The end of the Batman trilogy is both exciting and over-complicated! Check out Kidzworlds review of The Dark Knight Rises.
By: Lynn Barker
After taking the rap (in The Dark Knight) for District Attorney Harvey Dent’s murder, Batman has disappeared from Gotham City for eight years. With a hot cat burglar (Catwoman Anne Hathaway) on the prowl and Bane, a master criminal with a weird face mask, putting the city in jeopardy, it’s time for the Bat to come out of his cave.
Out of Hiding
With anti-crime laws in place, Batman hasn’t been needed for years but sad and old-before-his-time Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) perks up when charming jewel thief Selina Kyle steals his mom’s pearls from his home safe during a fund-raiser. When psycho city-killer Bane (Tom Hardy) hits town and starts a reign of destruction, it’s time for an out-of-shape Bruce/Batman to resurface.
The Dark Knight Rises Poster
Friends and Foes
Butler Alfred (Michael Caine) is glad to see Bruce and Bat back as is his old weapons provider Fox (Morgan Freeman) and police commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman). Bruce is attracted to friendly financier Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) and has a new police buddy in idealistic young cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). However, pretty thief Catwoman might be more than she seems and not as friendly as Bruce would like.
Captured and the Comeback
When Bane and buddies send a battered Batman to a far-away underground prison, looks like it’s curtains for the Bat until, seeing on TV how Gotham is cut off, terrorized and under the total control of Bane, he re-trains his body and mind until he can escape, return to his beloved city and rally the troops to free the citizens as well as stop the bad guys’ plot to set off a nuclear bomb.
Batman fights Bane
Wrapping Up
This final of the three latest Batman films is jam-packed with plot. There is a bit too much story, backstory and people explaining things (exposition) to keep the attention of tweens and teens throughout (the movie is over two and a half hours long). But, fans will enjoy the symbolism, return of characters from the first two films in the trilogy and be surprised by some real story twists and character shockers!
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman
Despite some emotional scenes (especially between Bruce Wayne and his long-time friend/butler Alfred), the movie doesn’t have the heart that it should. Villain Bane, with his Darth Vader breather mask, isn’t as flamboyant or unique as Heath Ledger’s Joker from the last film and, languishing in prison, Bruce/Batman isn’t even in town for the middle of the movie. Sometimes you can’t understand the dialogue spoken through masks (both Batman and Bane) or the strange accents of some of the characters.
You’ll enjoy Anne Hathaway as the feisty, butt-kicking Catwoman (although she is never actually called that name in the film) and Joe Gordon-Levitt is really sympathetic as a young policeman who helps Batman get justice.
The last third of the film is super exciting and full of chases, cool gadgets, a race-against-time and eye-popping special effects. Younger viewers might be bored or even confused until the last “act” but, overall, even if crammed to the brim, the film succeeds in nicely wrapping up director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. I’d say for teens and super Batman fans, 4 stars.
The Dark Knight Rises Movie Rating: 
The Dark Knight Rises - Official Trailer #4 [HD]
