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Year: 2012
Genre: Action Drama
[[[ This Review Contains Spoilers ]]]
I had to think a lot before publishing this article about the last of the Nolan's Batman Movies. I know this is a blog too new to expose himself to the hate of a horde of blinded fans, but this is a blog where I don't really mind being hated so... I'll say it, but I'll say it as quick as I can:
The Dark Knight Rises is a bad movie. It just is. It's not only worse than the previous 'The Dark Knight' it's just plain bad. Let's hit some quick reasons for me to say this and let's try to forget about it ¿ok?
Characters:The new characters are underdeveloped and only slaves of the argument. The new Catwoman has the depth of the average pothole in a highway only existing to have a 'girl' for the main character and a pretty face to put on screen. Bane and his organization exist for no reason but to push the movie forward, he is just a pile of flesh with a weird voice (that wasan interesting and bold move) expecting defeat. The fair-minded police officer (future Robin? ) has a laughable origin, no charisma whatsoever and no reason to exist but to try to sell us a future franchise and attract the actor´s horde of fans. The old characters are as limited as they were in the previous movies, but now their limited resources are so burned up that they are just excuses to fill up screen.
Cast: Anne Hathaway is one of the worst casting decisions of the whole project, but what could she do with the character she is given? Nothing I fear. She couldn't have done anything good here even if she had an opportunity. Tom Hardy barely acts here. He just stands on screen looking stupid and waits to read his lines to a microphone in post-production. You can't see his face, he doesn't move too much except to give some pressing catch moves and his voice is destroyed beyond recognition so I'm not sure he really is part of the movie. Christian Bale works as he did in the previous movies, but perhaps a bit more exhausted. He never did anything worthy, but defended his character with poise... not anymore. The only good actors here (Caine, Oldman, Freeman, in that order) are used only as screen fillers so they can't add anything positive (except Caine who can upgrade the movie with only some scenes). A sad, sad, cast.
Script / Argument: This is the worst of everything by far. The Nolan brothers chose a wrong/difficult theme and plot and then they drowneverything that could have worked in it. The movie has three parts. The first is supposed to present us the characters, their relations and intrigue us with a mystery, but it fails in everything. Things just happen with only the faintest link between scenes and history elements, the characters lose every opportunity to shine or establish a connection with the spectators. It's a big roller-coaster that only goes down, down, and down. The second part could have been the strong part of the movie, but it's composed of only some lame brushes and drag the movie one hour too long. What happens in Gotham is so bad explained, so misguided, that has no interest whatsoever and all the hell-pit/prison part is so stupid, so unnecessary and so repetitive that add nothing but minutes. This was also the part where all non-batman characters could have shined a little, become heroes or do important things, but they miss the point entirely. The third part is only a long, laughable, final battle that never wants to end. You know what it's gonna happen since the end of the first part of the movie and just rot in your seat waiting for it to happen.
I said this would be fast and I swear I tried, but it's gone long enough so I'll skip all references to cinematography (not bad), wardrobe (not good) or special effects (lame some times, just fine the rest). I have only some elements to point before wrapping up this review:
- There are plot holes so big you could stick Bane in them... perhaps they aren't really plot holes, they are plot absences.
- The flying bat-thingy is ugly, stupid and adds nothing. Batman uses too much expensive technology in this movie when it's in his intellect, his fists and his little and simple gadgets where he should have shined.
- The autopilot plot-trick is advanced so many times throughout the movie that you get bored waiting for it to be used.
- The way they try to praise the NYPD through the GPD it's so forced and in the end it gets so silly you can't help but laugh.
- The films also tries to bring some anti-yuppie feeling to the movie. They do it wrong. The film even presents a not so hidden anti-antistablishment & anti-occupy-movement feeling. It's so stupid that can't do any harm, though.
- Hans Zimmer works his ass off trying to transform every stupid scene into something important and relevant. It's one of the only elements in this whole project/film that pushes the movie forward. It's far from enough, of course. Too much sound energy for a flatline corpse.
- Ah! I almost forgot (that's how interesting and memorable she is) about the Tate/Talia character and actress. She is in the movie as a propt, she is only needed to exist plot-wise and is used as such.
There are so many wrong things in this film that the saddest part is that the fame as a great movie-maker and storyteller of Nolan keeps growing only because of what he hints, not what he delivers. I guess popcorn movies are doomed for another half a decade before some enjoyable flicks can be shot.
3/10
