The third and final trailer for The Dark Knight Rises arrived as we slept. I watched it at 3:30 in the morning as I tossed and turned and checked in on the viral campaign on a lark. 2 minutes and 20 some seconds later I knew exactly why I had stirred in my sleep and found myself unable to drift back off… Something was waiting for me in the shadows. Quite possibly the most grim trailer for a superhero film I have ever seen. Hushed in near silent humming music that is a huge departure from anything we have heard in a Nolan Bat-film to date, the end of the world literally seems to pour over Gotham. Let’s just say the “peace-time” mentioned briefly in trailer 2 is truly over.

First of all Anne Hathaway IS Catwoman now. Like it or not she is Nolan’s choice and although she has garnered some criticism for her “over-acting” in the trailers to date, she does well at getting over Selina Kyle’s smoldering constant rage, and even brings some humor into the film. The character’s look may not be as true to canon as some like..  but once we see her fight and be part of the action, she is Catwoman to me.

We finally get to hear Joseph Gordon-Levitt speak. He appears to be the new ray of light in an almost gray ash colored trailer. John Blake seems to be the next hero-cop of Gotham, perhaps replacing Gordon as our main character in the police force.

Bruce Wayne is back and “broken” folks. He appears to have been taken hostage and is presumed dead. Selina seems to get Blake’s help in discovering which. Bane has taken Wayne to punish him for his sins. We do not yet have a fully painted picture, but I would wager a guess that his punishment relates to Batman’s handling of The League of Shadows in Batman Begins, and the cover-up of Harvey Dent’s crimes in The Dark Knight.

The action wasn’t the highlight of this trailer though. Of course we do get to see “The Bat” flying vehicle in action as well as many explosions and bridges being leveled; but the real intensity comes from the slow build to Batman RISING back to reclaim his city. The best line in the trailer has Michael Caine’s Alfred telling Bruce that he will not bury him, as he has already buried too many members of the Wayne family. No goofy joke about a Lamborghini being “more subtle” in this trailer folks.

Without breaking the whole trailer down frame by frame (I’m sure I’ll have that done when it’s not 3 AM and I can see straight) I can tell you that no description on paper can describe the incredible feelings that this trailer evokes. This is not your average summer blockbuster trailer. It looks more like a best picture nominee trailer for some independent movie that slipped under everyone’s radar until Oscar season. It is dark, hopeless, and strangely powerful in an almost tragic way. It truly made me realize fully for the first time that this franchise with Team Nolan is indeed ending. Watch the trailer below and tell us what you think. I’m sure there will be a lot of dispute on this one for sure. But one thing we can all get behind is the fact that this legend will indeed end. But the Dark Knight Rises.

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