'The Dark Knight Rises' reviews are finally here. While most critics have yet to see the film, a handful of early reviews hit the web last night to give us our first sense of how Christopher Nolan closed out his 'Dark Knight' trilogy. So what's the verdict?

Let's check in with six 'Dark Knight Rises' reviews from top critics around the web:

Drew McWeeny, HitFix.com - "We may never see superhero films quite like these again, and that's fine.  Nolan had something special to say with his time in the trenches, and he's ended on his own terms.  I suspect that the reaction to the film will be hotly divided, but I'm firmly on the side that this is a triumph, a victory for all involved, and one of the year's most impressive efforts so far in any genre, on any subject."

Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter - "A truly grand finale raises Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy to the peak of big-screen comic book adaptations...Big-time Hollywood filmmaking at its most massively accomplished, this last installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy makes everything in the rival Marvel universe look thoroughly silly and childish....It's a blockbuster by any standard."

Justin Chang, Variety - "Running an exhilarating, exhausting 164 minutes, Nolan's trilogy-capping epic sends Batman to a literal pit of despair, restoring him to the core of a legend that questions, and powerfully affirms, the need for heroism in a fallen world. If it never quite matches the brilliance of 2008's 'The Dark Knight,' this hugely ambitious action-drama nonetheless retains the moral urgency and serious-minded pulp instincts that have made the Warners franchise a beacon of integrity in an increasingly comicbook-driven Hollywood universe."

Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire - "An action opus that manages at to be both viscerally and intellectually engaging, Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated third Batman film comes full circle, examining both the Dark Knight and the society that produced him without sacrificing any of the sweeping thrills for which the series is known. A literate, thoughtful and invigorating finale, 'The Dark Knight Rises' delivers everything audiences ask for and then some, albeit in fewer of the ways that they might expect."

Jim Vejvoda, IGN - "So is The Dark Knight Rises better than The Dark Knight? If you were one of those fans who prefer Batman Begins to TDK then you’ll find much to love about TDKR. And if you weren’t then no Batman film will ever match TDK for you."

Matthew Leyland, Total Film - "And yes, it is The End, a resounding resolution for what Batman Begins begun. Threads from that film are picked up, lengthened and strengthened, bringing a staunch integrity - in every sense - to the overall arc. Is it perfect? Factor in some clunky catch-up exposition near the start, a cringey log-fire love scene and moments where Hans Zimmer's score nearly foghorns the actors off the screen and the answer's no. An even bigger question: is it up there with The Dark Knight? Not quite."

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