OSCAR WATCH: The Dark Knight Rises

Mayhem, glorious mayhem. That seems to be the main focus behind this thrilling conclusion to "The Dark Knight" trilogy. Christopher Nolan goes all out and delivers a truly epic cinematic experience. This film gives you everything and then some. As a result, I will admit that Nolan gets slightly carried away with the grand action spectacle. It's almost too much to take in sometimes. This is only a minor issue, as the pay-off is well worth it. By the end of this film, I was literally bug-eyed with my jaw on the floor.

This film most definitely deserves to be on Oscar Watch, so let's break down the elements. A lot of credit for the thrilling impact of this film must be given to Hans Zimmer. This score is the heartbeat of the film, reminding you that this is something BIG! The music is loud and bombastic and really adds to the action. As a result the silent moments are deafening, as they say. Now, this isn't just any action movie, this is a Christopher Nolan film. As a result, the screenplay is superb. The philosophical basis of the uprising is great, but my favourite aspect is how he handles his characters. It's obvious that this guy loves his cast. He had the benefit of working with most of them before and his trust in their capabilities was evident. All the main characters were written as integral parts of the story. As a result, they all get a chance to flex their acting muscles. It's hard to single anyone out, but I was highly impressed with Anne Hathaway's interpretation of Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Surprisingly sexy and confident, Hathaway was a real scene-stealer. Nolan's villains are always well-written and Bane is no exception. Tom Hardy is perfect in the role, bringing a truly frightening physicality to the role. The only setback preventing a legitimate Oscar campaign is the fact that his face is covered. There was a lot going on internally with that character, which would have been better served with use of his face. Warner Brothers would be foolish not to campaign for Hathaway though, as I really think she is a possible contender for Best Supporting Actress. The epic production values also put this film in good standing for nods in Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing and as mentioned earlier, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay. Although the film clocks in at 2hr 45 mins, you are never disengaged and a Best Editing nomination is therefore a strong possibility. In terms of Best Director, we've been here before and unfortunately I don't think the Academy will warm up to this idea all of a sudden. There are lots more promising films to come, but I'm also gonna go ahead and put this in the race for Best Picture. There is a potent sense of finality that I think could give this some momentum (like "The Return of the King"). This was definitely a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Thank you Christopher Nolan for your staggering contribution to cinema.