The Dark Knight Rises [Batman] [DVD] [2012]

Third and final film in the series of Batman movies directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale. It does require some knowledge of what happened in Batman Begins - 1 Disc Edition [DVD]...

First things first, I'll refrain from including any possible spoilers, I won't be elaborating on any such details related to elements of the film's synopsis, as Amazon clearly states "Share your opinion". Which I shall attempt to accomplish. I'll come clean with you. I'd just recently egressed the screening of this masterpiece several hours ago from now, and truth being told, 'The Dark Knight Rises' is (in my opinion) contender for best most compelling film of the year and so fourth. Bruce Wayne is attempting to reign over organised crime once again, but this time he's faced with one of his most ruthless, aggressive, dominable enemies yet, Bane. Although fans were dubious about the portrayl of the relatively modern comic book character, Tom Hardy delivers, hand over heart, he is astonishingly pragmatic and a shockingly albeit incredibly vein, sinister match for Batman's fighting capabilities. We're also confronted with fresh whilst innovative characters such as Catwoman, portrayed by Anne Hathaway whom unlike Michelle Pfeiffer's take on the character, Hathaway is the bomb! Perfect casting and most notably, directing by the dynamic, legendary Christopher Nolan. Life will not simply be complete, until feasting your eyes (their in for a treat!) upon this outstanding, powerful, marvelous and jaw-dropping addition and send off to such a truly spectacular, visually stunning film franchise such as this. I can safely say, money well spent, and suddenly before I knew it, the credits rolled and so it was only compulsory to let out an applause. Shortly after, I left the cinema from this remarkable thrill ride of a film with a sharp and silly smirk on my face. To summarise, it should be a crime to miss this gem on every level imaginable and most importantly, myself not being a Batman filmbuff, I'm now currently hooked on the subject, as if it was a substance of some kind! Embrace it's brilliance! And finally, regarding the one-star review which lurks freely on the site, the reviewer has either walked into the wrong screening or is trolling (trying to cause upset amongst fine reviewers). I respect his/her view point, despite disagreeing strongly with a such a stark harsh, critical description. I don't comprehend how anyone in any shape or form can reward this with such a banal low rating such as that. But then again, that's my opinion!

The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan, and the story, with David S. Goyer. Featuring the DC Comics character Batman, the film is the final installment in Nolan's Batman film trilogy, and the sequel to Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008). Christian Bale reprises the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, with a returning cast of allies: Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. The film introduces Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a sly, morally ambiguous cat burglar, and Bane (Tom Hardy), a mercenary bent on destroying Gotham City who forces an older Bruce Wayne to come out of retirement and become Batman again. Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a second time, but agreed after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note. Nolan drew inspiration from Bane's comic book debut in the 1993 "Knightfall" storyline, the 1986 series The Dark Knight Returns, and the 1999 storyline "No Man's Land". Filming took place in locations including Jodhpur,[5] London, Nottingham, Glasgow, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, and Pittsburgh. Nolan used IMAX cameras for much of the filming, including the first six minutes of the film, to optimize the quality of the picture. A variation of the Batplane termed the "Bat", an underground prison set, and a new Batcave set were created specifically for the film. As with The Dark Knight, viral marketing campaigns began early during production. When filming concluded, Warner Bros. refocused its campaign: developing promotional websites, releasing the first six minutes of the film, screening theatrical trailers, and sending out information regarding the film's plot. The Dark Knight Rises premiered in New York City on July 16, 2012. The film was released in Australia and New Zealand on July 19, 2012, and in North America and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2012. Upon release it received critical acclaim and is widely considered by publications to be one of the best films of 2012.[6][7][8][9] Like its predecessor, the film grossed over $1 billion worldwide at the box office, making it the second film in the Batman film series, and by extension the second film based on a DC Comics character, to earn $1 billion. It is currently the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time, the third-highest-grossing film of 2012, and the third-highest-grossing superhero film of all time.

