Today begins the release of the third installment of the Dark Knight trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan. Unless you’ve been living in a Bat-cave somewhere the last few months it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of this latest Batman film. If you’re a big fan of the previous Batman movie by Nolan, it’s impossible to walk into this film and not compare it to the critically-acclaimed The Dark Knight released in 2008. In a way, Dark Knight Rises almost seems immediately second-rate when comparing to such a wildly popular movie.

Without giving anything away, the movie begins about 8 years after the end of The Dark Knight where Batman became a villain to save the people of Gotham City. As a result, both Bruce Wayne and Batman are forced to go into hiding. When a new villain named Bane threatens to once again bring Gotham City to its knees, Batman must once again conquer his demons and come to the rescue along with his friends (old and new) to save the people of Gotham.

The PROS and CONS of Dark Knight Rises are the following:

PROS:

1) Action sequences, and action sequences- With the special effects, Batman’s new toys, these scenes will keep you on your toes.

2) Character performances- It should be no surprise that the great actors from the previous Batman movies once again continue to shine. Michael Caine (Alfred) and Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon) don’t seem to miss a beat when it comes to such character conflicts in dealing with Bruce Wayne/Batman. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Det. John Blake) adds a new dynamic to the mix as another ally on the Gotham Police force to fight Bane’s bad guys.

3) Anne Hathaway – I’ve never been a fan of hers as an actress but I have to give credit for her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She brought an edgy, sexy appeal to the role that made the previous Catwoman roles look like Girl Scouts. And then there’s the catsuit. Yes please!

CONS:

1) Cameos- I know the movie was filmed in parts of Pittsburgh and especially Heinz field, but I couldn’t care less about the cameo shots of Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, and Bill Cowher in a Batman movie. It distracts you from the scenes in the movie because all your focus goes to the cameos rather than the scene itself. Besides, who would believe Hines Ward could run a kickoff back for a TD these days. Not me.

2) Character voices- One of the main knocks against Dark Knight in 2008 was the gruff voice of Christian Bale’s Batman. While Batman’s voice is slightly better in the movie, the voice of Bane is annoying. It’s a little too high-pitched and sometimes hard to hear at all through Bane’s mask.

Overall, the movie is very entertaining with fantastic special effects, intense action sequences, and a film score that heightens the drama throughout the movie. Dark Knight Rises takes a little while to get going but ends up being very solid. Most viewers will be satisfied with the intense action, multiple characters, and how Christopher Nolan decides to end his Batman trilogy. But just don’t expect it to be another version of the Dark Knight.

RATING: 4 Floppy Hats out of 5

Review written by Turd Ferguson Blog Contributor:
@TheMeaser