The Dark Knight Rises Review

One Word Review:

BAT-FECTION

Actual Review:

Positives:

The cast is amazing for a start, along with the main cast you get cameos by actors that have featured in some really cool TV series such as Desmond Harrington from Dexter, Josh Stewart from Dirt, Christopher Judge from Stargate SG-1 and Will Estes from Blue Bloods. The film also gets some great cameos from characters from previous films (sorry no Joker) which does add a level of comedy to the film. As usual the standard cast of Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman just work so well together and the inclusion of actors Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who all bring such am amazing presence to the film.

The story of the film is very well done; it does conclude certain aspects of the previous films while introducing the newer characters to the story, the first 30 minutes of the film however does give some clues as to how the film will end. At work before going to see the movie a colleague and I were discussing the film’s end and to be fair, we were both wrong, the end was a real twist and leaves you wanting a fourth film and without spoiling it, there could be a fourth film, I just fail to see they could top this one. The film has a couple of really good plot twists and some really good fight scenes, however this film doesn’t have as much fighting as the Dark Knight yet you do not really notice.

All the action scenes in the film, from fights between Batman and Bane to the latest vehicle in the Batman arsenal a helicopter called “The Bat” chasing down commandeered “Tumblers”, are very well filmed and do not seem so fast in this film, making them much easier to watch as well as follow. Anne Hathaway gets to do some serious ass kicking in this movie which is never a bad thing as she looks FANTASTIC in the skin tight outfit with the rather deadly heels, serious check the heels out!!

Negatives:

You would think that this part would be empty but unfortunately it isn’t. As with Dark Knight and Batman Begins before it, there are moments in this movie where the camera just cuts to something else with little meaning or warning. This is obviously where they have edited the film down; I would have preferred it if they had just made this film into 2 parts and kept in the excess scenes as in areas you feel very rushed as long spaces of time have supposed to have passed between scenes in the film.

Bane’s eventual downfall is a real let down, well it was for me anyhow. The whole film had built this guy up to be this complete monster and a unstoppable bad guy, yet I felt his defeat was too quick and had very little meaning which was a real shame and the main part of the film I was remotely disappointed with. Also his role in the movie gets switched just before the end of the movie; he goes from being the big bad guy to not really being the main bad guy at all. When you watch it you will understand, but for me it was the only real let down.

Overall:

This movie was amazing, without a doubt the story was brilliant, the acting was brilliant, the cast and action were without reproach. I am pretty certain I will be spending much time over the next couple of weeks in the cinema with this movie. J. It does leave it open for another film while at the same time completely closing the story up, a very rare thing to see, this is a great ending to a truly great trilogy of movies.

Out of 10 I am going to give this film a good solid 9.5, and only because of the Bane negatives otherwise this would have been a 10.

Money in the Bank 2012

Haven’t been able to catch the bulk of the build up to this PPV but judging from the card it could be interesting, good to see the likes of Tyson Kidd in the World Title Money In The Bank match, yet quite disappointed to only see 4 men in the WWE title Money In The Bank match. The final PPV before Summerslam, this should be a good chance for WWE to set something up.

Match # 1 – World Heavyweight Title Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Christian vs. Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Sin Cara vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Tensai vs. Damien Sandow.

Not a fan of Santino, Sandow and nor am I completely sold on Tensai either, however should be good to see what Ziggler, Kidd and Sin Cara will bring to this match with their high flying antics. Had Ziggler not been included in this match then I would have given the win to Rhodes, but now I think it will be Ziggler’s night. Am surprised that WWE included Sin Cara in this match considering he hasn’t been back long from an injury caused at last year’s money in the bank PPV so will be good to see if he has the confidence to really show off in this match.

Seems Santino is scared of heights, yet the cobra isn’t. The crowd are really behind Ziggler in this match and they are certainly smart as he manages to climb the ladder to grab the briefcase. Certainly the right move to make, he should be in the title picture. The match itself was really good, Tyson got some good spots in and Sin Cara got himself killed by Tensai, it was also shocking to see how much damage Cody got to deal out too. I’m quite happy with the match and the result.

Backstage

Josh Matthews is with Sheamus, he says he is going to send Alberto Del Rio to the scrap yard.

Segment

The Miz is back to a “Miz is awesome” chant from the crowd. Tells everyone he has been away filming a movie, the Marine 3 by the way. He then adds his name to the WWE Titlte Money in the Bank match and says because he is awesome... blah blah.

This is great news, I was terrified of the WWE MITB match, 4 guys with only 1 guy who can really work, being Jericho, so is good that we got someone else in there too.

