Deep breath.

(breathing)

Okay…

I can finally come to terms with things – I was disappointed with The Dark Knight Rises. I felt there we so many plot holes and questions that I can’t let it go. I liked Batman Begins and loved The Dark Knight, this third installment was supposed to make me pass out from joy while watching.

I thought I was crazy not to like it so I reached out to my buddies earlier today and asked what everyone thought, maybe I’m missing something? Maybe I’m overlooking things because I live in LA and overanalyze movies to a degree that is annoying. Keep in mind these are my friends that are in no way associated with the entertainment industry, they just love movies and keep me in check when I tangent into why things suck or don’t suck.

My email: Did we all see it? Can everyone sum up their thoughts, feelings, and any lingering questions…

Friend 1: Will there be another???? ROBIN!!!

Hmmm, okay, I read this as – “Yes I liked it and I want more.”

Friend 2: Wasn’t as GOOD as the 2nd one…THE VILLAIN was BAD ASS… like a modern day darth vader…

I admit, I thought Bane was ehhhh, but maybe that’s because I loved the Joker.

Friend 3: I liked banes voice. The 2nd batman was better. Heath’s performance was classic. I love the themes behind Nolan’s Batman movies. There’s always a cool plot twist or dark explanation of the villains motives. Can’t wait to see what him & Zack Snyder do for the Superman franchise!

Yeah, Heath was classic and I can’t wait for Superman either. I didn’t like Bane’s voice all that much because I couldn’t fully understand him. But still, he brought up some good points…

Friend 4: NO REPLY! You know who you are dude, answer my emails!

I gathered that my friends kind of liked it, but not nearly as much as the second film. Is that the general consensus? After reading the reviews and talking with a few other people I’m convinced that there hasn’t been a film like this in a long time, in the sense that people either love it or kind of hated it due to the plot holes.

There’s no denying the plot holes!

Ultimately I thought it was ambitious but I just can’t come around to it like I did with the previous films. I will say this – Chris Nolan’s films have this way of sneaking up on me just like Batman, and years after watching something I realized that I kind of loved it and want more of it…

I should note that I haven’t actually seen The Dark Knight Rises but at this moment my expectations are starting to take over. I wish this wasn’t the case, I swore off high expectations for films after I pre bought tickets for a midnight showing of Indiana Jones 4 with my buddy. Never again would I think something was going to be so insanely cool that I may have to have a drink afterwards, but it’s happening at this current moment in time.

The worst part about all of this is that my tickets aren’t until next Sunday afternoon (don’t ask) so I now have to hear all of my friends talk about the awesomeness that is Christopher Nolan and just grin and bear it because they saw it on Friday and Saturday. I hate when people see things before me, it’s like someone taking the almanac from Back To The Future 2 and touting it around.

I have to get over that aspect and realize that ultimately this doesn’t stop what I hope my future Dark Knight Rises review is going to be. Judging from the trailers, the pictures, and other various aspects of the current onslaught of marketing I imagine I’m going to be saying something like this: — One week from now— Coolest fucking movie ever. I don’t really know where to begin or how to digest The Dark Knight Rises. Somehow Nolan and his crew managed to conclude this trilogy with the best installment yet. Somehow they made Batman’s voice sound normal and not like he’s about to have a hernia. Somehow Anne Hathaway didn’t annoy me with her on again off again over acting. Somehow Joseph Gordon Levitt worked. Somehow the same reoccurring characters in all Nolan movies were seamlessly intertwined. Somehow the political undertones of the 99% revolting seemed to somehow make sense. Somehow Liam Neeson once again stole the movie and all that was missing was him calling someone telling them his skill set. Finally, somehow Tom Hardy has just bumped himself into the “best Batman villain” conversation.

That’s it.

I realize that my review may not be all that in depth, as a matter of fact I know it’s not, but that’s because I’m a fan first and once something I like starts to exceed expectations then I stop caring about over analyzing it.

I walk away from The Dark Knight Rises with a greater appreciation for Nolan and his pure vision. He managed to move forward with his series after setting the bar so high and somehow moving the bar even higher.

If it’s not already being done in film classes, people will one day analyze this trilogy and ultimately how it changed the game. How Nolan changed the complexity of what a “comic book” film was and what it can be. He sent a ripple through out Hollywood by being as ambitious as he was and it paid off. When it’s all said and done the only question that will linger is:

“How the shit was Katie Holmes in the first movie?”

Go see The Dark Knight Rises.