Just saw this for the 2nd time, I want to type out a lot of stuff regarding the trilogy but am too lazy at the moment but I'll say a few things about the movie. edit - turns out it was a lot of things lol.
1. I am ready to sit at a dining table and chow down on some crow regarding Hathaway. I didn't like her, I didn't like that cat woman was in this, I thought it was going to be an awful waste of time. She was great.
2. This may sound odd but I was on Bane's side for most of the film and I may have to say I like him more than Joker. The reason for this is his somewhat anti-capitalist rhetoric (I know it wasn't like that full stop but it was alluded to multiple times), the revolutionary coup style methods, the mix of intelligence, strength and will of character. Obviously I disagree with some of the means and I wouldn't agree with the whole nuke scenario or killing kids/innocent people for no reason, but the idea of looting the looters and getting revenge on those who live in excess and corruption made me smile very much.
3. Although I was on Bane's side and was upset when he lost/was killed, I obviously can't side against Batman. Batman is what this world needs, his character is about unconditional sacrifice to protect people (although it's obviously a lot easier if you have billions to spare for weaponry training etc). His arc is so good and they did justice to Bruce, but I don't think I like keeping him alive at the end. It was just too much, it feels like it ruins the point of his sacrifice. He (and we the audience) get to have their cake and eat it too. I don't think I like that for story purposes, it means more when someone dies for a cause even if it's unwelcome/sad. I was satisfied though I wouldn't act like it's a major downer or anything.
4. I felt like this movie didn't 'wow' me as much as TDK on first watch. It feels like Nolan copied the screenplay format from TDK. A lot of this movie hits the same beats and 'feels' like TDK with similar set pieces, character moments, storytelling devices etc. that kind of thing. That's not a bad thing the movie had tons of great scenes but it didn't feel as surprising or jaw dropping like TDK was since TDK was so different from Batman Begins.
5. I don't know what people are going on about the score being mediocre, Begins is still the best but this one is definitely better than TDK imo. TDK I barely listened to but Rises has lots of unique Bane-feeling tracks. Even the cat woman track sounds like cat woman. It was great.
Pros:
1. Bane is a fucking beast, better than Joker as a character imo but Joker has the better performance.
2. Music
3. Stock exchange scene, opening scene, when the cops surround batman on the freeway and he drives up the ramp you see his cape flapping as the music kicks up that was awesome and felt like a comic book moment, Bane's speech about the corrupt and freeing the oppressed, Bane breaking Bat's back and Bane pummeling Batman in the stomach during the 2nd fight. Gordon finding out Batman is Bruce.
4. Bane quotes "myth of opportunity", "then why are you people here", "do you feel in charge right now?", "I was wondering what would break first, your spirit or your body", "yaw punishment must be maw sevea!"
5. Marion and Hathaway were drop dead gorgeous/sexy.
6. IMAX was AMAZING, but this was no surprise. I wish they allowed people to vote on bringing back movies to imax every once in a while because watching this on blu ray on a small TV just won't be enough after you see it on imax screen/audio.
Cons:
1. Wasn't feeling Robin at all. I liked the ending but it felt really thin. It didn't feel like a real transition, they just rushed it. Robin drives Bruce around and they talk for a bit, he throws a grenade thing, then helps some kids out and now he's going to be the next Batman. I didn't think he was bad or anything it just felt like fan service rather than anything meaningful.
2. The scene where Hathaway jumps out of the window and asks the guy for the new life device or whatever it is and he goes on a fucking exposition rant about what it does. This shit made me cringe, roll my eyes, and wince so hard. It was the worst thing Nolan has ever done imo in any movie he's made. "THE DEVICE WHERE YOU INPUT YOUR NAME DATE OF BIRTH AND THEN YOU GO AWAY? AND THEN YOU DO THIS THAT THIS AND THAT?" ugh. Nolan the device was called clean slate or something like that you don't need to explain it we know what it is.
3. Felt too similar in tone and directing style to TDK. Not necessarily a bad thing but I didn't leave the theater feeling like I just had an incredible experience the way I did with TDK.
4. I didn't really care for the twist with the girl. It didn't matter to me, I was surprised but it was a meh kind of surprise like oh ok. It was no Saw guy in the pool of blood gets up and it's him all along. That was a fucking shocker. Maybe I'm just bored of twist's now I don't know. It also sort of fucked up Bane's character because now he's not a maniacal genius who does what he wants, he's just some bodyguard henchman for the girl who's the real architect.
5. I thought Bane deserved a better death. Joker went out like a boss at the end of TDK with that monologue and the laughter. It was such a fitting way to pay tribute and gave you chills. Bane was killed by a motorcycle rocket =/ I thought he deserved better and I wish they gave his character more ideology and meaning behind what he was doing. It would've been nice for him to be an actual revolutionary rather than some guy who just wants to restart everything which is massively simplistic.
At the moment I'm inclined to say I like it more than TDK, but TDK made a much bigger impact on me on first watch. Batman Begins still smashes both sorry to say. There's just no touching Batman with the flashlight in the cave rising among the bats and facing his fears.