The Dark Knight Rises

I couldn't wait to see the final chapter in the Batman trilogy featuring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight. Where would his story go? Could he recover from some very deep wounds - emotionally more than physical? Would Batman find his happy ending? The movie is pretty good, and I felt satisfied with the end, though not very surprise with of the turns the film takes. The minuses overall are few, among them is the film's length — nearly 3 hours. And there were some character issues, such as a disjointed coming together of two people. But the visual effects are great. If you like things getting blown up, it's pretty awesome. You also get some more of the lore of Batman and the League of Shadows, which makes me want to watch the first film again. I'm certain my teen son and his friends will go multiple times just for the action - there's lots, maybe too much for some. It's not a bad date night movie either, not in the romantic sense, but rather for the discussion you'll have after about tortured souls and emotions...OK, explosions, too. My grade: B-. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language.