Author Archives: Jonathan Williams

Wayne Static returns to the road with Static-X’s Noise Revolution Tour

Static-X, led by Wayne Static, returns with the Noise Revolution Tour (photo courtesy FiXT Publicity)

It was just a few months ago that I talked to Wayne Static about his debut solo album Pighammer, his first musical release since his influential cyber metal band Static-X went on hiatus in 2009. And what a difference a few months can make. This time around, Wayne is using the Static-X name once again and focusing on the metal he forged with that band on his Noise Revolution Tour, which includes newer industrial metal acts Davey Suicide (read my interview here) and 9 Electric. Apparently the name change has provided the band with a jolt of recognition as the tour (already a few weeks underway) has added a second leg beginning Aug. 1 (with genre pioneer Prong playing several dates) and a third leg beginning Sept. 7 (with the addition of Winds of Plague and The Browning), including a performance alongside pro wrestling, freak shows, carnival rides and more at the Gathering of the Juggalos on Aug. 8. Before he whoops it up with the Juggalos, Static once again talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about using the Static-X name and more.

When I talked to you last December, you were just about to hit the road to promote Pighammer. Now you’re on tour as Static-X, but isn’t it the same band you had for your solo tour?

Yep, I’ve got the same players. I wanted to use Static-X again and everybody else doesn’t really want to do it anymore. I figured I’d just keep the same guys I had and it’s a great band, so here we are.

You played a good bit of Static-X stuff on the last tour, but focused on the Pighammer material. How are the shows and set lists on this tour different from the last tour?

I’m just playing one song from Pighammer to plug the record. Then I’m focusing the set on the old-school Static-X stuff. We’re opening up with the song “Wisconsin Death Trip” and closing with “Get to the Gone” and playing a lot of older stuff.

Now that you’re operating as Static-X again, has the role of any of your band members changed? Will it become a more collaborative thing moving forward or will you still be the main creative force in the band?

Wayne Static’s new Static-X gives older songs a jolt (photo courtesy FiXT Publicity)

It’s always been me form day one. Whether it was Static-X or my solo stuff, I wrote everything and produced everything. To give an analogy, Static-X was always like Ministry, which was always Al Jourgensen and a bunch of other guys, or like Nine Inch Nails, which was always Trent Reznor with a bunch of other guys. As long as my players are great players, everything’s going to be awesome.

Do you think you’ll stick with this lineup or do you foresee any changes as things progress?

Right now everything’s pretty tight, so I’d like to keep the same lineup. It wasn’t my fault the lineup kept changing in Static-X. I worked really hard to keep the same lineup, it’s just not always possible. I like the lineup I have right now, so we’ll keep running with this as long as we can. If it has to change at some point, it will.

You’ve assembled a great mix of bands on this tour with Davey Suicide, 9 Electric, Prong and other bands joining you later in the tour. How has this package tour compared to your other recent tours, where you mostly had local openers in each city?

It’s really cool. I’m friends with the opening bands and they’re both newer bands from L.A. It’s fun to go out and everybody knows each other, so it’s awesome.

Do you have any plans to follow up this tour with any additional touring or recording?

Yeah, this tour ends in September. We’re going to take four days off, then we’re going to start up on the West Coast and do the whole U.S. again with a different package. That’s going to run through the end of October, then we’ll probably do some international stuff and we’ve got another tour planned for early next year in the U.S.. We’ll probably just keep running as long as we can and maybe do another record late next year.

Was part of your motivation for going back to the Static-X name to benefit from the potentially more recognizable name and reputation the band established?

Photo courtesy FiXT Publicity

Yeah, it helps having name recognition. When I was touring as Wayne Static, we had a pretty good showing at every venue. But maybe some of the casual fans that don’t know my name didn’t show up, but so far it’s been a great turn out and it’s been awesome.

Do you anticipate that name recognition possibly creating other opportunities aside from getting more fans to the shows, such as soundtrack contributions and other things you were known for in Static-X’s previous incarnation?

Yeah, we’re always working on that stuff. Those things pop up from time to time, but it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with touring.

How does the stage production on this tour compare to what we saw on the Wayne Static tour?

