IAR Blu-ray Preview: 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Tuesday, 04 December 2012 13:15 Written by iamrogue

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IAR Blu-ray Preview: 'The Dark Knight Rises'

Batman is back!

Available for purchase on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download beginning December 4th is The Dark Knight Rises, the third and final chapter in director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. Following the success of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Academy Award-winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) returns once again as the Caped Crusader defending the streets of Gotham from a whole new crop of bad guys.

In addition to the return of Bale in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, the film also welcomes back Oscar-winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules) as Alfred Pennyworth, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) as Lucius Fox, and Oscar-nominee Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Commissioner Gordon, as well as new cast members such as Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) as Miranda Tate, Oscar-nominee Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) as Selina Kyle, Tom Hardy (Warrior) as Bane, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper) as John Blake. The film also features cameos from Batman Begins actors Cillian Murphy (Red Lights) as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, and Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) as Ra’s al Ghul.

While Batman Begins was loosely based on Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One, and The Dark Knight took its inspiration from seminal Batman stories such as Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, and Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb, The Dark Knight Rises seems to take its lead from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, as well as Batman: Knightfall by Chuck Dixon, which first featured the villain Bane.

Set eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman (Bale) has turned from hero to fugitive having assumed the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), a choice that he and Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) both hoped was for the greater good. The lie worked for a time, as criminal activity in Gotham City was diminished due to the anti-crime Dent act. However, everything begins to change when a cunning cat burglar (Hathaway) with a mysterious agenda, and a masked terrorist with ruthless plans for Gotham City named Bane (Hardy), drive Bruce Wayne (and his alter ego) out of his self-imposed exile. But after almost a decade of retirement from crime fighting, even if he dons the cape and cowl once again, Batman may be no match for the assassin Bane.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copy of the film, as well as a cool holographic slipcover. The Combo Pack also includes over three hours of bonus features such as “The Batmobile” documentary, which highlights all five big screen Batmobiles together for the first time. As well as “Ending The Knight,” which is a comprehensive look into how director Christopher Nolan and his production team made the epic conclusion to The Dark Knight Trilogy. The Combo Pack also includes several trailers, art galleries, and ‘The Journey of Bruce Wayne” documentary on the DVD, as well as a downloadable The Dark Knight Rises App, which allows you to sync to the Blu-ray disc for exclusive content.

Finally, also available for purchase on December 4th is the Bat Cowl Package Blu-ray Combo Pack, which in addition to the Combo Pack also features a replica of Batman’s mask.

With Christmas fast approaching, either The Dark Knight Blu-ray Combo Pack, or Bat Cowl Package Blu-ray Combo Pack, would make perfect gifts for any fan-boy this holiday season!

The Dark Knight Rises will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download beginning December 4th.

To watch our exclusive video interviews from The Dark Knight Legend Exhibit in Los Angeles, please click here.