The Dark Knight Rises Movie Poster

Rating: 4/5 stars (Four stars)

Star Cast: Tom Hardy, Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine.

What’s Good?: The direction; the splendid music; the characters.

What’s Bad?: The uninitiated may not enjoy it that much; the story can get overwhelming at times.

Verdict: The final installment in the Batman trilogy lives up to its legacy.

Watch or Not?: Don’t miss this brilliant finale of Batman!

Somewhere before Batman makes his applause-worthy first appearance in The Dark Knight, an old gun tells his rookie partner, “Boy, you’re in for a show tonight.” You could call that a bit of an understatement.

For those who came in late, Batman (Christian Bale) has decided to cool his heels after turning from beloved saviour to despised criminal on being blamed for the death of Gotham City’s White Knight DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and the love of his life Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Even his day-time alter-ego, the eccentric millionaire Bruce Wayne has retired from public life and spends his days brooding over his past in his huge mansion with his faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine).

The finale of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy begins with the ominous introduction of the villain Bane (Tom Hardy). After he kidnaps a nuclear scientist, he turns his eyes on the now Batman-less Gotham City. While the city bigwigs want to rest Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), he gets fatally injured in an encounter with Bane and his unshakeable gang of thugs. Now that all’s fine in Gotham, no one believes Gordon’s ludicrous tale of an “underground army”, except the “hot blood” John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Predictably, Bruce’s peace is not to be. There’s the sexy cat burglar Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) hot on his heels and the rich clean-energy activist Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard). Gordon’s warning and Bane’s attacks force Batman out of retirement. But this time, Alfred refuses to bury another Wayne and leaves. A fraud on Bruce’s Wayne enterprises leaves him further down the pit.

Will Batman return with vengeance or has the Dark Knight fizzled out? Will Bane be the supervillain who finally “breaks the Bat”? Whose side is Catwoman on? What is Bane’s true identity and how does he plan to use Batman against his very city? Watch the movie to find answers.

Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises Movie Stills

The Dark Knight Rises Review: Script Analysis

Writers Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan have not let us down. The Dark Knight Rises has elements from both the previous installments that will make all Batman/Nolan fanboys happy.

Even if you haven’t followed the previous movies, the film is worth watching for the details given to each character and the apt way they’ve been rested the Batman series. Dialogues are good. However, somewhere in the movie, you do get the feeling that the writers have put too much on your plate: with Batman out of shape, Alfred’s disappearance, the nuclear bomb, Bane’s bloodthirstiness, the city brimming with criminals and more.

The Dark Knight Rises Review: Star Performances

Christian Bale is wonderful; from the ageing Romeo+retired hero in the beginning, to the real Dark Knight back-in-action, he has done a very good job. Tom Hardy as Bane may have shown his face only once throughout the film, but the menace and personality in his voice is enough; though there are parts when you just can’t decipher what he’s saying. Anne Hathaway is slinky as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Michael Caine is moving in his portrayal of Alfred. Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman and Marion Cotillard are excellent as Commissioner Gordon, John Blake, Lucius Fox and Miranda Tate.

The Dark Knight Rises Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects

Christopher Nolan needs no more praise. The main has raised and rested the Caped Crusader as best as he could. And Hans Zimmer’s brilliant music is just icing on the cake with the haunting “Bah Sah Rah” chant. Lee Smith’s editing is excellent. The action and fight scenes are very good. Wally Pfister’s cinematography is apt.

The Dark Knight Rises Review: The Last Word

The Dark Knight is a brilliant film and a fitting finale to the trilogy. Don’t miss it.

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

The Dark Knight Rises releases in India on 20th July 2012.

The Dark Knight Rises Poster

While Christian Bale reprises his role as the masked hero/Bruce Wayne, it’s Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman that has piqued our interest. Actor Tom Hardy enters the series as Batman’s back-breaking nemesis, Bane.  Gary Oldman (as Jim Gordon) and Morgan Freeman (as Lucius Fox) will also be part of the franchise.

Tom Hardy as Bane in 'The Dark Knight Rises'

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is set to hit theatres in July 2012.

Star cast: Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, Karl Urban

Director: Robert Schwentke

Plot: Retired super-spy Bruce Willis is regrouping his former colleagues in his fight against his former employer, the CIA, which is attacking him for some reason. Mary-Louise Parker, his love interest, tags along in a cross-country tour that finally ends at the CIA headquarters.

What’s Good: The eccentric yet enjoyable characterisations; the peppy dialogues; and the abundant action.

What’s Bad: An average script.

Verdict: Red is a fun watch. It loses out on the chance to be a cult, like the comic book it is based on.

Loo Break: None.

Summit Entertainment’s Red is an action-comedy about a super spy, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), and his colleagues, who are forced to spring back into action because they are being targeted by their former employer, the CIA.

Frank Moses, the deadliest of spies and a retired CIA Special Operations Division officer, is living a life of anonymity in a small house in Cleveland. He spends most of his time talking to a Pension Services employee, Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), over the phone or reading romantic novels suggested by her. When he realises that Sarah is single and lives alone, he decides to go see her at her home in Kansas City. But before he can do that, a deadly squad of assassins raids his house at midnight. Frank easily foils the surprise attack, but realises that his phone calls were being tapped. Immediately, he leaves for Kansas to pick up Sarah. Frank’s enemies follow him. With no other real choice left, Sarah becomes Frank’s partner – first unwillingly and then willingly – in his cross-country tour to regroup with his former colleagues. They are Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), a wise man who is living in the Green Springs Retirement Community; Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), a wacko ex-spy who was subjected to psychoactive substances while serving the CIA and who has since become paranoid; Victoria Winslow (Helen Mirren), the trigger-happy former MI6 agent; and Ivan Simanov (Brian Cox), Frank’s former enemy and a Russian agent.

Meanwhile, at the CIA headquarters, a high-profile special operative, William Cooper (Karl Urban), is given the job of eliminating Frank, who, according to secret files, is a RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) person. William traces Frank and attacks him with full force. However, Frank and his brigade, old as they might be, beat William every single time and even mount a successful guerilla attack on the CIA headquarters itself! The trail of evidence they gather from the CIA station leads them to Alexander Dunning (Richard Dreyfuss), a big defense contractor, who has been placed under the protection of the CIA at the behest of the US vice president. On interrogating Alexander, Bruce finds out that he is being targeted by the CIA because the vice president wants him eliminated as he (Bruce) was witness to a war-crime the VP had committed in Guatemala. Frank and his brigade have to die as the VP is running for the President’s post and wants a clean slate. But Frank won’t budge. Is he able to thwart the CIA’s sinister plans? Is he able to get back to his quiet life of seclusion, with Sarah? The rest of the film answers these questions.

]]> http://www.koimoi.com/reviews/%e2%80%98red%e2%80%99-review/feed/ 0 http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-news/bruce-willis-red-preview/ http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-news/bruce-willis-red-preview/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:34:40 +0000 Koimoi.com Team http://koimoi.c2w.com/?p=18820

Star cast: Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman.

Plot: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren used to be top agents in the CIA but the secrets they know just may get them killed. Retired, and Extremely Dangerous (RED), the trio is now framed for an assassination. They must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive.

Box-office Expectations: Fans of DC Comics’ character will certainly not miss the opportunity to catch Red on screen. The fact that Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman are coming together in an action flick will also catch attention at the box-office.

Click Here For More: 'Red' Movie Section