Movie Friday: The Dark Knight Rises

After 7 weeks, The Dark Knight Rises is still in the box office top five, a fairly impressive run.  Furthermore, Rotten Tomatoes says it has a 92% favorability rating among the audience (87% with critics).  I saw it during the first weekend, and I was underwhelmed.  Perhaps I was expecting too much, after the first two films, which were excellent.  Also, I have high regard for Tom Hardy, who played the main antagonist, Bane.  But Bane was something of a mixed bag (see below).

Part of the problem is a plot with some serious holes in it.  Having all of NYC's cops march into the sewers was a highly improbable scenario.  Also, a rather severe twist near the end seemed a bit gratuitous.  Finally, the need to rework Bane's voice to make it more understandable left him sounding (according to my son) like a cross between an English butler Darth Vader and the Monopoly Guy.  Listen for yourself: