Directed by Christopher Nolan
Story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan
Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher NolanStory by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan
Based on the DC Comics Characters Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Executive Produced by Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Thomas Tull and Kevin De La Noy
Produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Jordan Goldberg, Dileep Singh Rathore and Christopher Nolan
Cinematography by Wally Pfister
Production Design by Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh
Costume Design by Lindy Hemming
Editing by Lee Smith
Original Motion Picture Score Composed by Hans Zimmer
Christian Bale ... Bruce Wayne/Batman
Tom Hardy ... Bane
Anne Hathaway ... Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Gary Oldman ... Commissioner James Gordon
Joseph Gordon-Levitt ... Officer John Blake
Marion Cotillard ... Miranda Tate/Talia Al Ghul
Morgan Freeman ... Lucius Fox
Michael Caine ... Alfred Pennyworth
Matthew Modine ... Deputy Commissioner Peter Foley
Ben Mendelsohn ... John Daggett
Alon Moni Aboutboul ... Dr. Leonid Pavel
Nestor Carbonell ... Mayor Anthony Garcia
Burn Gorman ... Stryver
Gary Oldman ... Commissioner James Gordon
Joseph Gordon-Levitt ... Officer John Blake
Marion Cotillard ... Miranda Tate/Talia Al Ghul
Morgan Freeman ... Lucius Fox
Michael Caine ... Alfred Pennyworth
Matthew Modine ... Deputy Commissioner Peter Foley
Ben Mendelsohn ... John Daggett
Alon Moni Aboutboul ... Dr. Leonid Pavel
Nestor Carbonell ... Mayor Anthony Garcia
Burn Gorman ... Stryver
Josh Stewart ... Barsad
Tim Conti ... Friendly Prisoner
Uri Gavriel ... Blind Prisoner
Daniel Sunjata ... Captain Jones
Brett Cullen ... Congressman Byron Gilly
Juno Temple ... Jen
Rob Brown ... Officer Allen
Will Estes ... Officer Simon Jansen
John Nolan ... Douglas Fredericks
Cillian Murphy ... Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow
Liam Neeson ... Ra’s Al Ghul
Daniel Sunjata ... Captain Jones
Brett Cullen ... Congressman Byron Gilly
Juno Temple ... Jen
Rob Brown ... Officer Allen
Will Estes ... Officer Simon Jansen
John Nolan ... Douglas Fredericks
Cillian Murphy ... Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow
Liam Neeson ... Ra’s Al Ghul
Chris Ellis ... Father Reilly
Tyler Dean Flores ... Mark
Josh Pence ... Young Ra’s Al Ghul
India Wadsworth ... Warlord’s Daughter
Tomas Arana ... Wayne Lawyer
Jillian Armenante ... Wayne Lawyer Clerk
Charles Jackson Coyne ... National Anthem Singer
Patrick Leahy ... Wayne Board Member #2
Wade Williams ... Blackgate Warden
Tomas Arana ... Wayne Lawyer
Jillian Armenante ... Wayne Lawyer Clerk
Charles Jackson Coyne ... National Anthem Singer
Patrick Leahy ... Wayne Board Member #2
Wade Williams ... Blackgate Warden
William Devane ... US President
Courtney Munch ... Gotham Stock Exchange
Female Security Guard
Joey King ... Older Prison Child
Rory Nolan ... Little Boy at Bridge
Rory Nolan ... Little Boy at Bridge
Eight years after the fall of Harvey Dent, a mercenary called Bane leads a newly formed League of Shadows to destroy Gotham City in the name of Ra’s Al Ghul with the indirect assistance of a jewel thief named Selina Kyle. Taking up the mantle once more, a previously exiled Bruce Wayne returns to defend the city as Batman.
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“You see only one end to
your journey.”
How many times have third iterations of a film franchise truly succeeded?
All too often, it’s the same story.
The costs escalate with ballooning budgets while studio executives grow nervous
that the box office pull won’t generate the same returns and the result is a
stumble in quality and narrative. The tone shifts away from its predecessors,
gimmicks are enacted in a vain attempt to keep the property fresh and
ultimately, it creates a polarizing experience that does its work sending a
crack through audiences and splitting us into a divide between those who can
either tolerate those imperfections or not.
“Calm down, Doctor. Now’s not the time for fear. That comes later.”
It’s been eight years since the
events of “The Dark Knight” and Gotham City is enjoying its longest running
peace in history. Organized crime is nothing more than a memory and the streets
have never been safer. This is a result of the effects of the Dent Act, a piece
of legislation erected in honor of Gotham’s “White Knight” that they’d lost to
the insanity of the Batman (Christian Bale), who hasn’t been seen since.
“The Batman has to come back.”
