‘Dark Knight Rises’ Rakes in Big Bucks Despite Tragedy

Who knows what effect the Colorado shooting had on weekend box office numbers, but the Dark Knight Rises still reigned supreme. The numbers were slightly down from the $180-$200 million projection, with the movie raking in $160 million over the weekend. If you had went to the midnight screening in Orchard Park you probably would have expected more. The parking lot was packed and all but one show was sold out, rare for Buffalo movie premieres.

The story picks up eight years after the death of Harvey Dent with Batman taking the fall for the murder. Bruce Wayne is a recluse and the "Dent Act" has pretty much cleaned up the streets of Gotham. But lurking under the streets, Bane has assembled revolutionaries waiting for the right time to unleash his army. Bane gets control of the technology in Wayne Enterprises Clean Energy Project that he turns into a hydrogen bomb and proceeds to hold the whole city hostage. So much for Batman's retirement.

I don't want to be the one who reveals the Dark Knight spoilers, I'll let your friends, co-workers and family ruin the ending for you. But pay attention and you'll likely see where the movie is going long before it's three-hour conclusion.The use of foreshadowing is a fantastic movie ploy, but it makes the Dark Knight Rises somewhat predictable.

Like the Joker, Christopher Nolan portrays Bane as more of a terrorist. Nolan's villain's work because they could be real people. When he unleashes destruction upon Gotham you can't help but get chills thinking this could actually happen. This Bane doesn't have tubes running into his body to give him incredible strength like in the comic books, so it never seems silly. Bane isn't a lunatic like the Joker, he's more of a bizarro Batman, smart and cunning and every bit his equal. Still, that voice has to go. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat when Bane speaks. Not because he is so compelling, but because you can't understand a word he is saying. If they were smart enough to redub his voice, Tom Hardy's performance would have been praised like Heath Ledger's.

Already there is talk of a Cat-Woman sequel, not surprising, because Anne Hathaway fills out the suit quite well and embodies Selina Kyle's human side. You understand why she commits crimes, with Bruce Wayne even calling her a real life "Robin Hood". Once she realizes who she is really in league with and the gravity of the situation, she does the right thing and helps Batman.

Like Tim Burton, Nolan did such a great job depicting the Batman universe.  Fans have to be happy that Nolan will advise on the Superman project, but will also be disappointed if DC doesn't eventually give us a Justice League movie to rival The Avengers. Nolan claims to be done with Batman, too bad, because it seemed like they were just scratching the surface.