The Dark Knight Rises, or does it? As a movie, it is entertaining. As a Batman story, it borrows from so many different plot lines that it borders on convoluted.
The acting is great. The dialogue and direction are as good as you should expect from a Nolan film. The special affects are awesome with plenty of neat set-pieces and spectacular happenings. If you want to see a lot of violence, it's there. If you want to see things blow up, you can rest assured that there are plenty of grandiose pyrotechnics. If you want to see a lot of Batman, expect to be disappointed. Ultimately, this is not a movie about the Caped Crusader. It's a movie about a lot of different things, and Batman.
I am not going to offer any spoilers so this may read as a little vague, but I don't want to ruin it for those yet to see it. There is just too much going on. There are so many players and so many story threads that by the time they all come together at the climax of the film, it feels more like a knitting experiment gone awry than a grand tapestry. I realize I am just one opinion, but when the final credits rolled it just felt lacking. It felt unfulfilled and flat.
I have been a Bat-kid as long as I can remember. I love the character, but ultimately this movie just didn't do it for me.