One of the best aspects of the
“Dark Knight” trilogy as a whole cohesive piece is that each film seeks to
observe and reflect Batman and his universe through the lens of entirely
different genres and types of films to the point that while visually and
texturally they all have a similar identity, they structurally feel very
different from one another.
“Batman Begins” is very much a
classically conceived action /adventure film and character study in the
tradition of “Superman: The Movie” or “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and that word,
“tradition,” really rings true. Though it stakes a new claim in the franchise,
there’s still a lot of familiarity between it and the previous “Batman” films.
It’s perhaps the most like a comic book movie.
Isn’t it amazing how Batman, as a
character, can warrant such a wide variety of realizations that can still be
applied to the framework of the character’s universe?
Christian Bale returns to the role for his final performance as Bruce Wayne and it's remarkable to see him, especially in film's opening. A hollow shell of what he once was, Bale carries the burden of Batman and Gordon's secret very genuinely. While the idea of abandoning his crusade for eight years seems wholly out of character (if anything, Rachel's death should've fueled his war on crime that much more), Christian works well within the circumstances and the pain combined with his burgeoning desire to return is handled quite well. Once in costume, Batman is as vibrant as ever and though his voice might take a more forgiving ear yet again to get past, I appreciate how Bale handles himself as the character.
Tom Hardy’s presence as Bane isn’t
a mere matter of physical dominance but more of an internal sense of ominous
dread. Previous incarnations of the character in animation and obviously
“Batman & Robin” rely on the superficiality of the concept, creating more
or less just a drug-fueled monster. But for all his physicality, Hardy creates
a character that feels more calm, more predatory. How would a jungle cat
behave? He wouldn’t roar and chase after his prey so clumsily and obviously. He
would take his time, patiently stalking and approaching with clear intentions
that wouldn’t be clouded by poor judgment.
Bane feels the same way. From his
more gentle voice to his walk and stature, his strength doesn’t reside on his
sleeve out in the open. It’s there, buried and maintained. Bane doesn’t charge
into a situation and scream to make his presence known. Hardy’s
characterization understands his own power and never betrays that, trusting in
it to overcome his enemies.
“Peace has cost you your strength. Victory has defeated you.”
As a polar opposite of Bane, the
inclusion of Catwoman into the trilogy is as refreshing as any choice for sheer
fact that we were finally seeing Bale’s dark knight be confronted with a female
villainess. Well, villainess/anti-hero really. Even more than Michelle
Pfeiffer’s characterization, perhaps way more, this interpretation of Selina
Kyle very clearly rides the line between good and evil and certainly approaches
given scenarios with one or the other in mind. You could believe that if she
was in the company of antagonists, she would play off that in order to keep herself
safe and vice versa once the heroes started gaining the upper hand. Though she
ultimately comes to the aid of Batman, that ambiguity is handled very expertly.
Michael Caine gives perhaps the
most nuanced and emotional of his performances as Alfred. I love how he plays
against Bruce with this more reality based angle of outright refusing to see
Bruce throw his life down into this pit of loss and tragedy all over again.
Gary Oldman once again reigns and
provides a commanding and layered performance as my favorite character in the
trilogy beyond Batman himself. I love the idea of making Gordon just as youthful and energetic as he was in the previous films. They don’t fall back
on the passage of time to make him more elderly and soft. In a way, it’s a
statement on and testament to both his character and his relationship with
Batman and the idea that if Batman has chosen to give up on Gotham City for the
greater good then Gordon must have the strength and will to continue the
crusade for the both of them.
“And yet here you are, like we’re still at war.”
The cast is given fresh faces with
both Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Gotham police officer John Blake and Marion
Cotillard as Miranda Tate, whom is later revealed to actually be Talia, the
daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul from the comic books.
And how great is it to finally have
Talia as a character in the films, however brief? Marion perfectly captures the
exotic attraction of the character and, while it’s actually very obvious who
she is even leading up to her reveal by the end of the film, I still loved her
interplay with Bruce and their relationship under the disguise of Miranda Tate.
It’s a minor thing but for Bruce to actually have sex in a film for the first
time since “Mask of the Phantasm” was interesting. I know that’s not too big a
deal but I found that smile-worthy.
The rest of the cast plays their
parts to form, including Morgan Freeman as the ever helpful Lucius Fox, Stanley
Kubrick alumni Matthew Modine as Gotham officer Peter Foley (it’s Dan Foley in
the comics but hey, we got a “Foley” just the same. Too bad we couldn’t get
Bullock) and Ben Mendelsohn as white
collar criminal John Daggett (again, like Foley, it’s a “Daggett.” Not quite
Roland Daggett from the animated series, but the thought is there).
