I think we can all say we were looking forward to this one. A lot. We tried not to; we really tried to stay wary of all summer blockbusters, but I think deep down we knew this would be fan-fucking-tastic. Nolan never flops, right? Well yes and no.
All of the Batman films in the Nolanverse have a tone reflecting the villain of the film. Psychological and demented for Begins; calculating and cunning for The Dark Knight; and brutal and physical for Rises. This works for and against the film itself. While we see gorgeous cinematography and visceral performances by the entire cast, the movie itself was bogged down by plot holes and an overwritten script.
The film moves pretty smoothly for a 2 hour and 45 minute film, but the overall pacing of the film felt too clunky; it overwhelmed itself with the wrong aspects of the plot. The overly ambitious story made it too busy to build to a true climax. Reflecting the difference in villains, it doesn’t quite maintain the controlled chaos executed so well in The Dark Knight. The action is kind of everywhere, but also kind of nowhere.
Here’s the weird thing: The movie has this huge anti-occupy/anti-communist feel to it. While we get that Nolan has no stake in these and wasn’t trying to use Rises to discuss any of these politics, it’s hard to ignore some of the imagery that drips with relevance to the last year.
All in all, it seems a little careless to raise such burning questions and not give it the respect it deserves.
Watching the film, we had a good time. Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy both capture and redefine the original comic book villains. Hathaway oozes with sensuality, and her minute mannerisms demonstrates the crafty mind and agile body of Catwoman. On the other end of the spectrum, Tom Hardy gives a brute and physical performance to an otherwise one-note character.
Nolan is no slouch with the camera as well, capturing the melancholy of Gotham as a majestic city landscape of haunting beauty. The action sequences were also memorable; Bane and Batman face-off in a gritty and carnal scene which is reminiscent of a boxer in a bout way past his prime.
Will you see Rises? Yes. Will you have a good time in the theater? Probably. Does it bring a satisfying conclusion? Sure. But it is nowhere near the magnum opus we were expecting from Christopher Nolan.
Pulp Diction 