‘The Dark Knight Rises’

4 stars

Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman

Rating: PG-13, and somewhat generously, for intense sequences of violence and action, along with some sensuality and fleeting profanity

Unlike the cinematic Superman — always portrayed as the true-blue Boy Scout, as honorably American as baseball, motherhood and apple pie — Batman’s on-screen image has changed, depending on whose hand has pulled the strings.

The 1960s Batman was known by his colorfully campy TV series; Tim Burton went operatic and kinky for the late 1980s re-boot.

A generation later, Christopher Nolan’s take on the dark night detective has focused on psychology: the seriously dysfunctional variety. Following the obligatory origin story in 2005’s “Batman Begins,” Nolan then explored the depths of depravity with 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” Nobody, but nobody, could fail to be mesmerized by the chilling, capricious evil represented by the late Heath Ledger’s magnificent portrayal of the Joker.

“The Dark Knight” also displayed a disturbing undertone, with its notion that regular folks, if backed into a corner and frightened badly enough, would squabble and tear out each other’s throats with the ferocity of mad dogs. Nobility, self-sacrifice and God’s grace are granted only to the shadowy warrior heroes of Nolan’s Gotham City; her civilians apparently don’t warrant such lofty virtues.

This is a dreadfully cynical view of humanity, although Nolan — along with frequent scripting collaborators David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan — made it play reasonably well in “The Dark Knight.” Ledger’s memorably scary presence was balanced by glimmers of the good and gentle, notably from Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Rachel, Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent and Gary Oldman’s honest Police Commissioner Jim Gordon.

Surely, then, Nolan would move in a different direction for his wrap-up, with “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Well … no.

This storyline is even more dystopian, its view of humanity even more depressing; Nolan and his same two collaborators have populated Gotham City with folks who apparently couldn’t survive without their superheroic totems, and probably don’t deserve to survive, regardless. When things get bad in this saga — and they get very, very bad — the common herd turns ugly and every bit as depraved as Ledger’s Joker.

I’ve always been an optimist, viewing the glass as half-full, when it comes to humanity’s behavior during a crisis; Nolan’s glass apparently is 7/8 empty. If this is his commentary on how the 99 percent would “handle” the 1 percent, we should be grateful he’s not likely to hold public office.

Grim undertone notwithstanding, “The Dark Knight Rises” is another riveting, fast-paced, edge-of-the-seat thriller that tries, really tries, to envision life in a world populated by masked heroes and villains. Nolan has developed a well-deserved reputation for his stylish, imaginative and jaw-droppingly audacious action sequences, and this film boasts plenty.

But it’s also laden with deep, dark despair, at times overwhelmingly so. All that negative energy likely won’t matter a whit to the hoards of fanboys and fangirls seeking popcorn thrills, but it’ll be a total turn-off to viewers with more optimistic sensibilities.

The second film in Toby Maguire’s “Spider-Man” trilogy was defined by the moment when Spidey saved the runaway train laden with people who saw the valiant young man behind the mask, and then promised to preserve his secret, never mind how newspapers had branded him a menace. That scene never would happen in Nolan’s Gotham City.

More’s the pity.

Eight years have passed since Batman took the public rap for killing the noble Harvey Dent, whose murderous rampage as Two-Face remains unknown by Gotham’s public. During that time, Gordon and his police force have maintained a firm control on the city’s criminal element: perhaps too firm — and fascistic — a level of control, as this script subtly suggests.

During that time, Batman has remained unseen; so has his playboy alter ego, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). Still nursing injuries from his battles against Two-Face and the Joker, and still mourning the loss of Rachel, Bruce has become a virtual shut-in.

And so what? As Bruce insists to his faithful butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), Gotham no longer needs a Batman; “civilization” has triumphed over the Joker’s notions of anarchy. Ah, Alfred counters; Gotham may not need a Batman, but Bruce Wayne most definitely needs a life.

A society event at Wayne Manor grants access to a maid who turns out to be a black-clad cat burglar; she has a brief encounter with Bruce before successfully escaping with a family heirloom … and something else. This piques his curiosity enough to fire up the Batcave computers, where he learns that his visitor was Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). Longtime Bat-fans will recognize the name.

But the “something else” Selina took remains a puzzle.

Elsewhere, a brutal masked terrorist known only as Bane (Tom Hardy) allows himself to be “captured” by CIA agents solely to orchestrate the amazing escape we’ve all seen for the past few months, in this film’s trailer. Although total nonsense from the standpoint of plot logic, it’s a bravura mid-air action sequence that the folks at the James Bond franchise must envy.

