Batman V Superman: Ranking Every Movie From Worst To Best

2. The Dark Knight Rises

It sucks that every time you want to praise The Dark Knight Rises you have to do so from a point of defence. Such has been the backlash against the film since its release that it's now regarded as a lacklustre story, another threequel that fails at rounding off its trilogy. And I just can't get on board with that way of thinking; it functions expertly as both a standalone adventure and a finale to The Dark Knight Trilogy, drawing a line under its theory of Batman as a symbol rather than a man in a manner few other series would do due to a fear of finality (even if Nolan fell short of actually killing off Bruce Wayne). There are issues with the film, particularly when it comes to plot contrivances, although they're only quoted as movie-ruining issues because this is Nolan and people love to jump on his narrative inconsistencies. In terms of actual plot, there's something literary epic about Bane's plot that takes comic book ideas to higher levels. On a side note, does anybody feel that the idea of an older Batman getting back into action to take on Superman in Dawn Of Justice was originally conceived with Christian Bale under the cowl, with a new take only instigated when he turned it down?