure in her ability can be safe in the knowledge that she deserves her position as one of Hollywood’s heavyweight actresses. Selina Kyle provides, in this film, a confidence that counterbalances Christian Bales worn out, battered and bruised Batman, and with this brings back that element of “comic book fun” which this trilogy has in the majority steered away from – a quite refreshing turn throughout, which reminds you that this really is fantasy, not a bleak reality.

Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Blake, also maintains a strong supporting role, which upon second viewing you pay more attention too, and with so many key characters in this film, it is a testament to Levitt’s portrayal that you don’t forget about him. Additional supporting characters such as Michael Caine’s Alfred and Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon take a slight step back from the previous films, but are none the less important to the carefully woven storyline.

One of the genius elements of Nolan’s re-versioning of this classic comic book caper, is his ability to see the long term future. Everything in its seven-year career has its own long term goal, and that all builds to one epic conclusion in this final film, without leaving you wondering what happened to “XX” character. As an audience member on this film’s first, second and even third viewing, you are still reminded that everything has its place. Alfred has to take a back seat in this film to allow Bruce to follow his fate to find some sort of solace and closing, and Marion Cotillard’s Miranda, had to return to avenge her fathers death and keep you guessing what the long term effects of Ra’s Al Ghul’s legacy really meant.

The Bad:

Although in this high end character crowded film, where you do have some exceptional performances, there are one or two underplayed portrayals that may keep you wondering why they were included in the first place. Most notably is Juno Temple’s character Jen – a relation of sorts to Selina Kyle, but frustratingly never elaborated on. Additionally, the return of Cillian Murphy, who you may remember from Batman Begins as Dr Johnathan Crane / Scarecrow, who was locked into Arkham Asylum, never to be hear from again – until now. For a few brief minutes you see this character pose judgment on Gordon and other members of Gotham’s “good guys” but you do end up questioning what happens to this “dangerous criminal” when justice is restored to Gotham, surely he’s not someone you would still want on the loose?

Finally, although the majority of this film remains in a positive light, its DVD extras are light in a very different way. With only one extra feature which feels like a five minute reel of visual production notes, there are no elements such as: Deleted Scenes, EPK material etc which audiences may feel slightly short changed by, this is not the epic conclusion of featurette material one had hoped for!

The Ugly Truth:

Although you lack the feel of watching this film with a hundred other eager Batman fans, taking it home, having this final film in your possession still feels somewhat sacred, this is a film collection for a generation. It will be a long time before another director has the courage to take this film and turn it into something new, and for the time being, its unimaginable how that can be done! So for a film which triumphs in the majority with only a few minor bumps throughout, it will be something that audiences will go back to time and time again to remind themselves what a superhero vigilante could really do…but remember, no matter how real Nolan makes it, its just make believe, so don’t try this at home!

WRITTEN FOR RED CARPET NEWS TV

Tags: Anne Hathaway, Audio, Bane, Batman, Blu-Ray, Christian Bale, Christmas Presents, Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy, DVD, DVD review, Film, Film Presenter, gary oldman, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Juno Temple, Michael Caine, Movie, Presenter, rebecca perfect, review, Selina Kyle, TDKR, The Dark Knight Rises, Xmas List