Bane winds up in Gotham, clandestinely, where he mounts an army of the city’s homeless, dispossessed and disenfranchised: people who, because they’re wholly down on their luck, will die for him. (More of Nolan’s grimly pessimistic psychology. Not sure I buy it.) Alerted to Bane’s presence, Bruce resurrects Batman — and his technological toys — long enough for a stylish chase through Gotham’s streets, before unwisely locating and facing off against this huge adversary.

Longtime Bat-fans know what becomes of that encounter, as well; to their credit, Nolan and his scripters hold true to established comic book lore.

When the dust has settled, Bane and his minions have destroyed all bridges and other access points to Gotham, holding millions of civilians in a state of siege. For months … which allows a depressing number of people to slide into brutality, anarchy and chaos. Which, of course, delights Bane.

Us, not so much.

Try as he might, Nolan can’t get this extended timeline to play. I don’t buy the breakdown of civilized behavior, and I sure as hell don’t buy the notion that the U.S. government would abandon the equivalent of New York City; the gung-ho Marines and Navy SEALs we’ve seen in countless other films would mount infiltration expeditions on a daily basis … and there’s no way Bane’s rag-tag “army” would be the devastating force depicted here. Guns or no, they’d fall like scythed wheat.

So, from its second act onward, Nolan’s film becomes a comic book scenario, a tonal shift rather at odds with the realistic approach taken in this trilogy’s two earlier entries, and at the beginning of this one. We’re now in fantasyland territory: admittedly nasty and vicious, but certainly not credible.

Despite the cartoonish plot, though, the performances are resolutely persuasive and as realistic as possible. The standout — even better than Bale’s angst-ridden Bruce Wayne — is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake, a former kid from the wrong side of the tracks who has grown up to become an honest and noble cop.

It’s a rich, nuanced performance; Gordon-Levitt soon functions not only as Bruce’s conscience and Lt. Gordon’s trusted ally, but also as our surrogate: the character who draws us into all these fantastic events.

Bale remains more credible as Bruce Wayne than as Batman, where the exaggerated gravel in his “disguised” voice often sounds a bit … well … silly. But Bale still is our go-to actor when it comes to anguish and torment; Mel Gibson once had that market cornered, but Bale gives him a run for his money.

Marion Cotillard is charming and feisty as the intelligent and resourceful Miranda Tate, who becomes Bruce’s Wayne Enterprises boardroom ally against a hostile takeover attempt. (This is, you must have realized by now, a very busy script!) Hathaway is appropriately slinky, seductive and sassy as Selina Kyle, and she looks fetchingly sultry in her black cat-suit.

Oldman’s Jim Gordon once again is the epitome of a stalwart police commissioner, who is nearly — but never completely — beaten down by Gotham’s horrors. Caine, as always, is spot-on as the pluperfect butler, and Morgan Freeman reprises his welcome role as the tech-savvy Lucius Fox.

Hardy’s performance as Bane has been the subject of controversy, after folks complained that they couldn’t understand a single mumbled word the actor spoke during the aforementioned preview. Happily, that serious miscalculation has been cleaned up a bit in post-production, although Bane’s words remain hard to distinguish at times. Otherwise, Hardy really isn’t able to “act” much through his mask, although he certainly turns the hulking villain into a figure of dread.

Matthew Modine is memorable as Gordon’s feckless deputy commissioner, and you’ll get geek cred by recognizing other familiar faces in brief roles: Burn Gorman (from “Torchwood”), Reggie Lee (“Grimm”) and Will Estes (“Blue Bloods”), among others.

Director of photography Wally Pfister — an Academy Award winner for “Inception” — augments the mood of every scene, varying color, grain and composition; we go from the sewer-level grit of Gotham’s underground to the Big Apple-esque grandeur of the city skyline, and also to the hopeless dread of “the pit,” a setting that leaks futility like the sweat that pours from the shattered faces of its inhabitants.

Close to half of this 164-minute film was shot with large-format IMAX cameras, so — trust me on this — you’ll definitely want to experience this third Dark Knight outing on a giant screen, with Han Zimmer’s frequently ominous score literally vibrating every cell in your body.

Nolan builds his narrative to a suspenseful climax that delivers both a visceral and emotional wallop: a distinctive directorial sign-off that nonetheless holds the promise of … well, that would be telling.

We haven’t seen such a well-integrated trio of films since Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy; there’s no question that Nolan’s farewell to Batman’s world will play even better when we’re able to watch all three at a single sitting. And while I still wish this film had a more optimistic world view, there’s no denying the singularly stylish vision at work.