It’s pretty much the same straight-up show. We’ve got a few more lights with us, but other than that it’s just a good time. We play a bunch of old songs and have a good time.

For more information, go to www.static-x.com.

Jayne County returns to her punk rock roots in various ways

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There once was a Georgia boy named Wayne County who had so much trouble figuring out who he was he had to move to New York (then England) and become Jayne County before finally feeling comfortable with herself. Along the way, Jayne helped pioneer the original wave of punk rock of the late ’70s, got cozy with Andy Warhol and his Factory and toured the world with backing bands such as the Electric Chairs. Having returned to Georgia a few years ago to tend to her ailing parents, County usually reserves her performing schedule to a couple of shows a year in Atlanta. Tonight’s one of those rare occasions as the queen of gender bending punk headlines the NYC Punk Tribute Night at the Star Bar with her newest band the Electrick Queers. With bands such as the Forty-Fives (as the MC45s), the El Caminos and Ghost Bikini paying tribute to the likes of the New York Dolls, the Dead Boys, Blondie and Devo, County will also be celebrating her birthday. As she prepares for this historic occasion, County talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about her legacy, her kitties and her crush on WWE Champion CM Punk.

You were once a big part of the New York music scene and tonight you return to your roots in more ways than one by paying tribute to that scene in Atlanta, where you got your musical start.

Most of the New York bands weren’t originally from New York anyway. Hardly anyone was actually made in New York because everybody grew up somewhere else. The B-52’s made it in New York and they were kind of provocative and played CBGB and Max’s Kansas City and all that, but they were from Georgia. I’m from Georgia, but I was considered a New York CBGB/Max’s band, so that’s the way it is. The MC5 weren’t from New York, they were from Detroit. But it doesn’t matter, they played CBGB.

So the show is in the spirit of the New York scene?

Yeah. I originally wanted to do a tribute to CBGB and the New York scene, but it was simpler to just do a tribute to the bands that were around at that time and the scene that was happening. So, yes. You could say it is in the spirit of the era.

We have a DJ and all night long it’s going to be music from that era. And we’re going to be doing some of the English music, too, because the scenes criss-crossed between England and New York. So we’ll have Patti Smith and the Ramones, but we’ll also have The Damned, the Sex Pistols and stuff like that because that was a big influence on the New York scene and that style of music. It’s just going to be a good night of great music.

This show is also a belated birthday party of sorts for you, right?

Yeah, yeah! My birthday was earlier, but I didn’t really get a chance to celebrate. Ow! One of the cats bit my leg. Why are you biting my leg?!

What were we talking about? Oh, yeah. I’m going to be celebrating my birthday, too. I didn’t really get to celebrate it properly. So I can’t wait! I might get a little fucked up after, but not before the show. But they’ll probably have to carry me home.

You became known not only in New York, but also in Germany and other parts of the world, during that time. But in recent years you’ve basically been playing once or twice a year in Atlanta. Do you have any plans to get back out there and do more shows outside of Atlanta?

I cut back when I retired because of illnesses in my family. My father died and my mother is still very ill, so I had to cut back on a lot of stuff. But I am coming out of my retirement and I’m going to start doing more stuff again. I’m never going to tour extensively because I can’t do that anymore anyway, but I am going to be playing a bit more now. On Sept. 8 I’m playing The Viper Room in Los Angeles. We got a lot of good feedback from the recent New York show at the Bowery Electric. We packed that out, it was standing room only, shoulder to shoulder. It was fantastic and I had a good time. We got such a good reaction that we’re getting calls from all over the world, but I can’t start doing Spain and Germany and going from country to country again. So I’m just picking the best of them and doing what I want to do. I think that’s a good position to be in.

I’m playing with my original Electric Chairs guitar player Elliot Michaels in California, but tonight at the Star Bar will be with my Southern band the Electrick Queers. We’re going to be going out of the country because we’re working on doing a big show in Paris with the Electrick Queers. I love having a local band to do stuff with here, but I’d love to take them over there because they’re fantastic. A lot of musicians are in different bands, but why can’t singers be in different bands? There’s no reason I can’t have a bunch of different bands and play with different musicians.

Your Electrick Queers guitarist Jet Terror not only plays in other bands, but he’s the stage manager for WWE. You have previously professed your crush on WWE Champion CM Punk. Has Jet ever been able to arrange a meeting for you?

