“The Dark Knight Rises” promises to be the epic conclusion that the trilogy deserves!

If you know me, even a little, you know that I have waited for few things more than I have waited for my first glimpse of the concluding entry in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Last night, it happened. I’ll break it down for you. Spoilers ahead…

The WB and Legendary logos appear in front of the blue flame from “The Dark Knight.”

Camera pans up quickly across the surface of buildings.

A title card reads “Every hero has a journey.”

Ra’s Al Ghul is heard in voiceover reciting the following from “Batman Begins:” “If you make yourself more than just a man…”

A shot from “Begins” of Bruce Wayne walking toward the village.

Title card: “every journey has an end.”

Ra’s: “If you devote yourself to an ideal, then you become more than a man.”

Shot from “Begins” of Bruce surrounded by bats in the cave.

Title card: From Christopher Nolan.

Ra’s: “A legend, Mr. Wayne. A legend.”

Shot from “The Dark Knight” of the Bat-Pod driving away from the camera.

Shot of Commissioner Gordon laying on his side in a hospital gown, holding an oxygen mask: “We were in this together…then you were gone.”

Shot from TDK of Gordon smashing the Bat Signal.

Another shot panning up the side of buildings, reaching to the sky.

Back to Gordon in hospital. “Now this evil…rises…” Shot of a man (Bane?) climbing out of a pit of some kind.

Gordon: “The Batman…has to come back…”

A shot of someone doing pushups.

Wayne/Batman(offscreen): “What if he doesn’t exist anymore?”

Gordon: “He must.” Blurry image.

Gordon (emphatically): “He must.”

Close on Bane’s face.

Camera pan reveals Batman logo amid tops of crumbling buidlings. Camera pushes into light. Screen whites out. Black letters: The Dark Knight Rises.

Massive chanting is heard in the background. Shot of Batman staggering backward and to the right, looking scared and winded. Bane moves aggressively into the left side of the frame.

Title card: The epic conclusion of the Dark Knight legend. Summer 2012.

What do I think? I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect this. I think that putting Gordon in harm’s way is brilliant. It’s been done before, sure. But if Batman has gone into seclusion, what better way to draw him back out? I like the idea that Bruce seems scared. This Batman has never been equalled physically. To pit him against someone that could potentially kill him is a fantastic and logical way to raise the stakes.

We know virtually nothing at this point. I would like to try to keep it that way. You know, like we used to do it before the interwebs…

Mutants are people, too – X-Men: First Class review

This review is LONG overdue. I saw this movie almost 3 weeks ago. For a number of reasons, I have procrastinating on this, and I hope I still have a clear picture of the movie to draw from. Here goes…

X-Men: First Class is Magneto’s story first and foremost. The character is interesting enough, but here he has a palpable angst, brought to life by Michael Fassbaender. Erik Lensherr, Magneto’s “secret identity,” is a Holocaust survivor, an educated man with proficiency in many languages, and a mutant who can manipulate metal. He watched his mother suffer during the holocaust, and he has had anger issues ever since. He meets womanizing telepath Charles Xavier, who tells Erik that he can be taught to control his powers. Charles and Erik are soon recruited by the government to bring down Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a mutant terrorist who is trying to incite World War III by launching a conflict between Russia and the USA. After the government hangs Charles and his team out to dry, he sets off on his own with several young mutants under his care. He and Erik work together to establish their school. But Erik has a connection to Shaw that could alter the outcome…

Fassbaender and McAvoy are wonderful here, and they bring a lot to their respective roles. Bacon enjoys his villainy, and Lawrence is heartbreaking as a teen who isn’t comfortable in her own skin.

In terms of action, it’s here, and it’s well-paced. CG does not dominate, and everything looks pretty fantastic. My only complaint is that Beast seems to have difficulty with his prosthesis when he speaks.

X:FC is as good, and maybe in ways better than, X2. It’s a story driven film, and should be seen. Be on the lookout for random glimpses at other mutants.