The Dark Knight Rises (Movie Review)

*Updated December 2025

The Dark Knight Rises is by far the best action movie of summer 2012. While it does have some flaws, they are easily overlooked. For those of you waiting for the final chapter of the trilogy, I suggest you watch it in IMAX, because it truly takes the film to an unbelievable level.

Director Christopher Nolan completed the Batman trilogy on a high note. This was such a delicate project that could have easily gone wrong. Now that it is complete, we can say that Nolan didn’t harm the legacy but improved it. The beauty of these films is that they complement each other, but this The Dark Knight Rises review finds that the finale offers the most action of the three.

The story picks up eight years after the Dark Knight (Christian Bale) damaged his reputation to give the city of Gotham a more appropriate hero. Bruce Wayne is urged to come out of retirement when Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), a young police officer named John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and entrepreneur Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) show up at his doorstep. The final push comes when he and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) realize that they merely put a lid on crime when Bane (Tom Hardy), the ultimate villain, arrives in Gotham with catastrophic plans.

Villain-wise, there is no comparison to the Joker (Heath Ledger). He was such a well-rounded and unforgettable character that it is hard for any of the new villains to match up. Nonetheless, Bane is a different type of character. What he may lack in wit, he makes up for in strength. His plans on a large scale are what make him the ultimate villain; at times, even Batman doesn’t seem like a fair adversary. Hardy certainly became the monster behind the mask with his brute strength and cold heart, something he gave us a glimpse of in one of the best movies of 2011, Warrior.

Hathaway is one of the best actresses in Hollywood because of her versatility, and she proves that once more as Catwoman. She obviously dazzles in the suit but also gives depth to a character that we are not told much about. I won’t give much away about her performance except that she steals every scene she’s in, even some of the ones where Batman is present.

The best thing about The Dark Knight Rises is the surprises it delivers. It is so engaging that once it’s over, you won’t feel like you spent nearly three hours in a dark movie theater. With all its ups and downs, it is a bit draining but quite fulfilling. Some scenes are painful to watch, but the ones featuring redemption and action truly make up for it. There are also some emotional moments that give the film a more rounded feeling.

The new vehicle, “The Bat,” is quite awesome to see in action, as well as the Batpod showing off a couple of new tricks. The nicest thing about this film is that although Batman is the main character—and Bale was born to play the role—it is not all about him. Some of the new characters, such as Blake, easily get our attention. Gordon-Levitt was the perfect choice for the role, as he has shown aptitude for these types of films like he did in Inception.

Although Bane is an excellent bad guy, especially because of his look, he is very hard to understand when he speaks. His speech is supposed to be sophisticated and intelligent. There were various angry comments about it when the prologue was shown last year; the studio changed it, and it makes a huge difference, but at times he is still hard to understand. Some scenes might disappoint comic book fans, but honestly, some of the changes help make the movie uplifting, relevant, and even humorous.

This is not a PG-13 type of movie like The Avengers. In every sense, it is darker and needs every moment of comedic release it can get. By now, Nolan has created his own world of Batman that can stand on its own. However, the complicated parts of the story come from the interaction between some of the new characters and the old ones, as some seem forced. Also, some parts of Bane’s sinister plan get too convoluted. Finally, reality is forgotten at times, but this is a movie after all.

Batman’s greatest appeal is that he’s a superhero without superpowers. That is exactly what makes this last chapter so appealing. Everyone that comes in to complement the story, such as Catwoman, Bane, and Blake, are humans with different gadgets and abilities. Nolan proves his skill once more by giving the viewers chills in some of the scenes. You get so invested in the story that there is a connection with what happens in it. To me, this last part of the trilogy fulfilled all expectations. Get ready to enjoy the final chapter of a trilogy that many will cherish.