Oh, God. I love CM Punk. I have such a crush on him! I think he’s absolutely gorgeous, but he’s a great wrestler, too. I love watching him and I’m a HUGE fan. Maybe for my encore at the Star Bar I’ll put on my CM Punk T-shirt.

But I wouldn’t want to impose on him and I think it would be tacky to ask him to introduce me to him. If it came up in a natural situation, it would happen. But I don’t want to push it. But if I was at a wrestling show and there was a little party afterwards and he was there, believe me, no one would have to introduce me. I’d just waltz right up and be like, “CM Punk! Oh, my God. I love you!” I’d be like a little girl and I’d probably scare him to death.

Do you still have that CM Punk action figure I gave you for your birthday a few years ago?

Of course! Are you kidding me? Oh, my God. I cherish it. In fact, I wrapped it up and put it away because I love it so much I didn’t want anything to happen to it. I have a lot of kitty cats and they like to chew on anything.

You recently posted a picture on Facebook of an actor who will be playing Wayne County in a movie. What else do you know about this movie? Have you had any input on how you’re portrayed?

I don’t think it’s a big part of the movie. There’s a lot of people in the movie with small parts because it tells the entire story of CBGB with different people from bands cutting in and out. So they got Caleb McCotter, this kid from Savannah, Georgia playing Wayne County. That’ll be interesting to see, but I hope they don’t make me look like a total fool. They probably will, but I’m glad to be included in the movie. But that kid they got is gorgeous. What a hoot. Little blue-eyed boy playing Wayne County. But I did speak with the director and have some conversations with him, yes.

You’ve also done some great artwork. Are you still creating art these days?

I haven’t had any shows in a while, but I’m still working on a painting. I just finished two and I’m starting another one. I’ll be selling them, but all the money goes to my cat house because it’s a good way to pick up extra money for my kitties. When people buy a piece of my art, it’s a donation to the Jayne County Cat House. I’m going to have to start a series on the joys and pains of kitties with a lot of cat drawings. I do a lot of political stuff, but I get kind of bored with all the political ones so I’m going to start doing some Egyptian cat things. I’m just bored with the political world, but I go back and forth.

For more information, go to www.jaynecounty.com.

MMA fighter and long-time dancer flash mob their way to the big screen in “Step Up Revolution”

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Sean (Ryan Guzman) and Emily (Kathryn McCormick) invade each other's personal space in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

Featuring triumphant love stories told just as much through spontaneous (yet intricately choreographed) dance routines, the Step Up films have helped popularize flash mobs and Channing Tatum. The fourth installment in the series, Step Up Revolution jumps into theaters today and features two new leads dancing their way to love on the streets of Miami. Ryan Guzman, who plays Sean, parlays his mixed martial arts fighting background into a new form of physicality while his female counterpart Kathryn McCormick, who plays Emily, has already shown off her dance skills on the small screen in So You Think You Can Dance. With the help of famed choreographer Jamal Sims, whose most recent work can be seen on Cirque du Soleil‘s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, the two were able to learn how to mesh their talents as the stars of this latest Step Up movie. As they await moviegoers’ responses to their hard work, Guzman, McCormick and Sims take a moment to talk to Wrestling with Pop Culture about the challenges of going from one form or entertainment to another.

What is it about this franchise that has kept you coming back for each film?

Sims: When we started the first one, we didn’t know the success it was going to have or how many people it was going to touch. To see it grow each time, it just always keeps me coming back because I want to make better movies and get better dancing in there. It’s always a challenge because you never know how you’re going to be able to top the last one, being that everybody’s expecting you to. I live on challenges, I love it. So every time we make another, it’s like, “Here we go! Are we going to be able to do it?”

Coming from physical worlds, did you have any fears about acting? If so, how did you overcome those fears?

Guzman: I had been training in acting for about two months, which isn’t long at all. It was cool, though, because I had been through a lot of life experiences with fighting and college and a lot of personal stuff. As I learned from my acting coach, it was a way to vent things that you normally wouldn’t vent. There are intimate scenes, crying scenes, angry scenes, and I just had a blast. For me it was more than just acting and it just felt so right.

