Ranking every live-action Batman movie from worst to best

4. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises cultivated an all-time great trilogy. The follow up to 2008’s The Dark Knight delivered in face of lofty expectations set by previous films.

After eight years away, Bruce was forced to return as Batman. This time he battled a man with a political agenda: Tom Hardy’s Bane.

A man born in the world’s most dangerous prison, The Pit, Bane rose to become a valued member of the League of Assassins. His mission? To liberate the people of Gotham from the false ideology created by the city’s hierarchy.

As expected, this wasn’t just a comic book story. Bane wasn’t the juiced-up version of himself seen in past iterations, but rather the mask he wore helped prevent the pain from injuries he sustained climbing out of The Pit.

Fans also got a chance to see Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle’s romance play out in the film. Anne Hathaway silenced critics who slammed the casting with an amazing portrayal as Catwoman. Selina and Bruce’s ideologies differed from one another as Bruce’s efforts of heroism weren’t an admirable trait in the eyes of Selina.

Although we didn’t get to see Robin in Nolan’s trilogy, we got  Robin John Blake who embodied the character through and through. After discovering the truth about Dent’s death, it was officer Robin who convinced Bruce to come back as Batman.

Bruce’s goal was to inspire Gotham to fight and he did, sacrificing himself to save the city. In the end, there was a symbolic passing of the torch as he handed the Batcave over to Robin.