Film Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Certificate: 12A (intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language)
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman
Budget: $250 million
Runtime: 164 minutes
Trailer: Watch

The bar that Nolan set with The Dark Knight was so high that there was always the risk that he could become a victim of his own success. In hushed voices people doubted if The Dark Knight Rises would ever be able to hurdle it. Specifically, topping the intensity displayed by Heath Ledger's Joker was always going to be a tall order, and certainly it hasn't been done here. Indeed, the comparisons were always inevitable. But The Dark Knight was one of those rare movie events, the kind of film that doesn't come around often which makes any measurement against it somewhat unyielding. Trilogies are also a notoriously difficult thing to nail, but if there's one man you'd want at the helm it's Christopher Nolan, a man who has yet to make a truly terrible film. And with that, one can safely say that The Dark Knight Rises is one of the most fitting conclusions to a trilogy ever made.

Eight years after the Joker brought a little anarchy to Gotham, the city is at peace and Bruce Wayne (Bale) lives as a recluse within the confines of Wayne Manor. But when cat burglar Selina Kyle (Hathaway) spurs Bruce into donning the mask and cape again he soon unearths a fire rising beneath the streets of Gotham, stoked by a gas mask wearing radical named Bane (Hardy).

In true Nolan fashion, The Dark Knight Rises is very much a film of our time. The stakes are even more portentous where if you thought the Joker's plot was audacious, you haven't seen anything yet. Maniac Bane brands himself as champion of the disenfranchised, issuing a call to arms not to the criminals of Gotham, but to the '99%' lingering in economic recession to take back from those who have exploited them. But this is a smokescreen, a game of shadows masking a far more nefarious plot to tear Gotham apart. The Dark Knight Rises' themes are certainly interesting, raising issues of bankers, occupiers, vengeance and lost hope on an epic and personal scale, and it is these things which you will probably take most from the film. This is a bleak and wholly realistic apocalyptic scenario, something almost tangible in a mirror image to our world. Where the Joker sought to highlight the perennial battle between chaos and order, Bane's plan is much more controlled and purposeful, even simple in its execution. He instigates a battle between the haves and the have nots, playing on inherent systemic unfairness and the uprooting of established models. This is about revolution; a war between existential concepts rather than the fundamentals of the universe.

Bane might not be as iconic as the Joker, or even as nuanced as Heath Ledger's portrayal, but he is nonetheless a memorable villain who demands attention. And while at least you could understand what came out the the Joker's mouth, there's something equally disconcerting and pernicious about the garble emanating through his morphine-pumping Darth Vader costume. But then his sheer physicality does most of the talking for him. Certainly, he is the only villain in the trilogy who ever looks like he might break the Bat, making the caped crusader look fallible, weak, and with that the situation hopeless. In many ways his battle with Batman is just as enthralling as the Dark Knight's brush with the Joker. While a notch below the cerebral out-smarting and counter out-smarting battle of wits with the psychopathic clown, Bane's braun and simplistic eloquence in setting off an unstoppable chain reaction of events poses a different, yet equally fascinating challenge for Batman. Even if the idea of two burly men in pantomime costumes shouting at each other in ridiculous voices should strike one as hysterical.

The contrast between Wayne and Bane is stark. Bruce is the crippled beast that wanders his empty castle without cause or purpose, trapped in a body battered by years of crime fighting. Having lost the love of his life, there is a strong sense that Bruce's journey of channeling his rage into becoming justice incarnate has regressed to the directionless adolescent harbouring uncontrollable grief and rage we met at the beginning of Batman Begins. He believes in nothing anymore, a fact he's consistently reminded of by his conscience, Alfred (Caine). Bruce is concerned only for his own affliction, unlike his parents, who as board member of Wayne Enterprises Miranda Tate (Cotillard) puts it, "invested in the world" through their philanthropic pursuits. The years have left him soft, in the same privileged bracket of the 1% Bane seeks to usurp where his over reliance on technology and bat gadgets prove no match for the masked lunatic. In order to beat Bane, Bruce must first go through the same initiation of the man "born and raised in hell on Earth" (or a pit prison halfway around the world if you will). But this isn't merely for the purpose of a Rocky training montage, slumming it by training in primeval conditions in order to physically harden up; this is very much a spiritual journey which reinvigorates his belief and ethical obligations, ultimately bringing the trilogy full circle.