Emily (Kathryn McCormick) causes a scene in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

McCormick: I had gone to maybe three improv classes, just for fun. I had a choreographer whose husband teaches improv, so I’d just go sometimes. But for the most part, I had never really dipped my fingers in that and it was something that people were like, “You should take classes.” But I never took time away from dancing classes to go to acting classes. But I’ve realized that being on a show like So You Think You Can Dance, where you’re constantly put in a position to tell a story through your body is still telling a story. I feel like that has prepared me, in a way, to be able to connect my mind and my life experiences, like he was saying, to what I’m actually doing and realizing that telling a story is greater than yourself because sometimes it’s the other people around you that need to hear it. Whether you’ve gone through it or not, they have and you are the one who gets the gift and the opportunity to share that. Knowing there’s an importance in that draws me to acting. Acting’s a little bit more vulnerable, it shows a lot more about the person that you are. I think one of the scariest things as a dancer is hearing your own voice for the first time, because you’re so physical. So to be not as physical and let your voice come first can be really intimidating. But once you drop that and remember that you have this story that is way greater than being so self-conscious, the fear kind of goes away. But it was definitely intimidating. And just the pressure of realizing this is my first time doing it and it’s going to be put on screen where the whole world’s going to see it is very intimidating to think, “Are we going to pull this off?”

Guzman: I think if you think about acting, you’re not going to be able to act. It’s a feeling. you definitely have to feel it, then it just comes naturally. So you can’t be letting outside factors influence what you’re going to do.

You each have unique athletic backgrounds. How would you say those skills helped prepare you for your roles in this movie?

Sean (Ryan Guzman, red belt) leads a dramatic flash mob in "Step Up Revolution" (photo by Sam Emerson, SMPSP)

Guzman: I fought in the octagon for about a year and a half and trained for about eight years. I think that was, without me knowing it, training my body into knowing what my body can do and making my body aware. That’s what helped me the most, I think, with the choreography I did. As far as acting, I would say the life experiences helped us out so much. And having the support group that we did, whether it be the choreographers that were helping us out or my co-star, we literally became a family. We still talk and I’m sure after this movie’s done we’ll still be best friends.

McCormick: For me, physical contact and connection as a dancer and as a partner with someone, you can’t be afraid to look them in the eyes. You can’t be afraid to just hold their hand and connect with them and be as close as possible. There’s no personal space in dancing, so you have to get really comfortable really fast. Through experiences with that coming into it, I think I’m very open to becoming close and trusting new people. Dance is a double trust thing, so just looking people in the eye and not being afraid to open up a little bit and just kind of be like, “I trust you. Do you trust me? Here we go. We’re diving in this together.”

Sims: He’s a fighter, so when you have that kind of spirit, I knew that he would connect to that part of his life with moves. I never really worried about it. If I could see him doing it even a little bit, I was like, “Oh, he’s going to fight for it. It’s going to be done.” As a boxer and a fighter, he knows how his body works in every way. Dancing is another extension of that and that’s what he did really well. He keeps saying, “I’m not a dancer.” Well, he turned into a dancer! I know some people that weren’t dancers and they still ain’t dancers.

How did your work with Cirque du Soleil help you with this movie, if at all?

Sims: I choreographed the Michael Jackson Cirque show. There were eight choreographers and I did three numbers on it. I did “Dancing Machine,” “Jam” and the finale, which is “Black or White.” We rehearsed it last year in Montreal in June, then I left there and went straight to Miami to shoot this movie. So it’s so funny that it’s all going on right now and people are finally getting to see what we did last year. That show’s out on tour now, so my part is done.

Now that you’ve gotten into acting with this movie, are you still dancing and fighting as you were before?

McCormick: I’m still dancing and training, doing yoga and ballet. I’m in acting classes as well, so I’m just trying to train and be prepared for any opportunity. I want to keep dancing and start acting more, so I’m kind of riding with it.

Guzman: Dance is a new love of mine. As soon as I got into the movie and started figuring it out, I just engulfed myself with it and took it home with me. So know I dance almost every single day. But my main love outside of acting is MMA. I still train, but my license went up two years ago. So I can’t technically compete any more. But my last fight was a loss, and it was for my Welterweight belt, so I’ve got to get back in the octagon at least once before I die.