“The Avengers” may have been more fun, but “The Dark Knight Rises” definitely is more ambitious.

— Read more of Derrick Bang’s film criticism at http://derrickbang.blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www.davisenterprise.com

And with a global box-office take of $1.18 billion — as of last weekend — it’s safe to say that no other entry has a prayer of duplicating that success between now and late August (although “The Dark Knight Rises” certainly will try hard).

Perhaps that’s just as well. For the first time in many, many years, the season isn’t entirely dominated by sequels and would-be franchises … although you’ll still find plenty of the former, from “Men in Black III,” the fourth “Ice Age” and second “Expendables” entries, to re-boots of “Spider-Man” and Robert Ludlum’s “Bourne” series. After all, it is vacation time, and our brains also need a break.

But — and for a change — more discriminating viewers also will find a solid slate of smarter fare on the menu: a Sundance sci-fi charmer with Frank Langella; engaging comedies starring Jane Fonda and Meryl Streep; a new Woody Allen comedy, this one set in Italy; gritty crime thrillers from directors Oliver Stone and William Friedkin; and a cheerfully warped fantasy from the folks who brought us “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Just remember: These release dates are tentative and subject to change. Smaller indie films, in particular, may not reach the Sacramento Valley until weeks or months later.

June 1

“Piranha 3DD” — Wow, what a way to start the month. Could the summer movie season get more vulgar? Gore-hounds gleefully recall the, ah, anatomical flotsam gobbled up by one of these sharp-toothed nightmares in this film’s predecessor; given the title, I’m sure stars Christopher Lloyd, David Hasselhoff and Danielle Panabaker are in for similar, um, thrills.

“Snow White and the Huntsman” — This year’s first Snow White saga (“Mirror, Mirror”) shattered the dreams of all concerned, and I’m equally dubious about this second effort. Charlize Theron should be a superbly wicked Queen Ravenna, but the notion of sullen Kristen Stewart turning Snow into an action babe is too ludicrous to consider. Nobody. Will. Care.

June 8

“Bel Ami” — Late 19th century Parisian rogue Robert Pattinson charms his way from poverty to wealth and social standing by seducing some of the city’s most influential women: Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci. If nothing else, we must be impressed by a summer movie bearing a script (by Rachel Bennette) adapted from a novel by Guy de Maupassant (!).

“Lola Versus” — Writer/director Daryl Wein’s light-hearted relationship comedy stars fast-rising Sacramento native Greta Gerwig as a young woman who, dumped by her fiancé mere weeks before their wedding, attempts to survive her approaching 30th birthday as a singleton. Co-star Zoe Lister Jones (TV’s “Whitney”) co-wrote the script.

“Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” — Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith return once again to voice displaced New York zoo critters Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, still trying to get back to the Big Apple after the globe-trotting adventures in their first two films. This time, they wind up touring Europe while “disguised” as the stars of a traveling circus. What will those pesky penguins make of this?

“Peace, Love and Misunderstanding” — Director Bruce Beresford (“Tender Mercies,” “Driving Miss Daisy”) helms this dramedy about the culture clash that results when uptight Manhattan lawyer Catherine Keener drags her two teenage children (Elisabeth Olson and Nat Wolff) along for a family vacation at her hippie mother’s (Jane Fonda) upstate farmhouse. Expect plenty of pot jokes and tie-dye shirts.

“Prometheus” — A prequel to “Alien”? Director Ridley Scott isn’t saying, but the set-up sure sounds like it. Deep-space explorers Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, seeking clues to the origins of mankind on Earth, wind up on a planet that carries a terrible secret that could eradicate humanity without a trace.

June 15

“Rock of Ages” — Director Adam Shankman’s (“Hairspray” and a few memorable episodes of TV’s “Glee”) time-tripping ode to the late 1980s stars Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough as two wild ’n’ crazy kids with Hollywood fame on their minds, who fall in love amid a raucous Los Angeles music and nightlife scene. The impressive supporting cast includes Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones and a fearless Tom Cruise, riffing Bon Jovi as hair band icon Stacee Jaxx.

“That’s My Boy” — What would summer be, without a terrible Adam Sandler comedy? The deserves-no-respect star plays an estranged father who shows up, uninvited, on the eve of his son’s wedding: a young man (Andy Samberg) he hasn’t seen for years. Could this be worse than “Jack and Jill”? No takers here…

June 22

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” — With a title like this, how could it miss? Seth Grahame-Smith adapts his own cheeky 2010 novel, which stars Benjamin Walker as a particularly energetic “Honest Abe” who, upon learning that vampires plan to take over the White House, decides to have a stake in his country’s future.

