FollowingThe Dark Knightwas never going to be an easy task. Nolan’s 2008 masterwork immediately proved a high watermark for the entire comic book genre, winning multiple Oscars and legitimizing superhero films in a way not seen before or arguably since. More than a decade on, it’s generally agreed that the closer to Nolan’s Batman trilogy,The Dark Knight Rises, didn’t reach these levels of unquestioned greatness.
And yet, while parts of the film are a tad messy, it’s a far better film than one would initially guess from glancing at debates on Twitter. It’s not perfect, but as Batman Day approaches, it’s worth reconsideringThe Dark Knight Risesas an emotionally resonant trilogy closer, with a level of ambition and craft that still demands serious discussion, especially in a year in which too many summer blockbusters have played it far too safe.
An Ambitious and Technical Triumph
WatchingThe Dark Knight Rises, one senses Christopher Nolan knew going in that he wasn’t going to be able to capture lightning in a bottle twice. Faced with impossible expectations, Nolan made the decision to go as big as possible, and it’s a decision that mostly pays off.
IfBatman Beginswas a psychological thriller andThe Dark Knighta crime saga,The Dark Knight Risesfunctions best as a disaster film, epic in scope and spectacle. Thematically, Nolan clearly has a great deal of social commentary on his mind regarding heroism, trust in politicians, populism, and class warfare.
In fact, if there’s a problem with the film, it’s that it feels like Nolan is trying to tackletoomuch; the large ensemble and countless plot threads inevitably mean that not everything going to get equal focus or tie up as neatly as it could. And as manyothers have notedin more thorough and nuanced ways, it’s clear that while Nolan’s intention was to portray Bane as a charlatan using false populism as a scapegoat to accumulate more power, the execution does admittedly muddy the politics a little bit.
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Nonetheless, Nolan’s ultimate thematic conclusion – that Gotham’s decision to sweep Harvey Dent’s sins, as well as Batman’s, under the rug for short-term gain is no long-term solution to fixing a city’s fundamental problems – resonates. And in an era where it feels like many blockbusters are too timid,The Dark Knight Risesat least deserves credit for swinging for the fences. Compare it to this year’sAnt-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaandThe Flash, neither of which feel like they have anything to say on a thematic level and rely too much on fan service, and a flawed but ambitious work seems infinitely preferable.
Additionally, the film is beautifully made, and the action sequences, executed largely with practical effectsas is typical for Nolan, are expertly crafted. Nowhere does his decision with the movie to go big pay off more than on the technical level; in particular, Bane’s opening plane hijacking is jaw-dropping in its scale and intensity, and the knowledge that hardly any CGI was involved gives it a gravity that feels too infrequent in today’s tentpoles. Nolan has come a long way from the lackluster action ofBatman Begins, as the spectacle on display here is shot for maximum visual clarity and is all the more engrossing for it.
Closure for Batman
The other level on whichThe Dark Knight Risesworks is the most important one: the emotional level. As a trilogy capper, Nolan’s key task with this film was to tie up Bruce Wayne’s character arc in a satisfying way, and in giving him a closure that he’s almost never been granted in the comics, he absolutely succeeded. In fact, the movie works arguably less as a standalone story and more as abookend to the sagathat kickstarted withBatman Begins.
Living in self-imposed exile for eight years after his faceoff with the Joker, the Bruce we see at the start ofRisesis one of the lowest points the character has been in any incarnation, and his reckless decision to fight Bane seems like a personal death wish. For as much of a reputation that Batman has had for being an escapist, indulgent figure, Nolan expertly showcases the true emotional cost that being the Caped Crusader has inflicted on Bruce Wayne.
When Bane inevitably defeats him, Bruce is forced to turn internally to discover a different type of heroism. As seen inBegins, he became Batman as a means toconquer his own fearof powerlessness, and to impose that same fear on his enemies. And while that briefly worked, it eventually left him a broken, empty husk of a man. Only by embracing his humanity and fear of death can Bruce rediscover his will to live, defeat Bane, and save Gotham.
As such, the Bruce we see at the end of the film is one at the end of a three-film-long emotional journey, no longer burdened by fear and able to be, at long last, a whole person. Seeing resolution for a character as famously dark and tortured as Batman is unexpectedly resonant, and buying his transformation into a hero with the will to persevere in the face of tragedy matters more than the logistics of how exactly he got back to Gotham City.
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Better Than Its Reputation
The Dark Knight Risesis much likeReturn of the Jedi– a film faced with astronomical expectations in following on the heels of a genre masterpiece and unfairly maligned for inevitably not reaching those heights. WhileRisesis imperfect, it wraps up the trilogy in anemotionally satisfying waywith unparalleled craft and ambition. In a recent sea of timid, fanservice-driven tentpole filmmaking, it’s worth recognizing and celebrating the thingsRisesgets right more than criticizing the areas where it comes up short.
