BLU-RAY
REVIEW: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
12/03/12
OVERVIEW: “The Dark Knight Rises” arrives this holiday season onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on December 4 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. In the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, Gotham City is threatened by the masked terrorist Bane, forcing Batman to return from an eight-year absence and fight for his city one more time.
Also available will be the free “The Dark Knight Rises” app for IOS 5.0 or higher compatible devices including iPhone and iPad, and Samsung Galaxy devices including S2, S3, Note, Nexus and Tab (operating system requirements vary by device). Building upon the already available “TDKR: Gotham City’s Most Wanted” app, “The Dark Knight Rises” app will be updated in two phases. The first update, which will be available in late October, will include several interactive activities such as a photo application that will allow users to put themselves into a Tumbler, a video application that will allow users to insert a Tumbler into their personal videos, and more. The second update, which will be available on December 4, will integrate second screen functionality into the app. It will allow users to sync compatible mobile devices with the Blu-ray disc via BD-Live enabled Blu-ray players connected to the same Local Area Network to access exclusive bonus content. The bonus content will include film location information, Gotham City maps, film trivia, photo galleries and “making of” featurettes. In addition, the second screen app controls playback of the film on your TV via Blu-ray player. “The Dark Knight Rises” app will be available through the iTunes store and Google Play.
“The Dark Knight Rises” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Packand on single disc DVD. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray and in standard definition on DVD. “The Dark Knight Rises” Blu-ray disc takes advantage of the marriage of IMAXÒ and 35mm formats by using the hybrid master to replicate the unique theatrical experience of integrated film formats. Both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and the single disc DVD include UltraViolet which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and
Blu-ray players.*
Also available December 4, just in time for holiday gift-giving, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release “The Dark Knight Trilogy Limited Edition Giftset,” featuring “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” all in one collection. Available on Blu-ray or standard definition DVD, “The Dark Knight Trilogy Limited Edition Giftset” will also include a premium book exclusive to the collection, which takes fans deeper into the epic franchise, as well as existing special features. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment also plans to release “The Dark Knight Trilogy Ultimate Collector’s Edition” in 2013.
SYNOPSIS:
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act.
FILM REVIEW:
Jim Gordon: [lying in a hospital bed] We were in this together, and then you were gone. Now this evil... rises. The Batman has to come back.
Bruce Wayne: What if he doesn't exist any more?
Jim Gordon: He must... he must...
Considered by many to be the best superhero movies ever made, how could Christopher Nolan top it yet again? Well my fellow
Batmaniacs, he does . . . or at least it is as good as either of the other two. Christopher Nolan can make a movie! To call this movie epic is an understatement. It almost leaves me speechless, almost. Batman is back and with more purpose than ever before. A dreary sensation of hopelessness will fall upon you during this film to the point of creating a sense of doubt as to if Batman can save the day. It’s awesome!
Crowd: [chanting] Deh-Shay,
Deh-Shay, Bah Sah Rah. Bah Sah Rah.
Bruce Wayne: What does that mean?
Prisoner: "Rise."
It is the recurring theme throughout the film for both the bad guys as well as the good guys. But of course, it is much more significant to Batman. And that chant, what a sound. It can bring out an array of emotions such as fear or inspiration, despair or hope. Overall, the sounds in this movie, be it musical or effects (or a simple chant), really add to the feel of the film and are just as impressive as what you are watching, and what you are watching includes some high quality cinematography. What a film! It is powerful, dramatic, action packed, emotional (I almost shed a tear at one point), and even philosophical (Alfred, as usual, spewing words of wisdom throughout). It’s got an excellent storyline that is very well tied to the rest of the series and there are some good twists in it too. As I’ve mentioned before, I usually take notes during a film to help me write the review and for about the fourth time in my movie critiquing career I find myself unable to look away from the screen to write down a single word. There are only two minor aspects of the film that I wasn’t too crazy about. Even though the Batman speak was toned down and much easier on the ears, there are some moments that I would have needed some subtitles. Bane was a little difficult to understand sometimes. The other thing is I would have liked better character development for Selina Kyle, a.k.a.
Catwoman. But going back to Bane, what a menacing and intimidating villain he is. He is the Darth Vader of DC Comics replacing the “force” with muscle and combat skills. Tom Hardy did an excellent job with his character even though I don’t think he’ll get an Oscar nod. I would be more than surprised to ever see a more chilling performance in this genre than what Heath Ledger graced us with as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Thank you Heath for leaving us this gem. As for the
Catwoman, Anne was sharp, seductive, and dangerous. I would have liked more of her in the movie; clever one-liners, tight costumes, style and elegance, graceful and determined, independent and fearless. Anne gave it all. Joseph
Gordon-Levitt also shined with a very convincing portrayal of his character, John Blake. Marion Cotillard brightens any screen with her looks as well as her performance. All the “regulars” were as good as always: Michael
Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and the main man himself, Christian Bale. Boy, if you really think about it, these movies have all had a hell of a cast.
Ra's al Ghul: If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal... you become something else entirely. A legend, Mr. Wayne, a legend!
We all know that the Batman character is a legend, and I believe that this series of movies will become legendary.
Review
By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
BLU-RAY:
The film is
presented in 1080P widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration
preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just
flawless.Not only the picture looks great in
this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 DTS-HD Master
Audio (48kHz/24bit) in English, Spanish and French that provides a
good complement to the picture. It also includes
English Spanish French
subtitles.
VIDEO:
2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen 1080P
AUDIO:
English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital,
French 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Brazilian Portuguese
Subtitles -
ESDH, Latin Spanish
French Brazilian Portuguese
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“THE BATMOBILE”
DOCUMENTARY: Witness all five Batmobiles together for the first time in history. Dive deep into every aspect of the most awe-inspiring weapon in Batman’s arsenal as you journey through the birth and evolution of this technological marvel and cultural icon.
ENDING THE KNIGHT: A comprehensive look into how Director Christopher Nolan and his production team made “The Dark Knight Rises” the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend.
Production
o The Prologue: High-Altitude Hijacking
o Return to the Batcave
o Beneath Gotham
o The Bat
o Batman vs Bane
o Armory Accepted
o Gameday Destruction
o Demolishing a City Street
o The Pit
o The Chant
o The War on Wall Street
o Race to the Reactor
Characters
o The Journey of Bruce Wayne
o Gotham's Reckoning
o A Girls Gotta Eat
Reflections
o Shadows & Light in Large Format
o The End of A Legend
Trailers
Art Galleries
The Journey of Bruce Wayne
DVD disc: Feature film in standard definition
UltraViolet Digital Copy of the film
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