“Brave” — Pixar’s new animated feature, the first to star a human heroine, features Kelly Macdonald as the voice of Princess Merida, a plucky young woman who defies local custom while matching her archery skills against a particularly dangerous curse. Additional voices are supplied by Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Craig Ferguson and Pixar stalwart John Ratzenberger.

“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” — Writer/director Lorene Scafaria insists that this is a romantic comedy, but it sounds like a major downer: With Earth mere weeks away from being destroyed by a rogue asteroid (truly!), abandoned husband Steve Carell embarks on a road trip to reunite with a high school sweetheart … while reluctantly giving a ride to neighbor Keira Knightley.

“To Rome, with Love” — Woody Allen shifts his focus from France to Italy, in this romantic soufflé about the misadventures of Roman natives and American visitors to the historic titular city. The cast features Jesse Eisenberg, Penélope Cruz, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Greta Gerwig, Robert Benigni, Judy Davis and Allen himself. Does Woody have another “Midnight in Paris” up his sleeve? Fingers crossed…

June 29

“Magic Mike” — Speaking of Tatum, he’s likely to do much better in this comedy from director Steven Soderbergh, playing experienced male stripper Mike Martingano, who takes newbie Alex Pettyfer under his wing. Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello have supporting roles — the latter as “Big Dick Richie” — and hottie Olivia Munn is along for what promises to be plenty of naughty fun.

“Take This Waltz” — Michelle Williams stars in this dramedy from indie writer/director Sarah Polley, as a happily married woman whose marriage to cookbook writer Seth Rogen is threatened by her rising interest in the affable artist (Luke Kirby) who lives across the street.

July 3

“The Amazing Spider-Man” — Toby Maguire’s three-film arc as this character concluded just five years ago, and we’re re-booting the franchise already? Whatever … Andrew Garfield takes over as a younger Peter Parker, bitten by the radioactive spider and smitten by Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. Waiting in the swamp: Rhys Ifans as mad scientist Curt Connors, who turns all scaly as the Lizard.

July 4

“Katy Perry: Part of Me” — The imagination doth run riot over the notion that this concert documentary will be presented in 3D, which means the whipped cream industry must have made a killing during filming. Directors Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz also promise some “intimate” offstage footage, but we all know better. That said, this extended pop/rock video is bound to be a lot of fun.

July 6

“The Magic of Belle Isle” — Director/co-scripter Rob Reiner helms this tale of a discouraged, wheelchair-bound author (Morgan Freeman) who moves to a small rural town, where he befriends single mom Virginia Madsen and her three children. Will they help him rekindle his passion for writing? Do ducks quack?

“Savages” — Director Oliver Stone goes for the gut again, in this adaptation of Don Winslow’s best-selling 2010 crime novel. Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch star as two independent pot growers who face off against a Mexican drug cartel led by Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro, after the baddies kidnap our protagonists’ shared girlfriend (Blake Lively). Enter dirty DEA agent John Travolta, determined to help bring down the cartel.

July 13

“Ice Age: Continental Drift” — Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo and Queen Latifah once again voice prehistoric critters Manny, Diego, Sid and Ellie, with fresh characters supplied by Peter Dinklage and Jennifer Lopez. As global warming casts our heroes adrift on an iceberg, they encounter fresh danger from sea creatures and … pirates?

“Red Lights” — Paranormal investigator/debunker Cillian Murphy sets his sights on spooky Robert De Niro, a supposed psychic whose “powers” definitely seem … unusual. The supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Joely Richardson, Toby Jones and Elizabeth Olsen. The early word: Expect plenty of heart-stopping chills.

“Ted” — “Family Guy” and “American Dad!” creator Seth MacFarlane takes his off-color act to the big screen, with Mark Wahlberg starring as a misfit guy who can’t leave his childhood behind, because the teddy bear he wished to life (voiced by MacFarlane) has become a vulgar, trash-talking nightmare. Can girlfriend Mila Kunis come between them?

July 20

“The Dark Knight Rises” — Director Christopher Nolan concludes his Batman trilogy, moving eight years into the future, with the dark knight (Christian Bale) having “retired” after taking the fall for Two Face’s crimes in the previous film. But when a new terrorist, Bane (Tom Hardy), blows into Gotham City, Batman — and new companion Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) — have no choice but to suit up and meet the challenge.

July 25

“Ruby Sparks” — “Little Miss Sunshine” co-directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris re-unite for this romantic fantasy, which concerns a novelist (Paul Dano) who, struggling with writer’s block, throws his hopes and dreams into a female character created on his keyboard. Imagine his surprise when this idealized young woman (Zoe Kazan, also scripted) actually comes to life!