And how could anyone not help but cheer at the reappearance of both Liam Neeson as
Ra’s Al Ghul and the ever loyal Cillian Murphy, taking up the judge’s gavel as Jonathan
Crane?
The action and pacing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” from my perspective, is as grandiose and bold an effort in filmmaking as one could find these days. It echoes similarly epic productions like “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Spartacus,” “The Bridge on the River Kwai” and “Gone with the Wind.” There’s tangibility to the scale of the film that flies right in the face of contemporary visual effects extravaganzas like the “Transformers” films or even the Marvel Studios releases.
“Rises” takes several elements from
iconic stories throughout the lore of the comics and Batman’s first
full-fledged appearance in the film following an attack by Bane on the Gotham
Stock Exchange is a terrific example.
“You are in for a show tonight, son.”
Fans have complained that Batman
would never be defeated so easily, which I never understood given that this is
clearly a Batman distanced from his physical prime. To have Wayne go from a
nearly decade-long exile to confronting the most physically challenging member
of the rogue’s gallery makes his defeat more than plausible, but imminent.
While it’s somewhat disheartening to think that Batman ever went soft, it makes
perfect sense once those circumstances are set in motion.
“You fight like a young man, with nothing held back. Admirable, but
mistaken.”
And what can you say about the
pinnacle moment of comic book iconography where Bane takes Batman over his head
and performs the unthinkable, breaking his back just as the character had done
in the “Knightfall” saga. My jaw was on the floor the first time, spectacularly
stunned.
“Ah yes, I was wondering what would break first. Your spirit or your
body.”
There’s also Bane’s siege and occupation
of Gotham. From his blowing the bridges and cutting the city off from the mainland
to Blake’s constant marking of a crude Bat emblem in chalk, those elements are
taken right from the pages of the landmark “No Man’s Land” storyline in the
comics of the 90s and if you’re a fan of that story, it’s incredibly worthwhile
to see a “Batman” film go down that path in certain cases.
The art direction, cinematography
and production design are simultaneously inspired and inventive yet maintain a
strong commitment to the visual through-line set up from the previous
installments. Wally Pfister creates a light scape for Gotham City that feels
more lush and warm in scenes such as the Harvey Dent day celebration at Wayne
Manor and Miranda Tate’s masquerade ball, which marvelously parallels the
hedonism and complacency that the city has fallen prey to. Specifically in the
masquerade scene, I love the art direction that feeds into this hedonistic
footnote of party staffers raining rose pedals on the proceedings.
“There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne.”
It was also interesting to see
Batman in daylight. Typically fans find that sacrilegious but it's a great comment on how being a hero means stepping forth into the light. For Batman to become a true champion for the people, the symbol can't be withheld in the shadows by Bruce alone and bringing his heroics into the day with a rising sun (get it?) is fitting in this instance.
The production design heightens the
scale of Nolan’s Gotham and Crowley creates a number of environments that are
not only monstrously ambitious but decorated with wonderful old world touches.
Following the plans for
reconstruction at the end of “Begins,” we’re finally given a new Batcave. We
can charmingly refer to this rendition as the Batcave cubed. Pulling elements
from the Bat-Bunker in “The Dark Knight,” Batman’s crime fighting sanctuary is
given a minimalist, utilitarian approach centered on giant stone cubes that
lift out of the natural springs via hydraulics. This technique continues in a
trickle-down effect as both the Bat Computer and Batsuit vault similarly rise
from the cubes, feeding into this broad and overall theme of “Rising” through
the film, hence the title of course.
Standing in stark contrast to the
organic stone and cavernous space of the cave, there’s the inner sanctum of
Bane dwelling within the bowels of the Gotham City sewers. It’s an oppressive
industrial space, webbed with catwalks of rusted metal. Ironically, both spaces
are given a sense of kinetics and life through the simultaneous use of water
and I just love how the water interacts with Batman’s costume during his fight
with Bane, making the suit a reflective surface. It’s kind of a stretch, but
one could say that this approach is a visual representation of Batman no longer
being what he was but only a simple reflection.
The Nuclear Reactor is a great bit
of science fiction flavor, echoing previous high concept story points in the
trilogy like the microwave emitter or the sonar machine. It’s a tremendously vast industrial
space but a different kind of industry from the sewers and it’s a great bit of
fun seeing Fox bring Miranda down into it.
The pit is a colossal backdrop that
effectively, and clearly, parallels Bruce’s fall from grace and promise as well
as his grueling reconstruction, lifting himself up from the depths of his own
self-pity to once again rightfully claim his place as Gotham’s hero. It’s a
charming metaphor for the fabled Lazarus Pits utilized by Ra’s Al Ghul in the
comics with the idea of resurrection and something coming out of the pit even
stronger than what it was when it went in. The base of the pit circled with
prison cells and geometric staircases creates a visual metaphor for oppression,
almost like an ancient tomb fit for Bruce Wayne’s burial. He however defies
those odds and the moment of symbolism as bats erupt from the pit wall as he
makes the jump is fantastic.