Match # 2 – World Heavyweight Championship Match

Sheamus (c) vs Alberto Del Rio

I love Del Rio, think he is awesome and have really enjoyed his more aggressive look over the last couple of months. I am a little tired of Sheamus as the champion now, would be nice to see the belt switch, but highly unlikely I think as WWE seem to really love Sheamus.

Del Rio automatically goes to work on the arm of Sheamus and very aggressive throughout the entire match. Sheamus however recovers from the onslaught and hits Del Rio with the brogue Kick for the win and he retains the world title.

Was an ok match, liked the aggressive assault from Del Rio but I guess this wasn’t his time but will give Sheamus Credit he was selling that arm. After the match Ricardo distracts Sheamus enough for Del Rio to strike and attack the champion.

Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and he runs to the ring to cash in the money in the bank, Del Rio distracts Ziggler long enough for Sheamus to recover and he launches a brogue kick at Ziggler knocking him out, so no cash in, so Ziggler still has his title match.

Match # 3

Primetime Players with A.W  vs. Epico & Primo with Rosa Mendes

The tag team champions are out at ringside on guest commentary, A.W is loud and annoying and on top of that Rosa Mendes is just HOT. Its good to see some solid tag teams being developed at the moment, ok, none of them are the quality of some of the older tag teams but they certainly have the potential to get there.

Epico and Primo win after Primo rolls up Darren Young. Primetime players talk trash to the tag team champions after the match but they back off.

A nice attempt to try and boost the ranks and level of the tag team division will be good to see if this pays off.

Match # 4 – WWE Championship match

C.M Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan with AJ as the Guest Referee.

I like the Punk / Bryan angle, but AJ is starting to wear on me a bit now, she seems to be bigger than the actual superstars and title in this feud. I bet Bryan and Punk have, well, you know!! I would!!

What can you say about these guys, both are awesome wrestlers and both deserve to be in the spots they have. The crowd are into both these guys immensely and they both get plenty of chants.

AJ gets knocked down quite early in the match and gets carried out by officials; she gets replaced by another referee yet does make a return later in the match to replace the ref that replaced her. Man that’s confusing. Both these guys have unleashed everything on each other from their signature moves to foreign objects like chairs and kendo sticks, then Punk backdrops Bryan from the top rope through a table and covers him for the win and retains the WWE title.

Match # 5

Tyler Rex and Curt Hawkins vs. THE RYBACK

Hey look its another smart price Goldberg PPV squash match. I guess I should be grateful now that they are using guys from the WWE rather than generic jobbers from local promotion.

Early on the tag team get a great advantage and have The Ryback taking bumps and he tag team hit some good double teams. Then of course Ryback recovers and clobbers them both, hitting the muscle buster on Tyler for the win.

Pffft. That is all.

Match # 6 – Six Diva Tag Team Match

Layla, Kaitlyn & Tamina  Snuka. Beth Phoenix, Natalya & Eve

HOT, HOT & hmmm vs. HOT, HOT & HOT

Since when has Kaitlyn been scary? Both Beth and Natalya acting like she some big scary monster who eats divas, wouldn’t that be fun. At least Layla has changed her music now, just a shame they given her Tiffany’s old music.

Layla pins Beth after hitting the neck breaker, a pretty standard divas match, shame we didn’t get to see much of Natalya.

Match # 7 – WWE Championship Money in the Bank ladder match

Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Big Show vs. The Miz vs. JOHN CEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNAAAAAAA

In many ways I think this will be my favourite match on the show, but I know that with Cena involved I will not like the outcome, we all know he is going to win. I would love Big Show to win this, think it would help recover some of the damage done to Big Show’s heel turn, after all he has lost pretty much every match he has had since turning heel.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a Kane fan, I LOVE Chris Jericho and I can tolerate Big Show and The Miz too. Cena I do like but not when he is in the WWE title picture.  This match will not be a high flyers dream but should still be good. Big Show dominates early only to receive a flurry of moves ending in Cena dropping Big Show through the announcers table with the Attitude Adjustment.

Big Show eventually recovers and has to bring in his own special ladder to hold his weight, the ladder is bigger than Big Show. Cena and Big Show are on top of the ladder and the case snaps from the chain to give Cena the case. John Cena wins money in the bank..... damn.

The match despite the ending was really good, everyone got some offense in with Big Show just looking dominant, my one negative was that Kane didn’t get to do much in this match really and neither did the Miz which is a shame.

Was quite a good PPV, didn’t bog the show down with too many backstage segments or interviews, this really made the show better for me, a little more wrestling and that can’t hurt a wrestling show can it? The next stop!! Summerslam! A major event, a long awaited DSC reunion, hopefully a special review for Summerslam.