The stakes have never been higher than in TDKR. In the film for Gotham and in reality. After the cultural big-bang of The Dark Knight, Nolan and company have a lot to live up to. Not to mention it being the closer and tird of the trilogy. We all know how the third in a series turns out. Anyone remember Godfather III, enjoyed Spidey 3, X-Men, etc? And no Joker-Ledger. That could be a good thing as the Nolan series has been the who, what, where, and why of Wayne and Batman more-so than other Batman's of the past. But alas, The Joker was so intense, such an incredible force/performance, the only thing that Nolan could do was act as if he wasn't there and trade the Joker for The Brutality and nihilism of The Dark Knight Rises. And that's what the brutality in the movie feels like: it's own character.


Gordon is in the hospital, Gotham is reduced to anarchy and rubble, Batman/Wayne is exiled to wither away in a hole after the brink of death, and we are left with wondering how the hell is this all going to work out. The last time we saw Bats, he was on the run after taking the fall for the tragedies that Dent and company created. In this flick we get to see him hunted down as a fugitive murderer and also heralded as savior.


TDKR has an emotional pull here just as good as having the love of Wayne's life get blown to smithereens. The pull here is the relationship or non relationship with Wayne and Alfred, but also the other relationships with a new Cat, a very broken Gotham, and well, with us. There's a Empire Strikes Back feel to some of the story with seeing friends (his city) in danger while he has to complete his training and or escape and recover from a brutal beating. There is so much going on yet the movie is much tighter than the previous, that you don't feel its almost three hour length. Its feels like you're on a runaway train.


Bane's words are telling and each sentence has some philisophical meaning in its presentation. Where the Joker had extreme psychopathology to shake you up, Bane has brutality that you see and feel. Especially in the battle scenes with the dark knight. Not since Roddy Piper duked it out with David Keith in They Live have you actually felt the pain and despair of a fight between hero and villain.Where The Joker wanted to turn Gotham to rubble metaphorically, Bane actually does it. All the while taking the heart (and life) out of Wayne and at the same time. Does art imitate life or does life imitate art regarding the themes Nolan uses regarding The Dark Knights post 9/11 terror sentiments regarding privacy acts etc and The Dark Knight Rises Occupy Wall Street movement give the wealth to the people sentiments? Nolan lets us see what happens with both in his art.


Ann Hathaway really shines as the criminally good Catwoman/Selina. Her character is so close to antisocial personality that her scene where she feigns a damsel in distress despair cream to escape a close call situation that is disturbing and long lasting for some reason. It really shows her prowess as the woman who you want to love but can never trust. She really takes the role to a "true" level and makes Nolans Batman universe seem realistic. When she warns of a storm coming that is going ot effect the rich and powerful as well as her giving Batman an out be letting him off the hook by reminding him that he has given Gotham everything is the emotional pull that's as emotional as any of the relationships in all flicks. Plus, he gives Batman a taste of his own medicine.."So that's what it feels like"


The movie is so bleak, so dark that when When Batman appears and tells the Gordon to "Light it up" you want to cheer.

Several scenes you want to cheer because your senses have been pummeled as much as Batman and Gotham. As Ive stated there's so much going on, the train is off the track, yet there is time for Gordon's new protege and Batman's future one, Morgan Freeman's getting Batman back in the game, and Wayne losing EVERYTHING and as Catwoman states, giving everything. It took all of this..chaos..to replace the Joker but there was no other choice. It works because there's is no time to think about him. You are more focused on Gotham and Batman/Wayne's dilemma...to rise..rise..rise. And when they do, it's glorious...kick ass..painful..and ultimately emotional. If only life could imitate art.