THE DARK KNIGHT RISES MOVIE REVIEW

Warning: This is a review by a true fanboy, but I have tried to be as unbiased as can be. Can I help it if the movie is so darn good?

Ever since the release of 'The Dark Knight', everyone had wondered if Christopher Nolan could match it. And with "The Dark Knight Rises", all speculation comes to a rest - Nolan clearly rises to the occasion (pardon the pun) as he delivers an epic conclusion to what is arguably the best comic book movie series. And that is the best way to sum up the movie - EPIC!!

To go into great depth on the plot would be giving away too much. "The Dark Knight Rises" starts 8 years after the death of district attorney Harvey Dent aka Two Face, for whose crimes Batman has taken the fall and become an outlaw. Now, with the passing of the 'Harvey Dent Act', Commissioner Gordan has been able to take down organized crime in Gotham, but has not been able to get over the guilt of lying to everyone. Bruce Wayne has become a recluse and cannot move on after the death of Rachel Dawes and Batman's fall from grace, leaving the running of Wayne Enterprises to Lucius Fox and the board members, including the money minded John Daggett and wealthy philanthropist Miranda Tate - until an encounter with a skilled cat burglar Selina Kyle, and rookie cop John Blake. Enter mercenary Bane, former member of 'The League of Shadows' (remember them?), who plans to complete what Ra's Al Ghul could not - destroy Gotham city. Will Batman be able to save his beloved city from destruction?

Christopher Nolan's trilogy has been essentially about Bruce Wayne's journey, and the focus on Bruce Wayne (and not only Batman) is what lends this series the emotional depth that is hard to find in comic book movies. And with "The Dark Knight Rises", the writers (Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer) are able to provide a suitable conclusion to Bruce Wayne's journey.

But, Nolan does not lose sight of the fact that this is, in fact, a summer blockbuster movie. Make no mistake, this is an action-packed, high adrenaline ride on a grand scale. The movie has a lot of edge-of-your-seat moments, cool gadgets and memorable lines. The action sequences are raw and gritty, and many of the set pieces will leave audiences in awe, most noticeably the introduction of Bane, the explosion in the football stadium - and not to forget the amazing climax. Special mention to Hans Zimmer's score, which captures the mood perfectly. All this with a superb plot. The choice of Bane as a villain is brilliant, since he is perhaps the only one who is a match for Batman physically as well. And this has been incorporated very well into the storyline.

I must mention Nolan's direction, though it is no news that he is a genius. With both the story and his direction, Nolan has been able to give a very realistic look on what the impact of a terror attack on a city would be, and how the economic slowdown can be used as a weapon. All this while not making the movie too heavy for the viewers' sensibilities. And he does all this with a comic book movie.

The performances of the movie, similar to the earlier two, are brilliant. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine all reprise their roles and it's as if they worked in continuity with the earlier movies. Joseph Gordon Levitt gives an earnest performance. Marion Cotillard does well, in a role that really doesn't have much to offer. Anne Hathaway silences anyone who doubted her ability to play the part with a brilliant turn as Selina Kyle (she's never referred to as 'Catwoman'). Tom Hardy plays the brutal Bane with the terrifying intensity that shows in his eyes and his garbled voice. The movie, however, belongs to Christian Bale. His ability to portray pain makes the audience sympathise with Bruce Wayne, and keeps them rooting for Batman.

As for flaws, the movie has a run-time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, and some may find it arduous. It is essential to watch the first two movies of the trilogy, and those who haven't watched them would be at a loss for a major part of the movie. For me, the only disappointment was the absence of Alfred for the most part - it took away something from the movie.

Comparisons to the earlier movies, and to the more recent comic book movies are unfair, yet unavoidable. In my opinion, this is the best movie to come out this year by a long shot. Not that "The Avengers" and "The Amazing Spiderman" were bad - they were fun. As for comparisons to "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight", I can only say this - these three movies form part of a single story, and it doesn't make sense to compare. Each movie is as it should be, complementing each other. Having said that, "The Dark Knight Rises" gives you everything you could expect, and probably more.

I have not been so eagerly waiting for a movie since Christopher Nolan's last movie - "Inception". And once again, I was not disappointed. While watching the movie, I felt like a small boy opening a much awaited present, overjoyed and excited that it was all he had hoped for. My verdict - if you still haven't figured it out - is two big thumbs up. Do not miss "The Dark Knight Rises" - this is the biggest movie of the year.