The Dark Knight is entering its fifth weekend in theatres and it has been number one for a month now. Christopher Nolan definitely got it right. I loved this movie (I saw it on opening night with some great movie goers). I realized years ago that I usually don’t know my explicit reason for liking a movie, but I seem to intrinsically get a feeling.
Unfortunately, that makes it easy for me to think that everyone else must also have loved this movie. This must be the case with its box office success, right? But recently, a coworker made me stop and think when she mentioned she didn’t care that much for it and that it was too long.
I realize now that I loved this movie because it wasn’t necessarily just a Batman movie, which I think may have thrown people. It was a movie of richer content and good, clear symbolism. My personal opinion; this was not a Batman movie. It wasn’t even a Joker movie. It was a movie, or statement if you will, about society and chaos and how we deal with fantastic situations in our day to day lives.
The elements…
This movie was heavily rooted in reality, which gave it even more credibility. Unlike Iron Man, which was really a technical designer’s dream in 10 to 20 years, the Dark Knight could have very easily occurred today. The technology used and the structure of the city of Gotham was very ‘now.’
The Joker was played perfectly by Ledger; his mannerisms, his movement, his wimpering voice transcending to a maniacal, booming, ferocious animal and his constant licking of his wounds all drew you in to his character. In fact, there wasn’t a poor performance in this movie. I believed every actor was their character.
The structure of the Gotham Police Department was well developed and I appreciated the display of all these officials truly trying to protect Gotham despite such chaotic happenings. Nolan created a true juxtaposition of society versus chaos and brought out the concept deliberately when all characters realize the Joker was truly just trying to “corrupt the best of us.” For any effect the Joker truly needed Batman, and ultimately needed Gotham City.
Ironically, I think the best demonstration of this was in a set design detail which included an 18-wheeler. The carnival truck housing the Joker and his goons originally had the slogan, “Laughter, the best medicine.” Someone (I assume the Joker) had changed this with a blood red “S” to “sLaughter, the best medicine.” This fine detail elaborates the chaotic symbolism and fragile balance even more so.
In the end…
So really, people didn’t see a movie about Batman even though it had to be advertised that way for needed buzz. Nolan wrapped a theme about great people in society fighting chaos around all his characters using character design and writing to its fullest. This, to me, is true use of character. It’s not about them, but what they represent. Society versus chaos; it was a statement in a Batman movie that I hope everyone, even just intrinsically, get.
I’ve been saying this since I saw the movie. Forget great Batman movie, or great comic book movie.. It’s a great movie period.
The characters, the direction, the imagery are spot on.
Good review of the movie.
Good review, Mike.
Just a thought: Do you think the film was edited in a way that placed more focus on the Joker given Ledger’s death? I’ll admit I am not sure about the timelines for the postproduction of the film and where it stood at the time of his death, but it would be interesting to know if one affected the other.
I heard some say that the amazing box office take was mostly due to curiosity over Ledger’s last role. I have to disagree – people are seeing it again and again because, like Rick says, it’s a great movie, period.
@Bonnie: I would want to say ‘no’ to focusing on the Joker because of Ledger’s death. He was a corner stone character for what this movie was about and that wouldn’t make sense to me. If it seemed that way I would argue, along with my post above, that Batman was grouped with Gotham City and the movie was really Gotham against the Joker.
In the end I think people would have given Ledger just as much credit for a great performance regardless of what happened, but unfortunately we will never know.
For more Dark Knight check out this great post by Brett Boyko:
A Study in Rebranding: Part 1
A Study in Rebranding: Part 2
Great piece!
Agreed that the emphasis is on society vs. chaos– Joker even says he’s an “agent of chaos” yes? (One of my friends swore it as “angel of chaos” but I think that they misheard.)
Ledger was amazing- savage and strange. But I thought this film was solidly cast down to the cameos. I think Aaron Eckhardt was amazing given his character’s arc and I also found Gary Oldman really effective- he’s an actor with a tendency towards the flamboyant so his masterful underplaying here seemed especially powerful.
Having read a few pieces about Nolan and the making of the movie, 9/11 and the way it changed everything did have an impact on the film.
But the best quote I have heard in relation to the film comes from Sir Michael Caine. To paraphrase: “Superman is how America sees itself- Batman is how the rest of the world sees America.” Factor that in and it gets even more interesting.
I loved the film and was totally mesmerized by Ledger’s performance. I don’t buy a lot of movies on DVD but I plan on getting this when it comes out.