Step Up Revolution. Directed by Scott Speer. Starring Ryan Guzman, Kathryn McCormick, Misha Gabriel, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Adam Sevani and Peter Gallagher. Rated PG-13. www.summit-ent.com.

“Undertaker – The Streak” showcases the Phenom’s 20-0 WrestleMania record

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When the Undertaker‘s WrestleMania streak began, I doubt anyone could have predicted just how long it would last. At the time, his impressive dominance over the legendary Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka at WrestleMania VII served to further establish the Deadman’s mystique as a monster who, it seemed, could feel no pain. But as his career continued and he racked up more and more victories over some of wrestling’s top talents on wrestling’s grandest stage, it became apparent after a few years that something special was shaping up in the career of the Deadman.

After defeating Triple H two years in a row, the Undertaker‘s WrestleMania streak stands at 20-0, and has become just as (if not more) important as any title match or heated rivalry that might take place each year. And just one day after celebrating a company milestone of 1000 episodes of Raw, WWE chronicles the Undertaker’s achievement with Undertaker – The Streak, a four-disc set of all 20 of his WrestleMania matches. As far as WWE releases go, this one is rather sparse on the bonuses. Aside from a somewhat brief documentary (it runs fewer than 40 minutes) that recaps the streak one opponent at a time, the other three discs consist of nothing but the matches. No background on what transpired prior to these epic confrontations or previous encounters between the Undertaker and his opponents to put things into context. Just the matches themselves.

But when you’re talking about something as monumental as never losing at the industry’s biggest show, you don’t necessarily need a lot of additional hoopla to piledrive that point home. In fact, scaling things down to just the WrestleMania encounters themselves helps illustrate the odds that the Undertaker has had to overcome to get to 20-0.

Though his first two WrestleMania opponents (Snuka and Jake “The Snake” Roberts) were accomplished adversaries, it wasn’t until WrestleMania IX that ‘Taker faced anyone that matched his own intimidating abilities in the Giant González, a towering monster standing taller than 7 feet and wearing a Sasquatch-like bodysuit airbrushed with muscles and hair. Though he technically won the match by disqualification due to the use of ether to knock him, the Undertaker proved that he’s able to overcome even that obstacle when he re-emerged from the back to stand victorious in the ring.

From there the Undertaker takes on one giant after another, with stipulations such as the Hell in a Cell cage being introduced at WrestleMania XV against the Big Boss Man. But after all the pageantry of his most recent WrestleMania victories against Shawn Michaels and Triple H, it’s easy to forget just how impressive some of these earlier WrestleMania encounters were, for both the Undertaker and his opponents.

Kevin Nash, for example, has always relied on his size to overcome anyone that stands in front of him. But when he (as Diesel) squared off against ‘Taker at WrestleMania XII, he faced someone who matched him physically. But Diesel seemed unfazed, maintaining his arrogance despite ‘Taker’s seemingly supernatural abilities, and, at times, getting the better of the Deadman. Though two big guys squaring off can often be cumbersome, ‘Taker really brought out the best in Diesel before putting him to rest like the four that came before him.

Other big men that have benefited from their WrestleMania losses to the Undertaker include Sycho Sid, Mark Henry (perhaps one of ‘Taker’s best opponents, in a casket match at WrestleMania XXII) and his brother Kane, the first to fall to ‘Taker twice (at WrestleMania XIV and XX). But one of ‘Taker’s strongest qualities as a wrestler is his versatility. Whether he’s grappling with smaller and leaner opponents like Ric Flair and Edge or taking on the Big Show and A-Train at the same time, ‘Taker is able to adapt to any opponent and environment, which is why his matches have consistently stolen the show at many WrestleManias.

And unlike most athletes, the Undertaker gets better with age despite the abuse his body has taken in the ring for so many years. His later WrestleMania matches against Henry, Batista and Edge are some of the best of the entire streak, and there’s little that can be said about his matches against Michaels at WrestleMania XXV and XXVI, and his subsequent matches against Triple H at this year’s and last year’s ‘Manias, that hasn’t already been said. (You can read what Matt Hankins had to say about the End of an Era match here.) But ‘Taker’s longevity and the weight that the streak now carries are a big part of what makes these last few matches so memorable. Whether it’s the streak versus Michaels’ career or the proverbial End of an Era that occurred when ‘Taker and Triple H met inside the Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania XXVIII, the Undertaker’s WrestleMania matches carry more and more meaning and symbolism with each passing year.

