I walked into TDKR with a great amount of anticipation and nervousness. Would the last film live up to its predecessors? Would it be a worthy conclusion to Nolan’s take on the caped crusader? And would it even be posible to top Ledger’s turn as the clown prince of darkness?

Well as the movie slowly unfolded before me in all its IMAX glory, all those thoughts and trepidations fell away as I was slowly once again immersed in the world of Gotham. Christopher Nolan has done it once again, with the story, cinematography, music and acting all combining to create a fitting end to the Batman saga he created with Batman Begins.

And speaking of Begins, fans who liked that movie will find a lot to love in TDKR. The beginning of the franchise focused a lot on character development, delving into what motivated Bale’s Batman, and what drove him to don the cape and cowl, and the same can be said of TDKR.

The movie picks up 8 years after the events in the Dark Knight, and pushes Bruce Wayne to the brink, truly pushing to breaking point in both mind and body. And it is through this journey we see what it takes to be the protector of the innocent, and the sacrifices that need to be made.

Christian Bale is wonderful once again as Bruce Wayne, playing the guilt ridden millionaire with ease. Anne Hathaway was a surprisingly slinky and sexy Catwoman, and might have taken the crown from Michell Pfeiffer. Tom Hardy was believably menancing as Bane, and I for one liked the accent that he chose to use.

I also have to mention how incredible the score by Hans Zimmer was. From the quieter moments, to the chanting that echoes throughout the film, the heavy bass ridden climatic action pieces, the music manges to invade your body, drawing you into what’s happening on screen, accentuating the emotion that is already being evoked.

All in all, the third film is a fitting finale to the franchise, neatly tying up the ideas established in the first movie and its sequel. This is a movie that I will definitely watch again.

I give The Dark Knight Rises an 8 out of 10.