The Dark Knight is excellently cast, scored and cut. The amount of story stuffed into the three-hour film could have easily been expanded into four hours and as a result we can sometimes become lost and the gravity of minor details will have to be questioned in subsequent viewings. This of course could also be the mark of masterful filmmaking. The film is not without its issues and gladly they are minor; some plot holes do exist, information between characters and minor details that contribute to major events are omitted for the sake of brevity. While it is tasking to ask an audience to sit for a full three hours I do hope that another cut will be released when the film is distributed for home viewing. Much ado was made aboutBane’s audio track. The original audio featured a greater level of distortion adding to the sense of monstrous depth and mystery behind Bane. For fear of the audience “missing dialogue” the studio changed the voice track so that it could be easily understood. The voice of Bane is still very much shrouded in mystery and I can sincerely say that the change has not weakened what was seen in the original Dark Knight Rises trailer. Tom Hardy is truly a marvel; behind a mask that conceals most of his face we come to understand Bane through his eyes, voice, stance and cleverly positioned camera angles. The mark of a truly great actor Tom Hardy brings Bane to life without a face. Anne Hathaway is the best-film version ofSelina Kyle and the ridiculous moniker of Catwoman, is never used. While I feel as if the character needed more time on screen and most definitely more backstory, this is probably because I enjoyed the performance and what was revealed so much. The rest of the cast are no slouches either and surprises in unexpected ways. In a series with characters we have become fairly familiar with such as Bale’s Batman, Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon and Caine’s Alfred Pennyworth, the new cast members provide for a sense of discovery that serves as more than “twists”. The Dark Knight Rises will undeniably be torn by critics to which I can only say “haters gonna hate” and if you’re at all lachrymose to see the biggest film of the year do yourself a favour and take a “leap of faith”.

STAY TUNED FOR OUR IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE FILM. IT WILL NOT BE SPOILER FREE SO GO SEE IT FIRST.

-Max Romano