Arts & Entertainment

‘Dark Knight’ of the soul

Trilogy finale of Batman reboot conflicted, intensely satisfying

Published

14 years ago

July 18, 2012

Will Owen

The cast of ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ helmed by Christian Bale. (Photo courtesy Warner Bros.)

Director Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” leaves you emotionally drained, exhausted and in a daze when the film ends. Nolan, who co-wrote with his brother Jonathan, expertly toys with current widespread fears of a pending apocalypse and squeamishness over talk of waning American hegemony in this spectacular finale to his Batman trilogy.

“The Dark Knight Rises” has a brooding, moody beginning set eight years after “The Dark Knight.” Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is out of the public eye and withdrawn from society and Batman is a faded memory. Gotham still mourns the loss of District Attorney Harvey Dent when Bane (Tom Hardy) interrupts any reflection on the past by reintroducing newfound terror to the city.

Hardy delivers an exceptional performance as Bane, especially considering he’s the follow-up villain to Heath Ledger’s brilliantly disturbing (and Oscar winning) interpretation of the Joker in “The Dark Knight.” Bane is a hulking mass of muscle with a militaristic breathing device surgically attached to his face, which mechanically provides his voice a diabolical intonation while alleviating the agony of a past facial disfigurement.

Bane at first appears like another greedy aggressor after the Wayne Enterprises empire, with the help of a corrupt board member of the company and a master thief in cat ears, Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway). The extent of his desire to destroy is revealed by his master plan involving the nuclear reactor of Wayne’s clean energy initiative.

Bruce ditches his unkempt hermit look and squeezes back into the bat suit, but in doing so, is forced to confront the personal struggles that have been with him since the trilogy’s start in “Batman Begins.” Although butler Alfred (Michael Caine) refuses to watch Batman meet his death in another mission to save Gotham, Bruce finds help from faithful weapons expert Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), policeman and fellow orphan John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the new CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard).

Even the cunning and calculating Catwoman comes around. From her first appearance in disguise as an obedient maid who steals Bruce’s mother’s pearls, Hathaway has as much charisma as the two actresses who played Rachel Dawes in the prior two Batman films combined. In their defense, the character Selina Kyle lends itself to far more dynamism and energy — let alone ass kicking — than Bruce’s past love interest.

Hathaway looks sexy and sinewy in her cat suit, but her character is not the objectified acknowledgement that gender roles are changing seen in most action films. She is funny, hardened and resourceful, and just as much a savior to Batman as he is to her.

Christian Bale delivers another excellent performance as Bruce Wayne that heavily draws on the previous two films. Bruce struggles with his inner demons that were intensely developed in “Batman Begins.” “Rises” is full of allusions to the death of his parents and even his childhood fear of bats resurfaces at a pivotal life-or-death moment. The death of Rachel Dawes and the destruction caused by the Joker in “The Dark Knight” hang over Bruce and he initially struggles with either resigning to his role as apathetic, entitled playboy or anonymous keeper of justice.

What’s so striking about Bale as Batman and Christopher Nolan’s directing of the franchise is that the hero’s humanity is constantly reiterated. Wayne’s often battered body, sad eyes and initial withdrawal from Gotham society make him much more complex than most heroes of his genre. Nolan seems to understand that in today’s world, trust in a perfect savior is passé.

“The Dark Knight Rises” continuously blurs divisions between good and evil, with even the brutal Bane showing a glimmer of humanity in the end. Nolan challenges our trust in the institutions we depend on through police ineptitude, corporate corruption and a horrifying sequence of explosions right after the singing of the National Anthem at a Gotham “Rogues” football game. At one point when the situation is beyond dire, an anonymous white male president offers empty, flagrantly rehearsed words of hope to the city.

Like most self-serious, epic films these days, “The Dark Knight Rises” is too long (2 hours, 40 minutes), but the plot is easy to follow and doesn’t drag. The special effects, action scenes and all of Batman’s toys also keep the proceedings engaging throughout.

Much of the film’s middle section is full of hopelessness and dread. The ending is heart-wrenching and visually stunning, but that’s not to say it isn’t bittersweet. That it’s an emotional mixed bag is part of what makes it such a satisfying conclusion to the franchise.

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Out & About

This queer comedy show will warm you up

Catfish Comedy to feature LGBTQ lineup

Published

17 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Promotional image via Eventbrite)

Catfish Comedy will host “2026 Queer Kickoff Show” on Thursday, Feb. 5 at A League of Her Own (2319 18th Street, N.W.). This show features D.C.’s funniest LGBTQ and femme comedians. The lineup features performers who regularly take the stage at top clubs like DC Improv and Comedy Loft, with comics who tour nationally.

Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Arts & Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71

Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

Matt Minton

(Photo courtesy of Pop TV)

Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.

O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.

In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.

In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”

Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.

Calendar

Calendar: January 30-February 5

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, January 30

Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, January 31

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, February 1

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, February 2

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@t hedccenter.org).

Tuesday, February 3

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].

Wednesday, February 4

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Thursday, February 5

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.