Into the Knight

A staple in comic book storytelling is to stack the odds against the hero so that it seems impossible for him to come out victorious, only for him to do just that. Director Christopher Nolan was placed into a similar situation when tasked with trying to bring his Batman trilogy to a close. After the success of 2008's The Dark Knight, high expectations were set for the follow-up. When you add in tragic real-life events that create an ominous setting around the film, it seems nearly impossible for the film to be well received and yet like any good hero, he found a way to succeed.

The Dark Knight Rises begins eight years after the events of the previous film. In the wake of Harvey Dent's murder, the streets of Gotham have been cleaned up and Batman has vanished after taking the fall for Dent's death. With the Caped Crusader not needed, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) struggles to find meaning in his life and ends up being a Howard Hughes-esque recluse. Of course, this being Gotham, an evil presence is always lurking somewhere. Enter Bane (Tom Hardy), a man with a metal breathing mask who is hellbent on anarchy and destruction.

While Bane is a new character, we quickly learn that his origins, as well as his motives, are strongly connected to storyline elements established in the first film of this trilogy. Nolan and his brother, who co-wrote the script, do a great job of having characters and themes introduced in Batman Begins come full circle here. This is not to say that this film in any way feels like a retread of the earlier film.

In fact, Bane is not the only fresh face that is part of the crowded cast. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays John Blake, a young cop who becomes allies with Commissioner Gordon (the always terrific Gary Oldman). Though a new character to the Batman universe, he fits right in, thanks in part to a great performance by Gordon Levitt, and in some ways serves as the soul of the film.

One of the most heavily discussed additions to this film was the casting of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. Fanboys were quick to complain about this decision, but they couldn't have been more wrong. She nails the character and brings an energy to the screen in each of her scenes. You would have thought that after being wrong about casting Heath Ledger as the Joker, people would learn to trust Nolan's judgment. Though I don't believe any plans are in place, I would have no problem if they wanted to spinoff her character into its own franchise.

Despite all of these characters, the film still centers around Batman, even if he doesn't necessarily have a tremendous amount of screen time. Nolan has always been equally interested in both Batman and Bruce Wayne and in this film, we see that before Batman can truly be back, Bruce Wayne has to come back as well. Those looking for endless scenes of Batman fighting bad guys may not appreciate what they get here, but in doling out those scenes sparingly, we get a much stronger payoff by the end. The last third of the movie is particularly strong. I wasn't exactly sure how things were going to play out, but I loved every minute of it. It's thrilling, exciting, moving, and altogether satisfying.

If there's a criticism to made against the film, I could argue that it's not as 'fun' of a movie, especially in comparison to The Dark Knight. That may not be a fair comparison though given the tonal differences between the two films' villains. Plus, Return of the Jedi offers a valid case as to why it isn't a good idea to close your trilogy on merriment. This is a film that's highly ambitious, especially in trying to tackle topical themes like greed, fear, leadership, civil discontent, and corruption. As much as I liked it, I feel that I and a lot of people will continue to appreciate it more on successive viewings.

Commissioner Gordon said that Batman was not the hero Gotham needed, but the hero they deserved. Fans of this franchise deserved a satisfying conclusion to this story. Thanks to Christopher Nolan and his extraordinary cast, they have gotten just that. Grade: A-

Excitement Rises

I should have posted this sooner, but I held off watching this latest trailer for The Dark Knight Rises until I could see it in theaters. Since I got to see it with The Avengers yesterday (review forthcoming), I can now put it up here. If you haven't seen it yet, give it a look below.

2012 Movie Preview (#6 - 1)

6. The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3rd)

Plot: Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

Personal opinion: This is in a similar situation as The Bourne Legacy in that a popular franchise is getting a complete makeover. Both could be disasterous or they could be a breath of fresh air that these films needed. While the decision to reboot this franchise is questionable, I certainly can't argue with their casting decisions. After The Social Network, Andrew Garfield is a star in the making and you know how much I love Emma Stone, so I'm totally for her being chosen as Gwen Stacy, even if it meant her eschewing her red hair for a blonde mane. As long as they don't completely ruin the character with the script, this should keep Spidey crawling along just fine.


5. Dog Fight (August 10th)

Plot: Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis will play rival politicians in a small congressional district in South Carolina.

Personal opinion: All they had to say was Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis together and I was immediately sold. The fact that they are putting them in a plot that sounds rife for comedic gold only sweetens the pot. Given that 2012 is an election year will probably help this film gain even more viewers. The only thing that concerns me is that the film is being directed by Jay Roach, who has a spotty track record. He's had some great films like Austin Powers and Meet the Parents, but he's also had some duds like the sequels to those films. I would have prefered if Ferrell's longtime collaborator, Adam McKay had directed it, but I digress. The comedic strength of these two leads should have no problem carrying the film to prosperity.


4. The Gangster Squad (October 19)

Plot: Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and--if he has his way--every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop...except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen's world apart. "The Gangster Squad" is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD's efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.

Personal opinion: As you can see by reading the plot description that this has some acting heavyweights in the cast. I always enjoy the gangster genre and feel its underutilized in Hollywood today. It's interesting to note that this action drama is being directed by Reuben Fleischer, who directed Zombieland This is uncharted waters for him, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Emma Stone is also part of the cast. That instantly improves things in my book. Ultimately as long as this one avoids being as dull as Public Enemies, it should be a winner.


3. The Avengers (May 4th)

Plot: Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Iron Man 2," "Thor" and "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Marvel's The Avengers" is the superhero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Personal opinion: Our patience finally gets paid off here. After sitting through several single character comic book films, the band finally comes together as the supergroup our world needs. At this point, we know all the central players, so let's hope this film doesn't dwell too much on establishing them and just gets right to the action. Joss Whedon was a bit of a surprising choice to direct such a monumental film, but I think he's got the geek cred to do this group justice on the big screen.


2. Skyfall (November 9th)

Plot: In "Skyfall," Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Personal opinion: I went through great deliberation over what to put at #1 and this one came very close to getting that spot. It's no secret that I am a huge Bond geek and the wait for this film has been excruciating given the delays thanks to MGM's financial problems. But the wait is over and I'm eager to see Daniel Craig back in action. Ultimately, I put this at #2 just because it has a few more uncertainties surrounding this one. First of all Quantum of Solace was a bit disappointing so it's not a given that this one will be great. There's also the Sam Mendes factor. While he's an accomplished director, he has never really done an action film before, so we'll see how he handles that side of this movie. These are minor quibbles though as this should be an excellent return for everyone's favorite superspy.


1. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20th)

Plot: Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

Personal opinion: Do I really need to say anything here? After the HUGE success of The Dark Knight, is there any one in the world not anticipating this film? I am equally anxious for this and the new Bond film, but the fact that everyone is back for this film and then some makes it the surer bet. It's a little sad knowing that this movie will be the last Batman that Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan do, but that only builds the intrigue as we wonder how they will choose to end this. The trailer that was released last week already left me breathless, so now we just have to anxiously count down the days until next summer to see the full thing. So there you have it. The best of the best. I hope it's clear to the rest of you as it is to me that next year's slate looks a hell of a lot better than the offerings we got this year. Whether it's actually true or not remains to be seen. Thankfully we don't have long to wait. Let's bring on 2012! Happy New Year everyone and remember to keep visiting this blog throughout the year to read more updates and reviews for all of these films and more.

Holy **** Batman!

The first full trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has hit the internet and I'm in geek overload at the moment. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out below.