Four years ago, I left the pictures having watched The Dark Knight and was rendered absolutely speechless. Normally, after one has seen a film, they usually discuss it with great detail, excitement and/or criticism, but the sheer depth and hard-hitting emotion of Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning Batman triumph left me staggered and unable to discuss it momentarily. I had to let the movie's power just sink in that little bit longer. Truthfully, if Nolan didn't produce another Batman sequel, I would've been happy. I mean, The Dark Knight was simply a masterpiece and the greatest superhero movie of all time (bar none). To try and TOP THAT would be next-to-impossible and there was no real need for a trilogy. And yet, four years later...here we are. The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after the Joker's rampage was thwarted. But the so-called `victory' came at too many a high price; Bruce Wayne's childhood friend/love-interest Rachel Dawes died, his ally/friend Harvey Dent was transformed into the vengeful Two-Face and Batman was forced to take the blame for Harvey's crimes and death so that Gotham would never lose hope. Shunned by the city he had saved and plagued by the injuries he had sustained throughout his career, Bruce was forced into retirement. And now, Gotham City's peace is about to be ruthlessly shattered by the arrival of the ruthless mercenary known only as Bane. Again, trying to surpass The Dark Knight would be next-to-impossible, but this third film is a reminder that Christopher Nolan approaches his projects with intelligence and logic. Nolan doesn't strive to produce something that's `bigger, badder & better' than The Dark Knight, nor does he do it with the sole aim of making more money. For the last hurrah, Chris delivers a logical, satisfying resolution to his Batman series that's full of the trademark purpose & emotional depth that we've come to expect since Batman Begins. Speaking of which, The Dark Knight Rises pays homage to some significant plot elements from Batman Begins (as well as The Dark Knight), wrapping up this cinematic continuity in a manner that's most befitting. And like Batman Begins & The Dark Knight, this third part also stands alone as a movie that pushes the right buttons. There are moments of heartbreak, intelligence, human warmth, sinister intentions and exhilarating action that will have you on the edge of your seat from start-to-finish. On the acting front, Christian Bale deserves the highest praise for delivering what is undoubtedly his most human performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman. When you first see Bruce on screen, he's an absolute shell of his former self to the point of where it's legitimately despairing to the viewer. After all he's gone through, you truly feel for him and fear for the end of his story. To watch Bruce (and Batman for that matter) here will range back-and-forth between upsetting & inspiring. Christian's performance truly engages you. Michael Caine also falls into that category as Alfred. While you may expect nothing less from the man (whose career is the stuff-of-legend), Michael's performance here affected me in a way I don't recall experiencing before. His role as faithful servant/trusted friend/father-figure is stronger than even his already-wonderful performances in previous Batman movies; full of genuine poignancy and interactions with Bale that will reduce even the stoniest of fans to tears. It's a shame Caine suffers from reduced screen time. Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) & Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon) likewise continue to provide great support in their roles, and the new faces of the main-cast - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Det. John Blake) & Marion Cotillard (Miranda Tate) - more than prove their worth in bringing to life such colourful characters, particularly Gordon-Levitt who stands out much more than just a generic cop, instead being a deep supporting figure to the Batman. On the villains front, Anne Hathaway is simply sensational as Catwoman/Selina Kyle, embodying the character with all the elegance, wit, sex-appeal and hard-edged charm that the role deserves and demands. Like everyone says, Hathaway is a true scene-stealer, and Tom Hardy likewise has such presence as Bane. Although lacking the charisma & rich depth of Heath Ledger's Joker, Hardy nonetheless rises to the occasion with an intense, brutal & utterly intimidating performance (intertwined with some exceptional body language). Nolan again deserves praise for his rendition of a Batman villain; presenting an incarnation of Bane that not only works well on screen, but remains true to the essence of the original character in the comics. Unfortunately, this DVD version is very lacking when compared to previous home releases of Batman films. Both Batman Begins & The Dark Knight received the two-disc-set treatment that was packed with documentaries, features, trailers etc, and here (due to the overwhelming rise of Blu-Ray), this single-disc comes equipped only with the usual array of subtitles and the brief, yet superb "The Journey of Bruce Wayne" featurette. While this is a great little extra, it seems stuck on as only an afterthought for the DVD release, which after previous Batman films is something of a disappointment. So is The Dark Knight Rises better than The Dark Knight? NO, but what's so commendable is that it doesn't TRY to be. Nolan and his crew have just set about making an excellent and satisfying conclusion to The Dark Knight Trilogy and that's what they've done. Is it THE superhero film of 2012? Sorry, but for me, it's still The Avengers. However, The Dark Knight Rises remains a strong, emotional climax to a series that will stay with you forever. A must-have finale to what is unquestionably the best superhero film trilogy of all-time, and one of cinema's greatest trilogies ever in history. PERIOD.

