Seven short years ago, the newest "Batman" movie seemed like a risky proposition.
Isn't that funny to hear now?
It's true though, there was a time when Joel Schumaker (director of "Batman Forever" and the unfortunate "Batman & Robin") managed to kill the franchise completely. Around this time, director Christopher Nolan was mostly known as an "indie thriller" kind of guy, with no indication that he could handle a tentpole franchise. Same went for actor Christian Bale, who was only really known for "American Psycho" at this point in his career and even took a year off from acting prior to the Batman franchise because he couldn't get any work he wanted.
Now, come back to the present; Nolan is maybe the most revered director in Hollywood, Bale is a bankable star and people only mention Schumaker if it's a joke of some kind. Oh, and the last two Batman films have made nearly $1.4 billion worldwide, won a posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger and is the reason why the Oscars can nominate up to 10 films for Best Picture - as opposed to the previous five - after "The Dark Knight" was snubbed in 2008.
Yes, on the eve of the latest (and last installment) of the franchise, it seems nearly impossible for Nolan and company to top what they have already accomplished so far, and yet it's hard to ignore a feeling that they will do so with flying colors.
"The Dark Knight Rises" takes place eight years after the events of "The Dark Knight," with Batman (Bale) having gone into exile after taking the blame for the murders committed by District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) so that Gotham could continue to have faith in its system. Batman is challenged to emerge again, however, when a terrorist named Bane (Tom Hardy) begins to threaten Gotham. Batman may not be in shape, though, to stop his greatest threat he has faced thus far.
Bane represents a very different villain than the Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger) from "The Dark Knight." Whereas the Joker was a psychological foil for Batman, looking to attack Batman by becoming an embodiment of everything Batman stands against, Bane appears to be a physically menacing foe, perhaps even stronger than Batman himself. In some ways, Bane may represent a Batman without morals, a terrorist willing to stop at nothing for his goals.
The plot points of "Rises" aren't well known past that, but many have speculated that it may be similar to the "Knightfall" storyline in the comic books, where Bane made his first appearance and broke Batman's back in a physical confrontation. The posters for "Rises" have teased something similar to this also, with Bane walking away from Batman's shattered cowl. Some have even taken this as a clue that Batman will die in this film, which would be a very gutsy move from Nolan to kill off a character so embedded in pop culture.
Regardless, it seems we can at least expect another very relevant, cerebral superhero film from Nolan, who has made the "Batman" franchise a running commentary on post 9/11 terror and the ways in which the world (specifically the United States) has dealt with these new challenges. Themes of identity and whether justice can really separate itself from the chaos it is fighting are very strong in the series.
Bane will most likely bring a lot of these ideas full circle, as it seems he will arrive to reveal the secret of Dent to the city and use that as a weapon in his crusade against Gotham. Several scenes also allegedly take place on Wall Street, leading to some potential symbolism connecting with the current financial woes in this country.
Nolan will also be bringing his penchant for technological innovation to "Rises," as the film features more IMAX footage than any before it. Around 72 minutes of "Rises" were shot exclusively for IMAX theaters, which enhance the image so it can play on any sort of screen.
Personally, I haven't been this excited for a movie since "The Return of the King" was released in 2003. The difference is that "The Lord of the Rings" films all came out in consecutive years. We've waited for three and four years between Batman films. This certainly looks worth the wait; the trailers are inspired and the storyline looks fantastic. "The Dark Knight Rises" has the potential to be the best superhero film ever made, along with raking in more cash than any other film this year.
All I know is that I will be there at midnight, witnessing the end of one of the most relevant series of the past 20 years.
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