Bale pulls off the troubled Bruce Wayne masterfully, embodying the tragic tale of a man born with everything yet trapped within the darkest recesses of his own mind. But as much as there is a focus on Bruce's story, The Dark Knight Rises features many other wonderfully character driven plot strands. In particular Anne Hathaway is superb, and any fears surrounding the inclusion of 'Catwoman' (never referred to as such here) are quickly laid to rest. Selina Kyle is introduced in such a delectable manner that you wonder why there was any grumbling in the first place. She effortlessly oozes sex appeal without ever meaning to, her ambiguous motivations making her one of the most intriguing characters in the film. Likewise, there is an incredible amount of time spent on rookie cop John Blake (Gordon-Levit). Displaying similar levels of integrity and fortitude to Commissioner Gordon (Oldman), The Dark Knight Rises actually threatens to become more his story, making a compelling point that DC might do well to make a new spin-off trilogy based purely on him. Michael Caine's Alfred is also given some meaty material, delivered with incredible heart as he imparts the hopes and dreams he once had for his effective adopted son.

If there's any criticism to be had here then perhaps at two-hours forty-minutes The Dark Knight Rises does get nebulous in places.  There's so many plots and sub-plots going on that proceedings slow down about halfway through. Also, similarly to The Amazing Spider-Man, this might be one of the few superhero films which barely features a superhero. Certainly Batman's screen time is less than in Begins or the Dark Knight, but then this is a film which thrives more on the expositions of its characters rather than its action. This also shows, where apart from the American football scene we saw in the trailer its action sequences are perhaps not as spectacular as we've seen before.

None of this however stops this being one of the most satisfying climaxes to a movie trilogy ever put to film. Indeed, Nolan's Batman will be cemented for some time as the best superhero series ever. The Dark Knight Rises is a wrought, emotional epic which is complimented perfectly with Hans Zimmer's exhorting musical score. As bat-fans we have truly witnessed something very impressive over the last seven years. This has been a remarkable series combining spectacle with equally engaging character-driven exposition, delivered in such a delightfully understated manner with style and aplomb. It's just such a shame the legend has to end.

The Dark Knight Rises (Nokia Trailer)

*saliva*

Dark Knight Rises Poster Art

Film Review: The Flowers Of War

Certificate: 'R' (strong violence including a sexual assault, disturbing images and brief strong language)
Directed By: Yimou Zhang
Cast: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Tong Dawei, Zhang Xinyi, Atsurô Watabe, Shigeo Kobayashi, Cao Kefan
Budget: $94 million
Runtime: 146 minutes
Trailer: Watch

Yimou Zhang's The Flowers Of War charts one of Chinese history's darkest chapters in the 'Rape of Nanking'. Given the subject matter, recently thrust into the limelight on account that Japanese school textbooks almost omit the atrocity, there was a fear that this state-approved epic would take the vitriolic approach of demonising the Japanese. Certainly these elements exist, but this isn't all the one-dimensional nationalistic jingoism one might have expected. More so, The Flowers Of War uses the events of Nanking as more of a perfunctory to its character driven melodrama. However, given the reverence that this subject commands and Zhang's preference to focus on the theatrics there is a sense that he sacrifices the setting's historical poignance. Rather than give the audience the grand sense of horror befitting and respectful of this gruesome event we are instead treated to bathetic prosaism.

