The Dark Knight

Originally posted on August 20, 2008

Warning Spoiler: Although if you haven’t seen the movie by now you probably don’t care.

This is not intended to be a review (I leave that to guys like Nate Bell who know how to write reviews) but a personal reflection touching on the themes and characters that I found intriguing and provocative in the movie. The reason I waited so long to write this is because I wanted time to process the movie and let my emotions come down. Furthermore, I wanted to hear what other people were saying about the movie, critics and moviegoers alike. So what I’m about to say I’ve given a lot of thought to and discussed it with peers whom I respect. The popularity of this movie, as well as the character of Batman himself, I believe reveals a little something about us that is worth writing about, “So…here…we…go.”

Christopher Nolan wanted to make an action movie that was very different than the typical action movie. Nolan wanted a darker, more despairing, and twisted movie. He did so by casting Heath Ledger as the Joker. I admit that I was initially skeptical, much like everyone else, with that casting. I was hoping it wasn’t a Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom type of casting, which made Spider-Man 3 suck so badly. After the first couple of Joker scenes I was immediately hooked on the character. That is the difference between Topher Grace and Heath Ledger, namely, talent. Critics are saying that it was Ledger’s definitive work. Well, I don’t know about you but I would rather be remembered as the best Joker than a gay cowboy but that’s just me. I would have to agree with the critics on that one.

A scene between Alfred (Michael Caine) and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) in a dialogue discussing the Joker described him the best, “Some men are not after power…some men just want to watch the world burn.” There is no rhyme or reason for the Joker’s menacing acts. He is evil personified.

It’s clear that Nolan took the genre of comic book movies to an entirely different place. I was completely exhausted after the movie and it wasn’t even the action scenes. It was the themes of moral complexity that make movies like “Hellboy II” and “The Incredible Hulk” look like, well, comic books. Most comic book movies rely on the action to keep the audience engaged, but the action in The Dark Knight was just part of the detail (although they kick some serious tail. I mean, who’s going to forget the Bat-pod coming out of the Batmobile and flipping over an eighteen-wheeler?).

The complexity of Batman’s character and the themes and sub themes in the movie related to him made it difficult for me to synthesize my thoughts. As a result, I decided to just talk about a few things realizing that I could probably go on forever. First, there is something that separates Batman from other superheroes. He is human. How he attained his superhero abilities is his extraordinary capacity for self-discipline. Second, he is a billionaire who uses his resources in order to have the best technology at his disposal to fight crime. Finally, the idea of him becoming a superhero was born out of tragedy.

No, Batman did not come from the plant Krypton or have mutant genes. He is just like everyone of us. Human. In Batman Begins, he devoted himself to fighting crime by intense training. But he didn’t stop with mere fighting abilities. He has the intelligence, savvy, and wit that makes him a great detective as well. Simply put, he has the brain to go with the bron.

This is a reminder that if we truly want to achieve anything worth while it will take discipline, sacrifice, and resolve. So often I just want things handed to me. That’s not how the world works. People who are naturally gifted have a tendency to be arrogant or struggle with being egocentric. Professional athletes are a perfect example whereas those who work extremely hard to achieve their accomplishments tend to have a greater appreciation for the end result. A few questions to think about related to this idea: how many people devote themselves with such intensity for a purpose that brings peace and justice for others instead of self-glorification? Am I just as motivated to do something if it only works out for other people’s benefit the way Bruce Wayne/Batman does? If I had the resources that Bruce Wayne does, what would I do with them?

Again, the whole idea of Batman was born out of tragedy. Here is a person who lost his parents at a young age and realized that the world is not a safe place. Interestingly, Batman’s enemies also suffer tragedy in their own lives but react to it much differently. In The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent and Batman suffered the same tragedy when the Joker killed Rachel Dawes. Although Batman mourned her death and even had doubts about continuing the good fight, he fought on. Harvey Dent, however, did not stay the course but turned into Two-Face. What tragedy does is bring to light the darkest part of our soul. It reveals who we truly are and what matters to us most. In the beginning of the film, it would seem that justice was what mattered most to Harvey Dent. But as the foreshadowing line, “You either die the hero or live long enough to become the villain” shows, what mattered most to Harvey Dent was Rachael Dawes. When he loses her, he loses his entire mission, his purpose became twisted, and his heart was darkened with hatred.

What’s the difference between the two? The difference was that Batman knew there was a cost for his crusade for justice. He had suffered tragedy before as a young child and almost lost his way trying to make sense of it all. In Batman Begins, we learn that Bruce Wayne was wrestling his inner demons of guilt and anger. The conflict nearly led to uncontrollable rage that threatened to destroy him. However, he did not lose his way but stayed focus and as a result was now equipped for the fight. He faced his fears, conquered them, and used the very image that he was fearful of (a Bat) and turned it into an incorruptible symbol that would strike fear into the hearts of those who prey on the innocent. He took that which was evil in his life and turned it for good.

So why is Batman so popular? There is this idea of how one reacts to tragedy and suffering. At a young age, after his parents were taken from him, Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to making sure that this would not happen to anyone else. In contrast, the villains in the Batman world when faced with decisions after a tragedy felt as though the world owed them something and decided to take it, no matter what the cost to others. Bruce Wayne made a decision to rise above his circumstances, and this is what I believe makes the Batman character arguably the most intriguing comic book hero because we aspire to be someone like this. Once again, he is human and struggles with the same things that you and I do everyday. When faced with a difficult decision will we be incorruptible and do the right thing? According to how much this movie has made, I think we at least want to try.