The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan’s third Batman installment is a fitting addition to its predecessors with its dark plot and aesthetic, picking up where the last left off. Gotham city’s elite are under threat by a “mercenary,” Bane (Tom Hardy)—like an Occupy Gotham, only the 99% forced into an uprising by a tyrant. Of course, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) must save his city, even with Batman’s alleged criminal status. Bane is a less charming villain than the Joker, a super-humanly strong thug who wears a muzzle. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does well as an enthusiastic cop, but mostly he's there as Batman's cheerleader. Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle (Catwoman) is a feisty and funny addition to the cast. At nearly three hours long, The Dark Knight Rises could be more concise, mostly during the first half; the last hour is full of enough action to make you mostly forget about the movie’s rather slow beginning.