The Dark Knight Rises

Earlier today I wrote a blog about what happened in Aurora, Colorado.  A terrible tragedy that had nothing to do with The Dark Knight Rises.  Unfortunately for all of time the opening of this movie will be associated with a dark memory, much as saying "Littleton, Colorado or Columbine" brings up terrible images that will never be forgotten.

This blog post, however, is not about that.  As stated in the previous blog, I did go see The Dark Knight Rises.  I can honestly say that when the moment in the film arrived that was showing when tragedy struck, I did look around the theater for a brief second and then let it pass.

I will offer the requisite SPOILER ALERT.  I'm pretty sure that what will be said below is what is already known based on Internet buzz and the various trailers.  Again, proceed with caution.  POSSIBLE SPOILERS ABOUND.

The movie was wonderful and beautifully done.  I'm not sure why some reviews are saying that it wasn't that good.  Maybe they are looking at the movie from a different perspective.  Perhaps these reviewers don't look too deeply into extra meanings.  Of course, without even trying I might end up discussing what happened last night anyway.

The Dark Knight Rises does a good job of retracing steps and situations that have occurred in the previous two films - why Harvey Dent was considered a hero; why Batman hasn't been seen; what's happened to Gotham since that time.  And as we learn this various things, we are introduced to a character that is known as "the masked man".  That man is Bane, of course and his evil is demonstrated from the moment he begins to speak.

I could try to summarize the movie in a matter of several paragraphs but there is something that happens at the beginning that sets the main character's stories into motion.  Commissioner Gordon, John Blake, Selina Kyl, Bruce Wayne, Bane and even Alfred the butler.  The characters all manage to come together in various circumstances giving us a glimpse of the sudden political undertones of the film - that the 1% should be careful of the other 99%.

Whether Christopher Nolan intentionally meant to comment on the economic difficulties in America over the past year, there was enough subtlety that it was quite blatant that Bane blamed the 1% for the fall of Gotham.  Just as Ra's Al Ghul attempted to do in Batman Begins, Bane seems to be attempting to destroy Gotham as a way of rebuilding the city to its proper glory.  Bane's hope is that by destroying Gotham it will rid the city of the terrible people (the 1%) and give it back to the people.  In fact, that's part of his speech.  Bane's plan is to give Gotham back to those that deserve it, in his mind, the 99%.

The performances of all the actors was amazing, as usual.  Anne Hathaway, in skin tight leather and heels, delivers line after line, which, though some people have suggested is more cardboard and flat, I think added a little more character to Selina Kyl.  Her portrayal gave us , the audience, a hope that she might be trying to do the right thing.

One thing that I want to address here, though, is the companion of Selina Kyl's - Jen (though, I'm not really sure that her name was ever mentioned by anyone).  She had a couple of lines but it just seemed an odd choice for a character.  She seemed out of place and not really needed.  Was she there as a companion?  A lover?  A sidekick?  Not really sure and so it was really odd when she was introduced and there was no real payoff for that character of any kind.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was fantastic as a rookie cop that knew about Bruce's secret and yet supported hi in his decision to be the Batman.  He fought by his side and did what was necessary in order to keep hope alive that Batman would save Gotham.

The twist toward the end of the movie, though predicted by several Internet users (and even me) was well calculated to give maximum effect for the situation.  I felt that the explanation for Bane and his existence was well done and a clever plot point.

In the end, while Batman Begins was about fear and The Dark Knight was about chaos (those lines have been taken from other blogs and reviews).  In my opinion, however, The Dark Knight Rises is not about justice, as is also mentioned in the same blogs, it's about hope. 

I'm not going to say what happens within the final few minutes of the film but when you see it, you'll understand how much hope has been restored for the characters.  It's a hope that had been nearly destroyed by Bane and brought back from the brink by Batman and his heroic deeds.

That's enough of a review.  We will always recall the tragedy from last night and its association with The Dark Knight Rises.  Even though it's a movie, it seems to have come to life in a very real way for the rest of America.  I think that if we just have hope, everything will be alright.  Hope springs eternal.  Hope is what makes us, the people, believe that there are heroes out there.  And it with hope that we can get through this tragedy, just as we have gotten through all the ones before and any others that might come.


Until next time.