10 Reasons The Dark Knight Rises Is Awesome

2. It Has Great Themes

The Dark Knight was an amazing allegory for the War on Terror and the erosion of civil liberties. TDKR has broader themes as well as some zeitgeisty ones, just like its predecessor. Hope is the central theme to Nolan's final installment. Bane tells us people cannot know true despair until they have seen hope, Blake keeps the hope of Batman's return alive with the No Man's Land-style chalk markings and Alfred expresses his tragic hope of one day seeing Bruce move on with his life. Even the passing of bat mantle serves gives Gotham hope that it will always have its watchful protector - whoever is under cowl. But there are other themes to be found too. Fear, the central theme of Batman Begins is the motivator that gets Bruce out of the prison pit and ultimately defeat Bane. Alfred fears that Bruce is intent on giving his life for his cause. Blake faces up to the fear Bane's army inspires to become more than just a man. The other, more topical themes are of popular uprising (Arab Spring anyone?) as Bane rallies the citizens of Gotham to 'take back' their city, and of corporate greed (Occupy Wall Street) as Daggett's greed is exploited by Bane, eventually reducing the entire city to poverty and ruin.
Contributor
Contributor

UK copywriter, journalist, apologist. Obsessed with all things Batman. When not writing here, find me over at www.poppunkbands.co.uk