8. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
One of the most anticipated movies of all time, The Dark Knight Rises came with expectations it could never have realistically fulfilled. It was never going to be as universally adored as its predecessor, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good movie in its own right. Sure, there are some gaping plot holes and more than a few inconsistencies in the script, but it remains a fitting end to one of cinema's greatest trilogies. Let's start with the positives, shall we? Unfairly compared to Heath Ledger's iconic Joker, Tom Hardy's Bane is a worthy adversary, proving himself as mentally and physically superior to Batman as he exiles the Caped Crusader and seizes control of Gotham City. Christian Bale is as great as ever as Bruce Wayne, bringing the character's arc full circle as he reluctantly returns to action for a fight he isn't sure he can win. As always the supporting cast are superb, with series stalwarts Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman providing the necessary gravitas while newcomers Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard more than hold their own (despite the latter two being let down by some clunky plot machinations). Despite a lengthy running time and an overly-complicated and portentous narrative that creaks under its own weight by the end of the third act, The Dark Knight Rises is nonetheless a visually stunning, well-acted and epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's trilogy. The Dark Knight surprised many by crossing a billion dollars at the box office 2008, and with significantly higher expectations it was expected that The Dark Knight Rises would be an even bigger success. And it was, but not by much. The movie opened to $160.9m domestically, just over $2m more than its predecessor but that is still an incredible achievement for a 2D-only movie, and it became the first movie since Avatar to gross $100m from IMAX screenings, aided by Nolan's preference for the large-scale format. Despite a lower domestic total, The Dark Knight Rises' increased international box office saw it finish up with $1.084bn worldwide, and it sits comfortably as the ninth biggest movie ever.