Another thing we see, both in the documentary and with each successive match, is the evolution of the Undertaker’s persona through the years. From the cartoonish ghoul who drew power from the mystical urn carried by Paul Bearer to the motorcycle-riding American Badass to the Mohawked monster we’ve seen more recently, the Undertaker has always been an imposing force whether he’s relying on supernatural abilities or pure physicality. But as age takes its toll on the Deadman, one can’t help but wonder if The Streak provides some foreshadowy closure to one of wrestling’s most celebrated careers or if the streak might continue for another few years.

For more information, go to www.wweshop.com.

The Other returns with “The Devils You Know”

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I don’t know about you, but I never get tired of punk rock songs based on monster movies like Fright Night and The Phantom of the Opera. And let’s face it, the Misfits have just gone through too many mutations to come anywhere close to the collectively creative creature they once were. But there is a German horror punk band that has arisen to usher in an entirely new wave of ghoulish rock, and it goes by the name of The Other.

Already established as one of Europe’s biggest monsters of macabre rock, The Other‘s latest creation is The Devils You Know, a rollicking collection of 15 pieces of fleshy punk inspired by vampires, nightmares and Halloween-like nostalgia. Released on July 31, The Devils You Know does have a devilishly familiar sound rooted in death rock and rockabilly, as well as the obvious horror punk influence of the Misfits, Alice Cooper and others. Yet The Other’s sound is as fresh as a new grave, with its roots in punk, yet more reliant on thrash metal and ’50s sing-alongs.

While songs like “My Home Is My Casket,” “In My Veins” and “Nice Day for a Funeral” are perfect examples of The Other’s macabre metal tendencies, tracks such as “Puppet on a String,” “Nightmare on Halloween” and “Fire From Outer Space” are brewed with pinches of goth rock atmospherics and swaggering swoons to give the album even more depth. And just to remind you that these guys are German, the album concludes with the majestic “Ewigkeit,” with a symphonic influence that makes the German lyrics sound that much more grandiose.

Though it’s still a few months too early to be ready for trick-or-treating, Jack o’ lanterns and changing leaves, I get the feeling The Other is always ready for Halloween. And weather you share in such a year-round sentiment or would rather reserve your monsters for October, The Devils You Know is ready and waiting for you to give it a demonic spin. And when you do, it will be like dumping out the bag of Halloween treats to find that it was filled with all your favorite candy.

For more information, go to www.the-other.de.

Georgia Wrestling Now welomes Jimmy Rave, Larry Goodman and “The Lethal Dose” Stryknyn

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Did you hear the news about a big change in the wrestling world this week? That’s right, Monday was the first time Wrestling with Pop Culture, “The Human Hand Grenade” dany only and Team All You Can Eat’s Matt Hankins brought you Georgia Wrestling Now at its new start time of 7 p.m. EST. And it was an interesting show as former (that’s right, I said, “former”) NWA Rampage Pro Wrestling booker Jimmy Rave and Georgia Wrestling History‘s Larry Goodman called in to discuss the recent shakeup at RPW. After that we heard from only’s tag team partner “The Lethal Dose” Stryknyn, who is coming off a big match at The New Tradition Pro Wrestling‘s Heatwave event and preparing to defend his National Wrestling Alliance Southern States Championship against Anthony Henry at Alternative Pro Wrestling’s Freedom Fight this Friday before the Hate Junkies take on the Urban Assault Squad in a hangman’s match at NWA Anarchy this Saturday. Other discussions included the 1000th episode of WWE Raw, the Gathering of the Juggalos, Dragon*Con Wrestling and more.

Former NWA RPW booker and indie wrestling star Jimmy Rave discusses the recent shakeup at RPW on this week's Georgia Wrestling Now.

