The Dark Knight Rises Review

I've postponed this review. One because of the shooting in Colorado that is connected to it. And two because it took another viewing or two to sort out actually how I felt about it. And I didn't want to give out the ending so soon after the film came out.

Anyway, after multiple viewings, I really like this film. Christian Bale is an excellent Batman. Before this film he was tied with Michael Keaton for my favorite. But he is now number one on my list. The interplay between him and Michael Caine as Alfred is touching and human(or at least as human as it can be in a film of this genre). Usually superhero films are designed to let you walk out feeling somewhat invincible. Or at least safe because Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the Black Widow are on the job.......To their credit this latest trilogy does not let you leave that way. That is what threw me initially about it.

Outwardly the film is resolved much the same as the Avengers film was, with a nuclear explosion. But one thing Batman has done in the past, especially Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', is alter the comic book non-reality that things never really change. Miller took a gritty take on the Batman and made it memorable with change in both the character and his situation very strong at the end. This film does much the same. I don't want to give away too much because I don't want someone who hasn't seen the film to miss anything.

Ann Hathaway is an excellent Catwoman. My favorite to date by a long shot. Not counting the actresses in the sixties camp tv show, Michelle Pfiefer and Halle Berry have done recent portrayals of this character. Hathaway does the best to catch the conflicted nature of the role and add her own stamp to it. Physically, she does the role to a level it has never been done before. In the comics the Batman-Catwoman relationship is an enigmatic one, swaying on direction then going another. This movie definitely brings out the issues more clearly than those in the past have.

So if you haven't seen it, get going. It gets 2 thumbs up from me. The one drawback is that it is almost three hours. And if you aren't ready for that it might get to you

Not Batman related but I am adding a video I did of a piece Dennis and I did recently I call 'Latin Reveries'. It is very short but I think good. I think you will enjoy it.