This is exemplified in its setting which takes place mostly within a church compound, removed from the heinous acts taking place beyond its walls. It is here where the initially irredeemable vagrant John Miller (Bale) stumbles in search of refuge as the Japanese advance into the city. Not long after he arrives does a group of young women, libidinously dressed, come knocking on the gates. With the resident padre dead, Miller dons the priest's robes as he finds himself caught in the role of mediator between the convent girls who live there and the ladies of the night who turn the church basement into a concubine's enclave. Promised pleasures of the flesh, Miller agrees to use his caucasian exterior and the immunity it grants him to shield the young women from Japanese abuses. One might say that Miller is the hero that Nanking needs, but not the one it deserves.

It is a bizarre scenario, one almost immaculately constructed for the purpose of histrionics which facilitates the development of wildly fantastical character arcs. Indeed, redemption seems to be at a premium as Miller is transformed from self-interested hedonist to one worthy of being a bona fide man of the cloth while the scornful cellar courtesans morph into unconceited charmers. Everything in The Flowers Of War is either overly embellished or aggrandised to nigh caricature. From the gushing self-sacrifice of one group for another to the hyperbolic antics of a lone Chinese soldier (Dawei), the much expected undercurrent of Chinese nationalism begins to rear its unwelcome head. Fortunately Zhang seems conscious of this and does his best to reign it in, despite there being a clear struggle between delivering audience expectations while trying to prevent them from running off with the narrative.

All said, The Flowers Of War does have its moments. For one it is fantastically photographed. It can be touching, sometimes horrifying and occasionally befitting of its historical setting. Unfortunately it is all too often exposed to either maudlin melodrama or unneeded ethnocentrism which make this an all too inchoate film. As such what should be the film's main thrust, its consecration of terrible events, becomes lost in a spectacle.

IMAX Dark Knight Rises Trailer

The new Dark Knight Rises trailer, shown only at IMAX theatres exclusively with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol...

Edit: working again.

Official The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Trailer

Clicky Piccy!

Fuck yeah!

Film Review: The Fighter

I don't really know what to make of Mark Wahlberg. On the one hand he's behind some very successful, and indeed excellent TV shows, notably Entourage and Boardwalk Empire. On the other, he's starred in some fucking awful movies. The less said about Planet of the Apes, Max Payne and The Happening, especially The Happening, the better. But while The King's Speech may currently be winning all the plaudits of critics touting it film of the year, The Fighter may very well prove one of its main contenders to the prize.

The Fighter follows the true story of famous Welterweight Micky Ward (Wahlberg), charting his rise to fame against the odds of family politics, poverty and a junkie half-brother (Bale) clinging to past glories, who also happens to be his trainer. So far, so typical then, given most boxers appear to arise from similar circumstances. Hell, Rocky may as well be a documentary. The comparison to Rocky then is naturally inevitable. It's impossible to hide; this is pretty much Rocky for the twenty-first century. Yet, while it might appear to tick every cliche in the book - the rousing assembly of a rags-to-riches, triumph-over-adversity, final-showdown sports story amidst the backdrop of a poverty-stricken background - The Fighter actually pulls all these off with added gusto.

As we've come to expect from the big bad bat, Bale is excellent, and it will willy hardly raise eyebrows if he picks up an Oscar for his portrayal of Dickie Ecklund. Once again Bale has morphed his body for the role, dropping from the 86kg mound of muscle he was in Batman to 66kg for the role of Dickie. But this film really belongs to Wahlberg. This not merely a story about fighting in the ring, but of how Ward fought against the inhibiting influences of his family and the lack of opportunities in his dead-end town, Lowell. Given his past, maybe he identified with the circumstances Ward had to deal with, and indeed, there is an air of vulnerability as he slides effortlessly into the role. But moreover, even amongst the shit that Wahlberg has been in, gems do sparkle to prove what a good actor he actually is.

It would be difficult not to feel conflicted if Bale picks up an Oscar at Wahlberg's expense. But while sparks fly from Bale's dazzling performance as Dickie, it is Wahlberg that remains the understated and incandescent star that burns brightly right until the end. The Fighter doesn't do anything new for the underdog sports movie, it stands out from the crowd on account of two brilliant, if not entirely different performances which, together, make it impossible not to enjoy.