TWO THUMBS UP

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Earns Raves

Critics shower new Batman flick with praise.

Holy lovefest, Batman. The first round of reviews for The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan’s breathlessly anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy, is in, and the notices—with few exceptions—are unqualified raves. The Hollywood Reporter calls the film, officially in theaters on July 20, “big-time Hollywood filmmaking at its most accomplished,” while The Playlist hails it as a “cinematic, cultural and personal triumph.” The brave few dissenters may need to seek out the help of the Caped Crusader himself: critics who panned the film, including the website Hollywood and Fine’s Marshall Fine, received death threats from diehard Batman fans.