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DarthMegatron Since: Jan, 2010
09/15/2012 09:54:10 •••

One of the few great superhero threequels

The Dark Knight Rises is a thrilling epic that's every bit as good as its predecessor as well as that *other* big superhero movie that came out this year. It's good for different reasons than The Dark Knight. Batman number 2 had Heath Ledger as the creepiest Joker - natch, the creepiest villain - of all time, excellent characterization and introspection into the characters' psyches and complications. Number 3 has an easier-to-follow (and more sweeping) plot, a grander scale (more opportunity to show off the city and what happens to it), and a villain (Bane) who, while not as classic or memorable as the Joker, is just as great a villain in his own right.

Like with the other movies in The Dark Knight Saga, every actor gets a chance to shine. Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway are brilliant as newly re-imagined baddies Bane and Catwoman, plus heavyweights such as Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman haven't lost any of their luster returning as members of Batman's posse. Joseph Gordon Levitt is also excellent in his role as newcomer John Blake. Perhaps the worst performance is Christian Bale as the Batman himself, and even he isn't too shabby - even his infamous Bat-voice isn't as bad as in the previous movie. The action scenes are huge, and make "lame movies with great special effects and action sequences" such as Transformers Dark Of The Moon completely obsolete, especially since here, they're mostly done by using real physical props, rigged explosions and vehicles rather than excessive CGI.

The movie doesn't have many major issues - it has everything a great movie needs. Where it falls short is that "special thing" to make it rise above other movies of its stature - TDK had Ledger's Joker, and The Avengers has Joss Whedon's signature wit oozing out of every second of dialogue. Despite this, I enjoyed it more than The Avengers (maybe because of my Batman bias), and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good superhero action epic.


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