July 27

“Killer Joe” — Director William Friedkin couldn’t escape an NC-17 rating for this “totally twisted, deep-fried Texas redneck, trailer-park murder story,” which stars Matthew McConaughey as a deranged hit man hired by Emile Hirsch to kill his evil mother for her life insurance money. Rumored to be more twisted than David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” … and I believe it.

“Little White Lies” — French filmmaker Guillaume Canet’s smash romantic comedy finally reaches our shores, with Oscar winners Marion Cotillard and Jean Dujardin toplining this saga of close friends who take an annual vacation — despite being forced to leave one of their number in the hospital — and find that grief and secrets further threaten the already compromised group dynamic.

“The Watch” — Suburban dads Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade, looking to spice up their humdrum family routine, become would-be vigilantes by forming a neighborhood watch group … and then find themselves defending Earth from an alien invasion. (Following the controversial real-world incident in Florida, this film shed its original title, “Neighborhood Watch.”)

Aug. 3

“The Bourne Legacy” — No, they’re not trying to replace Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne; hard-charging Jeremy Renner stars as CIA operative Aaron Cross, in a thriller “suggested by” Robert Ludlum’s popular novels. Director Tony Gilroy certainly knows the espionage territory, having previously brought us “Michael Clayton” and “Duplicity.” Can he keep this franchise going?

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” — This series, on the other hand, shows no signs of slowing. Zachary Gordon returns as eternally put-upon Greg Heffley, the kid who gets no respect in this third film drawn from Jeff Kinney’s delightful books. This time out, Greg and his friends are out of school for the summer … and looking for something to do.

“Total Recall” — Arnold Schwarzenegger’s presence notwithstanding, the original 1990 adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” was a mess: all style, no substance. Ergo, director Len Wiseman (“Live Free or Die Hard” and two “Underworld” entries) and star Colin Farrell can hardly do worse, in this futuristic saga of a factory worker who suspects that his virtual reality “vacation” may be all too real.

Aug. 10

“The Campaign” — Veteran politician Will Ferrell, angling to represent his small North Carolina congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, commits a very public gaffe with the election pending, leading two wealthy CEOs to front puppet candidate Zach Galifianakis as a challenger. Supporting players include Dan Aykroyd, John Lithgow and Dylan McDermott.

“Hope Springs” — Thirty years-married Kay and Arnold Soames (Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones), hoping to work on their relationship, attend a weeklong counseling session led by Steve Carell’s Dr. Bernie Feld. Needless to say, they get far more than they bargained for.

Aug. 15

“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” — Novelist-turned-filmmaker Peter Hedges (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Pieces of April” and “Dan in Real Life”) uncorks another bent comedy with this tale of a childless couple (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) who bury a box in their back yard, after filling it with all their wishes for an infant. Cue the arrival of young Timothy (Cameron “CJ” Adams), who’s not at all what he seems.

Aug. 17

“The Expendables 2” — Who’d have thought that aging action heroes could make so much money? Sylvester Stallone’s gang re-unites for another testosterone-fueled battle royale that features even more famous fighters: Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme, in addition to returning anti-heroes Jet Li, Jason Statham, Terry Crewes, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Can the movies survive?

“ParaNorman” — Animator Chris Butler, a veteran of “Corpse Bride” and “Coraline,” turns director and joins co-director Sam Fell (“Flushed Away,” “The Tale of Despereaux”) for this warped tale of a misunderstood boy who — using his ability to speak with the dead — takes on ghosts, zombies and nasty grown-ups in order to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

“Sparkle” — Whitney Houston’s final acting job comes in this period musical, set in the 1960s, as three sisters form a girl group and soon become Motown sensations. Alas, fame has a price that threatens to tear apart their close-knit family ties. Jordin Sparks plays the title role, as Sparkle Williams.

Aug. 24

“Premium Rush” — Veteran Hollywood screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Panic Room”) also takes the director’s chair for this thriller, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a Manhattan bike messenger who picks up an envelope that attracts the attention of dirty cop Michael Shannon. The result? A hell-for-leather chase throughout the entire city.

“Robot and Frank” — Director Jake Schreier’s crowd-pleasing Sundance winner, set in the near future, stars Frank Langella as an elderly former cat burglar who develops a most unusual bond with his new caretaker robot. After all, this new companion would make the perfect partner-in-crime!

— Read more of Derrick Bang’s film criticism at http://derrickbang.blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www.davisenterprise.com