87% The Dark Knight Rises

All Critics (248) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (215) | Rotten (33)

There was an opportunity here for Nolan to show us another way, to (again) stretch the boundaries of what is possible in a superhero film. Instead, alas, the latter half of The Dark Knight Rises retreats toward conventionality.

I'm not arguing that Rises should be Singin' in the Rain. But its Wagnerian ambitions are not matched by its material. It hasn't earned its darkness.

The biggest surprise may just be how satisfying Nolan has made his farewell to a Dark Knight trilogy that many fans will wish he'd extend to a 10-part series, at least.

Others will see it differently, but for me this is a disappointingly clunky and bombastic conclusion to a superior series -- Nolan's biggest and worst movie to date.

The director and cowriter/brother Jonathan Nolan pay heed to Wayne's wounded emotional arc. And the film is a feat of painstakingly crafted closure.

TDKR completes on the great trilogies in movie history.

The belief that one man can become a symbol for something greater will continue to drive people to this trilogy for years to come.

Once Batman finally gets back to action, with the audience's dander by that time primed to the max, the film explodes in scene after dazzling scene of air to street attacks and counter attacks.

...Hans Zimmer's ever-present music and fine perfomances by Hathaway, Caine, and Cotillard keep the tension high throughout its almost 3 hour runtime.

Nolan and Bale have indicated that they'll be having no further visitations in the batcave, but that doesn't mean the franchise is over. There's a clue in this movie that suggests the next sequel. Read about it here.

The intimate symbiosis between the loosely defined concepts of good and evil is a vital element in Batman lore and something that Christopher Nolan understands very well.

The Dark Knight Rises is a tonally confused entity at its core. Simultaneously po-faced and ridiculous.

Nolan has turned a preposterous character back into a grave myth, the story of a tortured saviour, reluctantly giving his all.

Faced with the Curse of the Threes - the ancient jinx that sabotages quality control in the final chapter of any big screen superhero trilogy, Christopher Nolan arms himself with the power of myth.

Despite some curiously scathing comment on the Occupy movement, Nolan's third and last Batman is an exhilarating, epic finale, with a series-best performance from Bale.

The film has more action, more special effects, and more mystical philosophy than THE DARK KNIGHT, but less intelligence.

While "The Dark Knight Rises" is much better than most third entries, it's still flabby and convoluted.

The Dark Knight Rises has an intelligence, epic thrust and visual grandeur...

As uneven as the plot is at times, Nolan commendably retains the Batman's beating black heart in TDKR, with lead characters ever challenging our perceptions ... to keep things fresh.

Nolan's dour realism has turned the Batman experience into something like a sexless Eyes Wide Shut party.

The degree of difficulty involved in balancing on that many knives' edges overlooking potential disaster is high, yet by the time the credits roll, there it is: Nolan sticks the landing.

Anne Hathaway provides The Dark Knight Rises with most of its levity; the rest of the time, this brooding, bruising movie is content building its reputation as a black beauty.

Fueled by a diet of oxygen garnished with hydrogen, Anne Hathaway slices through bad guys like paper through rock and scissors. 'Wilst thou grant me one Tic Tac, O grumbling gut!'

Tom Hardy can apparently do more with only 20% of his face than most people can do with all of their face.

Relies on eye-opening spectacular action sequences throughout to provide the thrills.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight_rises/

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