The Dark Knight Rises: Why a 3:30 a.m. Screening Was Worth It

 

 

[SPOILER ALERT]

After seeing the numerous trailers and rumors about what could possibly be the ‘movie of the year,’ I was more than ecstatic to catch a late night – or in this case, early morning – screening of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. Unfortunately, I waited until the last minute to book tickets in advance and for that very reason, I paid the price of sacrificing my sleep to attend a 3:30 a.m. screening of the movie at a local theatre. Regardless, after sitting through almost three hours of non-stop action, adventure and a tinge of politics, it is safe to say that walking out the theatre’s doorways to witness the sunrise was worth complicating my sleeping schedule.

As the epic superhero finale of Christopher Nolan’s fantastic trilogy that started with the production of Batman Begins (2005), Christian Bale returns to reprise his role as Gotham’s favorite dark and enigmatic protector alongside yet another all-star cast that includes Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman who also reprise their respective roles, as well as the fine additions of Tom Hardy as Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the courageous John Blake and last but not least Anne Hathaway as the seductive but deadly Selina Kyle.

 So what was it that made this movie worth seeing at such an ungodly hour? There is no point regurgitating action specifics of the film that has already been mentioned by hundreds of reviews worldwide. Nevertheless, while action may have been the largest component of the movie, Nolan has managed to pull his viewers in with a potent thematic grip that prevents us from going brain dead with our opened jaws throughout the entire picture. Politics still played a significant role when Bane discussed the Dent act under a much closer light along with some underlying messages that relate to the harsh realities of today’s world that was buried under the façade of Gotham’s worst roaming free throughout the supposedly already dying city. Talia al Ghul played by the luscious Marion Cotillard also further ensured that viewers stayed tight in their seats with the sudden plot twister that really launched the movie to its climatic peak.

Although Heath Ledger’s Joker is sorely missed as such a sensational villain, Tom Hardy does enough justice to keep the superstar villain act in check. Despite having to reveal only about twenty percent of his face during the entire movie, he clearly proves that you don’t need a recognizable face to guarantee exceptional acting credibility. Along with cameo appearances by Liam Neeson as Ra’s al Ghul and Cillian Murphy as the once corrupted Dr. Jonathan Crane – or more commonly known as the Scarecrow – Nolan brilliantly wraps up the trilogy with charming references to the past, assuring audiences to never forget how Batman truly began. The movie’s conclusion was a remarkable one, initially tricking the audience into believing Batman was dead but deep inside we all knew that would not be the ideal note for Nolan to end on. Proving us right, the amiable ending sequences that honed in on each perspective of Batman’s closest acquaintances marked the perfect end to a hopeful beginning of Batman’s return as Gotham’s true protector, only this time with the possibility of extra help from his young sidekick.

In memoriam of those who lost their lives at the tragic Aurora shooting in Colorado during the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises on July 20^th, I dedicate this last paragraph to both the victims and coping families out there. If there is one thing that you should go away with after reading this entire article, it is the names and memories of those victims that will always be remembered. Please take two minutes of your time right now to watch the video below in honor of remembering the victims.

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