Ranking Every DC Comic Book Movie - From Worst to Best

7. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

As one of the most highly-anticipated movies in history, the closing chapter of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy came burdened with massive expectations. While The Dark Knight Rises is the weakest in the series, it is still a very good movie. Sure, there are plot holes you could drive the Tumbler through and a number of superfluous characters, but it remains an ambitiously epic closer to one of cinema's all-time great trilogies. Opening with a thrilling mid-air hijacking that introduces Tom Hardy's Bane, the movie sets out the villain as both an intellectual and physical superior to Batman. Although opinions vary on the accent, Hardy uses his immense physicality to create an imposing nemesis for the Dark Knight. Christian Bale's understated turn as Bruce Wayne grounds the proceedings against the showier performances, while the real heart of the movie is once again provided by Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon. Although at times it takes itself far too seriously, The Dark Knight Rises still provides the action and suspense you'd expect from a $250m blockbuster. Yes, the plot becomes awfully convoluted during the third act, Matthew Modine and Marion Cotillard's characters seem entirely unnecessary and the ending comes off as a little flat, but the movie still delivers an ambitious, mythical, visually gorgeous and ultimately satisfying conclusion to what is now regarded as the greatest superhero movie series ever made.