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Gotham’s secrets arise in “The Dark Knight Rises”

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Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) contemplates gearing up as Batman again in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

From Gothamites’ speculation on who wears the cape and cowl to comic book and movie fans anticipating the next twist or dark revelation, Batman has always been a character of mystery and intrigue. Perhaps more so than any other movie in recent memory, The Dark Knight Rises is surrounded by the same kind of cautious speculation and protective tactics that have kept Bruce Wayne’s secrets safely hidden for more than 70 years. And much like those who speculate, but would rather not verify, that Wayne and Batman are one and the same, most of those waiting with fervent curiosity to see how this latest big screen adaptation will end would rather find out for themselves than be informed by a review such as this one.

With that in mind, The Dark Knight Rises sees a hobbling Howard Hughes-like Wayne (Christian Bale) seemingly retired from crime fighting eight years after the tragic conclusion of The Dark Knight. Wayne Enterprises is suffering as a result of Wayne’s reclusiveness, but Gotham City is in a time of peace thanks to the Dent Act, which has kept many of Gotham’s most violent criminals behind bars. Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) struggles with revealing the truth about Dent, but realizes Dent’s legacy provides Gotham with the hero it needs. The struggle between keeping secrets or exposing the truth is naturally an ongoing struggle in the Batman mythos, but in The Dark Knight Rises it’s a heavier-than-usual topic in that practically no one is who they seem to be and almost everyone is harboring a darkness of his or her own.

Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) slinks her way into Batman and Bruce Wayne's life in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

From the concern for Wayne’s personal well being that has always haunted his butler Alfred (Michael Caine) to the true intentions of Gotham’s newest (and perhaps most dangerous) villain Bane (Tom Hardy), these secrets gradually work their way to the surface (literally and metaphorically). Throw in a couple of new love interests for Wayne, including Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway, who is never directly referred to as Catwoman, but whose sly, emotionless demeanor is all too familiar to the man who knows a thing or two about repressing feelings), and emotions arise in even more ways. But when the fate of an entire city and its citizens is at stake, these romantic interactions are a bit hokey and unnecessary at times.

Even with Batman, Bane and Catwoman, the real star for much of this film is Gotham City itself. Not the physical landmarks that make up the city (though they are also crucial to certain scenes), but the people of Gotham (including a hot-headed young police officer played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt whose past isn’t all that different from Wayne’s) and how they collectively cope with the anarchy that ensues when Bane obtains some of Wayne’s most destructive gadgets and plunges the city into a war zone. In fact, there’s a good portion of the movie in which Wayne/Batman is hardly seen, leaving Gotham to really show what it’s made of.

Although Bane doesn’t have quite the history with Batman as someone like the Joker, he has been responsible for some of the Dark Knight’s biggest physical and mental defeats. So when he and Batman do battle in The Dark Knight Rises, it is a truly tragic moment capable of sending chills down the viewer’s spine (while doing much worse things to the Bat’s spine). Hardy adequately captures both Bane’s physical brutality and his terroristic intellectualism as he relentlessly cripples Gotham for several weeks. But since Batman is such a big part of what makes Gotham the great city it is, I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by revealing that he does eventually return to save the day (though there is a huge flaw in his return that is hard to overlook).

Tom Hardy captures the intellect and brutality of Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises" (photo by Ron Phillips)

At the beginning of The Dark Knight Rises, many are still distrusting of Batman, holding him responsible for Dent’s death in The Dark Knight. But upon his return to Gotham, he now has an army of disgruntled police officers and other citizens following him into battle, realizing he is likely their last hope. He also has a new flying toy that Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) calls “The Bat” that plays a big part in Gotham’s fate. But, again, the most important things at play in The Rise of the Dark Knight aren’t the most obvious ones. Who lives and dies is almost irrelevant to who these people are at their core, and how their histories intertwine. Nolan definitely brings things full circle in The Dark Knight Rises, with direct references to Batman’s origin story from Batman Begins. But he does so in such a way that each time you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, you’re given another tidbit of history that makes the darkness that much clearer. And even though this is supposedly Nolan’s finale, he leaves many things open-ended enough that I can’t help but wonder if he has been keeping more secrets than we realized when it comes to the outcome of The Dark Knight Rises.

The Dark Knight Rises. Co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Rated PG-13. www.thedarkknightrises.com.