8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes.
Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne HathawayAction | 100% |
Adventure | 94% |
Sci-Fi | 75% |
Comic book | 58% |
Epic | 44% |
Thriller | 38% |
Crime | 27% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1, 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
It's hard to imagine a time when a Christopher Nolan-helmed Batman film wasn't a sure thing. And yet seven short years ago Batman Begins was a risk, and not just in the eyes of short-sighted box office analysts. Warner Brothers and DC Comics executives, Hollywood insiders, journalists, critics, audiences, even the filmmakers themselves... few were willing to go on record with any certainty as to how Batman Begins would resonate or perform. But here we are, seven years later. Seven years of appreciation, seven years of hindsight. In 2005, Batman Begins was a critical, creative and financial success. It remains a thrilling introduction to Nolan's brave new Gotham. In 2008, The Dark Knight arrived to thunderous applause, smashed records, earned more than a billion at the box office, and mounted an equally impressive run on home video. It still stands as one of the best comicbook movies of all time; a near-perfect culmination of everything the genre has fought so long to achieve. Then came this past summer and the release of The Dark Knight Rises. Could it escape the dreaded trilogy capper curse? Could it surpass The Dark Knight? Would it deliver a satisfying conclusion to Nolan's Batman saga?
"Now's not the time for fear. That comes later!"
When The Dark Knight stormed Blu-ray, its arguably striking transfer earned top marks. However, some weren't so impressed. Contrast had been raised to detail-quashing extremes, color had been boosted, severe edge halos littered the image, and a variety of other eyesores left a small but vocal group of videophiles grumbling. Preservation and restoration expert Torsten Kaiser had this to say in a 2011 Blu-ray.com interview: "By far the biggest error its producers committed was the complete change of the film's original color timing. The Dark Knight was not copied with an optical printer. The original material – I held it in my hands – it was gorgeous. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was… I fell flat off my chair. The colors are so different compared to those that appear in the Blu-ray transfer. I've seen the Blu-ray once, and I've never looked at it again." Harsh words, perhaps. But it was a sentiment shared by many, myself included. Thankfully, The Dark Knight Rises doesn't suffer the same fate. Contrast is still a tad overbearing (more on that in a moment), but every other aspect of Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer -- which seamlessly shifts between traditionally filmed sequences presented at 2.40:1 and 70mm IMAX scenes presented at 1.78:1 -- is terrific.
Cinematographer Wally Pfister's wind-swept Gotham palette is rich, satisfying and, to borrow a word from Kaiser, gorgeous. Warm hues adorn the decadent homes of the city's elite, dusty desert colors blanket Bruce's stint in prison, and crisp white snow falls on a captive Gotham. Skintones are lovely too (barring a few slightly orange faces), as are primaries, which are positively radiant at times. Black levels are incredibly deep as well. Too deep, mind you -- crush is prevalent, delineation is a bit unforgiving, and viewers whose contrast setting is already cranked up will wonder why the film's shadows resemble an oil spill -- but not so deep that it proves to be much of a distraction. And while those who saw Rises multiple times in theaters will be more likely to note the slight loss of shadow detail in dark shots, the vast majority of filmfans will simply be too awestruck by the rest of the picture to notice or care. Otherwise, detail is nothing short of extraordinary. Edges are sharp and natural (with only a hint of intermittent ringing) and fine textures are well resolved and revealing (particularly during the film's IMAX sequences). There also aren't any significant instances of macroblocking, banding, aliasing, errant noise or any other distracting anomaly. In the end, the overwhelming majority of viewers will award the presentation a perfect 5.0 while the most stringent videophiles and film purists will hover around a 4.0. Me? I would have liked a deeper peek into the shadows but it didn't spoil much of anything as far as I'm concerned. I'll split the difference and go with a 4.5.
The real showpiece of The Dark Knight Rises Blu-ray, though, is its sternum-splitting, rib-cracking, ground-pounding DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. While it obviously isn't as thunderous or jaw-dropping as its IMAX counterpart, it still boasts remarkable power, prowess and presence. LFE output is downright ferocious, throwing its full weight behind every devastating explosion, firing cannon, throaty Tumbler engine, booming Bat thruster, collapsing tunnel, crashing truck and musclebound madman. The opening hijack scene is worth the cost of admission alone. The rear speakers join the fight early and often too, immersing the listener in the chaos erupting across Gotham. Pinpoint directionality delivers time and time again, cross-channel pans are exceptionally transparent, and Hans Zimmer's score is as enveloping and invigorating as it should be. Dialogue is clear, neatly grounded in the hustle and bustle of the city, and masterfully prioritized, even if the last few lines of dialogue are nearly overwhelmed by the ever-crescendoing music. There's also an argument to be made that Bane's voice occasionally hovers above the rest of the soundscape -- particularly during the opening hijack sequence, when his voice is piped into the front speakers to ensure it isn't drowned out by the roar of the plane that's being dismantled around him -- but it's an intentional decision that traces back to the film's original sound design, not the technical quality of the studio's lossless mix. Simply put, The Dark Knight Rises' DTS-HD MA track doesn't disappoint in the slightest.
The Dark Knight Rises begs repeat viewings. The film so thwarts expectation that limiting yourself to a single viewing is to risk dismissing an amazing story and experience that only gets better upon each return. Nolan has accomplished something truly extraordinary with his Batman trilogy, and The Dark Knight Rises brings nothing but gratifying closure to three of the greatest comicbook movies of all time. Warner's 2-disc Blu-ray edition doesn't disappoint either thanks to an excellent video transfer, an exceptional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and a reasonably extensive collection of high definition special features. It isn't a perfect film or a perfect release, but it doesn't get much better than this. As trilogy endgames go, The Dark Knight Rises delivers on all fronts.
2012
with Justice League Movie Money
2012
2012
Limited Edition of 1000 | with Batman, Catwoman, and Bane Figurines
2012
Movie-Only Edition
2012
2012
2012
Limited Edition Bat Cowl Packaging
2012
Lenticular Cover
2012
Combo Pack / Bonus Content / Dark Knight Reborn
2012
2008
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Cinematic Universe Edition
2014
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Theatrical & Extended Cut
2016
Super Duper $@%!#& Cut
2018
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2011
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2010
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Cinematic Universe Edition
2012