My thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises

I’m not a fan of the Batman movies, I just like watching its action sequences. So this is not the “Man, that was awesome” review kind of thing. This is just my ten cents worth because it still made an impact on me. Maybe because it was probably one of the disturbing pieces I have seen lately and its connection with the Colorado shooting didn’t help. 

Moreover, like one film reviewer said, there was more yin and more yin in it. And I agree, you don't leave the theater quite satisfied that evil was triumphantly vanquished especially after so much horror Bane brought the city in. The climax of this character with Batman could have been more explosive or grandiose. Batman could have ended this evil with the same measure it has wreaked horror and dread among the people.

I know Batman lives in the shadows and Christopher Nolan thrives in it. He, who has created a dark world with tortured characters in chiseled costumes and unsettling face paint. He creates dread like he revels in it. His Joker is still one of the most eerie villains in superhero film history and Bane another monstrosity that strikes fear in you with its sheer heft and power, a formidable enemy to Batman physically. His Darth Vader and Hannibal Lecter type contraption also made Bane's voice more ominous, layering more evil to his imposing size.

If you want to talk about darkness, this film has it, the darkness of the soul, the fear, the lies, the deceit. It is as dark as Gotham gets. Good thing, there are scenes in daylight otherwise, if it was almost shot at night, it would have been more bleak. But the action sequences were good. The chase, the fighting and the Batman vehicles, his hovercraft like machine was unlike anything I ever saw. Quite imaginative, letting the comic book inspired side of the franchise come to life.

Though, I did not leave the theater exactly glowing, I will choose to remember the good parts I saw. The light that came with the dark, as thin as it is compared to the overall darkness. Michael Caine’s concern for Bruce Wayne like a father to a son was heartfelt, it was a surprise but a good one at that. As a parent I know I would feel the same. Then the comeback of Bruce/Batman after Bane broke him physically and psychically was also good. His personal triumph and his escape were inspiring, overcoming the almost insurmountable. I liked that. Also Joseph Gordon Levitt’s moving performance as a police officer with Bruce Wayne was good too.

With the women, well, I’m sorry, I will always like Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman so Anne Hathaway’s version was just good enough for me. Maybe remembering her as Princess Mia in the Princess Diaries was distracting. Maybe Marion Cotillard could have tried the catsuit, I don’t know, for a change maybe. Because after watching her performance in the French film Le Vie En Rose, her acting here was underutilized.  And the end of her character like Bane was also unsatisfying. Like the writer-director was hesitant to end his evil creations with a bang.

I know Christopher Nolan’s Batman is supposed to be broody and angsty. That his Batman films are a different take on superhero films. Yes, I commend him on that. He veered off from the cartoony and fantastic superhero films of old.  But if highlighting this angst would be the trademark for other future superhero films then I find that a little disturbing.

Superheroes are supposed to bring light and hope to humanity not reflect its desperation, fear and anger with graphic intensity.  We have so much of that in the real world, thank you very much. Good thing, the Avengers brought that piece of hope to us even if it looked like a little boy’s action figures come to life stupendous fantasy while Spiderman teetered on the brink exploring teenage angst while hanging on to his Uncle Ben’s adage, with great power comes great responsibility. Bless Martin Sheen for his performance there.

So if I’m holding my breath on Nolan’s Superman next year. I’m not really sure. I saw a clip of Clark on a boat, like a fisherman. Hmm...Ocean and Superman, interesting. Fine, I’ll suspend my judgment after I watch it. But if Nolan brings about the angst again, the tortured soul bit, or his grand scale evil, I sure hope he counteracts it with the same balance or maybe greater display of heart bursting, panoramic combustion of the triumph of goodness, of hope because in the real world, it is something most of us still hang on to.