One thing that dwindled in the last decade was the focus of Hollywood on elaborate & realistic action films. Being in the decade of the nerd, the genre was traded for simple-plotted toy & comic book stories which were mostly filled with explosions & CGI to compensate for the lack of complexity.
The shallowness of the Hollywood action genre in the beginning of the millennium still continues. There are a few highlights, of course, thanks to Scorsese, The Bourne series, and the more rugged Bond.
But when Nolan introduced the concept of the grounded superhero film with 'Batman Begins' in 2005, it stood out among the handful of movies at the time. Such was the beginning of another trilogy masterpiece. He followed it up with 'The Dark Knight' in 2008, painting an even darker picture that's actually a true reflection of many parts of the society. In fact, his Bat tales are not merely made-up stories to excite the viewer. They were always social commentaries on what's going on with the world; how not everything is black & white; and that things are fucked up but you can always do something about it.
The challenge is raised even more in the last installment, 'The Dark Knight Rises'. Eradicating evil with another evil - doing what's necessary. The question of whether freedom is more important than order or vice versa. Anarchy. How old wounds remain unhealed and affect what kind of persons we become. These are old themes that seem fresh in the film and, as always has been, gripping. While Ra's al Ghul was a justice freak and Joker was a madman just for the sake of being one, Bane has different intentions. With a stellar cast, 'Rises' presents a maze full of effective performances that sets deep into your bones. The fights are muscular - both figuratively & literally. And the twists, while they may not come as surprises to Batman fans, make the storytelling more interesting.
In spite of being based on a comic-book, the Nolan brothers have molded the stories of our favorite detective into a relatable form. And that's exactly why it works so well - because in all of us there is both a child who is a fan of fantasy and an adult who requires facing reality. It's a talent that no other writer/director can do today.
One can argue that Christopher Nolan hasn't been original since 2000's 'Memento' and he's just delivering rehash of old ideas. But everyone must realize that in our time right now, everything has already been thought of in the past. All you can do is gather different elements and concoct your own formula. And in that sense, Nolan is a genius.