The Dark Knight Rises the third instalment of director Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy is an epic of a film with the action of the major blockbuster that it is with the cast and story of an Oscar winning film. I don't want to spoil the film for anyone so I won't but the basic premise is after 8 years of relative peace in Gotham City, Bane (Tom Hardy) and his trained killers threaten to destroy the city and it's population so it's time for the Batman (Christian Bale) to come out of his retirement to battle these forces. The film is a masterpiece and even though it is quite long at 165 minutes it never get's boring or loses any momentum. The final 30 minutes or so of the movie is the most exciting with the plot twisting and turning. In a move similar to Nolan's last film Inception the end of the film leaves you asking just as many questions as you had at the start of the film. Needless to say the story is fantastic, exciting and moving from start to finish. Along with Marvel's Avengers Assemble (A completely different type of superhero movie) The Dark Knight Rises is easily one of the best films of the year and a milestone in comic book movie adaptations, even beating in my opinion it's 2008 predecessor The Dark Knight. As with the previous two Nolan Batman films you don't need to be a fan of comic books to enjoy this film. I highly recommend The Dark Knight rises and it is for me a must see movie!

Great addition for my movie collection 🎬

I've had to give it 5 star, purely for the quality and entertainment value of the film. I was, however, extremely annoyed by the digital copy. I didn't buy it for this, just thought it would be nice to try out, but for the life of me (and with the aid of many, many bad words) could not get it to work. I sat down on a saturday and decided to register the code. But first i had to create a UV account. Then a Flixster account. Then link them. Then authorise the code with Flixster so it could check with UV to allow it, then tell UV it could authorise the code. It all crashed. I had to re-enrol. Account taken. I know - it's me! Try again. No joy. Ok, new email address, new account. Same story. Leave it for a few days, try again. Both account taken, new email - Code authorisation exceeded. POINTLESS. FRUSTRATING. INFURIATING. Do yourself a favour, and throw away the little UV slip in the case before you're tempted to try it. Digital Copies aside, a great film and well worth having - though if you have the player, definitely go Blu-Ray.

This film appears to be the apogee of the growing trend for setting near silent dialogue against horrendously ramped up music and explosions. I heard maybe 50% of the dialogue at best which, given the preponderance of exposition, was a major bugbear. Thank God for Michael Caine who enunciated his lines clearly enough to be be heard through the fug. I had youngsters asleep upstairs when I watched this film so it was a complete pain to have to keep turning the sound up and down. My DVD player is supposed to enhance the dialogue but I think the soundtrack on this disc was just too biased for it to do much good. The film itself was OK. It kept us watching even though we couldn't hear much and therefore had difficulty following the plot. Bizarrely, Batman hardly appears in this film. I've seen longer cameo performances. Bruce Wayne's internal conflicts are flogged to death and the final fight seems to end with a whimper rather than a bang as Bane is disposed of almost casually. Speaking of Bane, I liked him as a villain and, unlike some reviewers, didn't have any problems with his voice. It was a bit like being menaced by an avuncular uncle which kind of made it more threatening. Similarly I liked Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance, the boy has really come on since 3rd Rock From The Sun. Selina Kyle was nicely balanced between conscience and vengeful amorality and I didn't see the twist coming with the Miranda character. This film needs to be released with some judicious cutting of the flabby bits and a re-engineered soundtrack. Then it might be worth 4 or 5 stars.