Dark and violent, The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan’s third and last installment for his Batman trilogy, suffers from a long and weak first half. The story is somewhat complicated, introducing a host of new characters to a drop-back of a tired and unmotivated Batman character. It makes it hard for the audience to relate, feel sympathy and get engaged. The later part of the film picks up, for the most part, on the slow and confused start, and makes for a grand finale. Yet despite strong visuals and reliable performances, it is the weakest of the three films. The Dark Knight Rises provides for entertainment though it’s unlikely to be the type that will make you go out of the theater smiling.