I returned the other day from the Comic Super Heroes Convention (a.k.a. the Schulman Theater) counting the number of comic book heroes that have been turned into motion pictures in the last three years.  Many were abysmal, some were pretty good, and others were actually very entertaining movies.  Chris Nolan’s completion of his Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises” falls into this latter category.  While most comic book super heroes as movies emphasize massive explosions, chases, fight scenes and a plethora of 3-D special effects, Writer/Director Nolan expertly injects symbolism and a psychological element into the movie so that “The Dark Knight Rises” is intellectually stimulating as well as visually exciting.The story takes up where Part Two of Mr. Nolan’s Batman trilogy (“The Dark Knight”) left off.  D.A. Harvey Dent (a.k.a. the psychotic murderer Two Face) is dead, but the people think he was a hero.  So Batman takes the blame for his “murder,” and nursing his crippling wounds, has retired from crime fighting these last few years.  In fact, as alter ego multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, he has retired period, becoming a virtual recluse and letting his business and personal relationships wither and die.  But a chance encounter with cat burglar Selina (a.k.a. Catwoman) revitalizes Wayne and Batman.  Meanwhile Bane, a notoriously brutal mercenary launches an amazingly well organized attack that imprisons Batman, and holds all of Gotham City hostage, threatening apocalypse.Recalling the mystical/spiritual elements of “Batman Begins,” Mr. Nolan injects plenty of symbolism into the movie, most notably the Christ-like elements of Bruce Wayne’s sacrificial service.  We see a man born a king and humbled to poverty; a humiliating descent into the bowels of hell, followed by a miraculous resurrection, fighting the apparently unbeatable devil/Bane, while betrayed by those he has trusted, Bruce Wayne/Batman is Gotham City’s Savior.  But other allegories are present as well:  commentary on current events regarding civic duty, capitalism, and class warfare are sprinkled profusely throughout the film.The cast is excellent, simply because they play against type, with each role taking on a different persona than what the audience expects, and all reflecting the brokenness that requires the salvation only the Batman can bring.  Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) plays Bruce Wayne/Batman as psychologically injured, a formerly powerful man lacking confidence, in stark contrast to his debonair playboy in previous films.  Anne Hathaway (“Love and Other Drugs”) injects a sense of fear and insecurity to Selina/Catwoman, a covetous woman, envious and at the same time disdainful of the wealthy.  Gary Oldman (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) is Commissioner Gordon, a man saddled with horrendously overwhelming regrets.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Inception”) plays orphan cop Blake struggling for hope.  Tom Hardy (“Inception”) plays the invincible Bane with an unquenchable bravado and an ultimate weakness.  Marion Cotillard (“La Vie En Rose”) portrays the incredibly affluent and sensitive Miranda, a woman with a shady past.  Alfred is played by the estimable Michael Caine (“The Prestige”) who employs a thick cockney accent to show Alfred’s poor roots.  Morgan Freeman (“Red”) shows the fallible nature of genius Fox.  While not necessarily nuanced, the roles are certainly different.“The Dark Knight Rises” is a thoroughly enjoyable movie with a wonderfully complex script, and is an apt reflection of Chris Nolan’s vision.  Mr. Nolan makes movies that emphasize the mind, and how it plays tricks on people, then he manipulatively plays that exact trick on the audience.   The trick in “The Dark Knight Rises” is that things are not what they at first appear: you can fool yourself into thinking something that isn’t really so.