“What does that mean?”
“Rise”
The film’s costume design is a
wonderful tribute to previous Batman incarnations while also making its own
statements, specifically on both Catwoman and Bane since, this time around and
for the very first time in franchise history, Batman himself isn’t really given
much of a design overhaul which is natural. If he gave up the mantle after “The
Dark Knight,” there’d be no point in modifying or updating the Batsuit and so
they don’t, which is refreshing.
Catwoman is given a beautiful
rendering that is influenced mostly by the 1966 “Batman” television series and
I welcomed that with open arms while a lot of fans seemed, for whatever reason,
to hate the idea, questioning why she wasn’t being given a more contemporary
approach like the Jim Lee design from the comics. To take a costume in the
tradition of Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether and pull it through a
high-tech funnel is a terrific method of honoring what came before while moving
forward. It’s a simple thing but I love that we can see Selina’s hair and the
idea of these high-end googles that conveniently flip up into accidental
cat-ears with the classic domino mask gives the character a sense of elegance,
romanticizing the idea of the cat burglar to great effect. The rest of Hathaway’s
wardrobe feels very old Hollywood glamour along the lines of Elizabeth Taylor
or Vivian Leigh and that’s a great fit for Selina.
Bane and his revolutionary roots
are dramatized through a costume that chooses to base itself on plausibility
rather than the iconography of the comics. Do I miss the Mexican wrestler mask?
Going a step further, do I miss the inclusion of Venom? I’m not so precious
and, for the circumstances of the film and the portrait Nolan and Hardy are
creating, I think Bane is given a fresh appearance that still mirrors familiar
ground. He’s given a mask that still manages to have an ominous effect as it
does on the page and I love the additions made by Lindy Hemming, especially his
French revolutionary-inspired coat with its silhouette-creating high collar and
certain pieces like his forearm brace and vest with its straps and buckles.
It’s a set of costumes that don’t wear Hardy, don’t overshadow his physique and
they give the character an almost Napoleonic presence.
The entire final sequence of the
film is just staggering as hundreds of Gotham police officers and mercenaries charge
each other in the streets outside city hall. It’s surreal to consider that kind
of scale following previous installments like “Batman Returns” that feel
microscopic by comparison. The image of Batman stalking through smoke and he
and Bane incapacitating obstructions while en route to one other is graphic and
amazing.
The film is given its emotional strength
through the driving rhythms of Hans Zimmer’s score. He creates a poetic theme
for Catwoman that I absolutely fell in love with as it slinks around with its
gracefully tinkering piano work and the now famous Bane chant is arguably as
iconic and recognizable as the two-note motif Hans had composed for the Joker.
The Batman material is given a new
elevation and Zimmer’s work with tracks such as “Risen from Darkness” and “Imagine
the Fire” is breathtaking, approaching the foundations constructed for “Batman Begins”
and “The Dark Knight” and building upon them with heightened bombasity and the
inclusion of chorus. The “Rises” score gets the blood pumping big time.
“Tell me where the trigger is. Then…you have my permission to die.”
“The Dark Knight Rises” is the one
Batman film that has ever made me cry.
In my observation, there are these
bizarre and dramatic swings I go through where family and friends seem more
interested and invested and supportive of my goals and ambitions in one
instance and then in another, I feel alone but all for naught because I stay
committed to my path in life.
That’s a big part in why I relate
to Batman so much and you see it not just in “Rises” but in other works such as
“The Dark Knight Returns” book.
All Batman is (I’m) doing is being
true to his motivations and his goals while the media and those surrounding him
(my family and friends) speculate or ignore or loathe or support, whatever…but
that’s not the point. The point is that he and I continue and endure regardless
of what everyone else is saying or thinking about us.
“A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and
reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy’s shoulders…to let him know the
world hadn’t ended.”
Bruce Wayne survived. Alive and
happy, we’re given a moment however brief to realize that our hero has been
given a chance to lead a life free from tragedy and bloodshed because he rose
to show the people of Gotham and the world that they can take responsibility
and power for themselves.
A poignant, operatic, sweeping
conclusion to a vibrant interpretation, Christopher Nolan and his casts and
crews should be, and most certainly are, very proud of the work they’ve done.
These films are a testament to both Batman’s longevity and his intimacy; how
the character can be so larger than life and yet so personal and identifiable
and their influence on both Batman and filmmaking at large will certainly be
felt for years to come.