The movie repeatedly refers to events that happened in past movies as though viewers are intimately familiar with those details. If you don't really remember what happened there, be prepared for an eternity (2:45) of asking what's going on. Thankfully though, there is still enough new material to keep the movie reasonably interesting on its own.

I was left feeling unclear about Bane's motives for wanting control of Gotham City and I didn't understand the financial arrangements that Bane invoked to inflict pain.

Plenty of the police elements were ridiculous, for example, how could the sewer gang grow so large without the police knowing about it? Furthermore, Bane not only pre-empts, but relies upon some of the police's actions even though those actions are only triggered by what's presented as genius breakthroughs.

Batman's habit of refusing to use guns is childishly naïve, inconsistent and it occasionally causes the deaths of police. This is a movie that gave me a strong urge to yell at the screen and give advice to the main character.