One of the most influential and relevant movies that I believe is currently influencing our media and culture is The Dark Knight. Although just recently released, it has already shattered almost all box office records and has restored the superhero Batman to the respected and idolized comic book character he once was.
This movie is very important to me for many reasons. First, it shatters all preconceptions
one might have of the Batman legend. In the movie, Batman is conveyed as a person just like
you and me who faces tough moral decisions, and that these decisions have consequences and
that one does not always make the right one. Unlike other superheroes, Batman has no special powers, and this aspect is very apparent in the movie. Batman is often powerless towards the seemingly endless reach and power of the darkness and crime that rules his home, Gotham City.
This movie is also very important to me because it extends beyond the archetype of “just a superhero movie”. This movie is so realistic one cannot even call it a superhero movie. Strip
away the costumes and the capes, and The Dark Knight becomes an intricate, realistic, and
symbolic crime drama, exploring the inner workings of both good and evil men’s choices and the inevitable repercussions of their actions and these choices. I relate so well to the Batman
character portrayed in The Dark Knight because I am often faced with heavily weighted choices in which there seems to be no right answer, just like the ones Batman, his friends, and even his counterparts must face during the course of the movie.
In addition to being the most relatable and realistic of any Batman related media to ever
emerge in our culture, it also brings back the grandeur, mystery, and fear that comprise the
legend of Batman, The Dark Knight. Batman’s enemies are portrayed as merciless and reckless, having no regard for human life and destroying anyone in their path. Batman is often forced to delve into a morally grey area in order to preserve what he believes is the greater good of the people. This reminds me of America and its current situation with the War on Terror. Our country’s leaders often have to forgo the moral high ground in order to preserve the integrity of our nation and keep our citizens safe.
This new world of Batman presented in the Dark Knight is criticized by some as being too
dark and morally complex. However, this is the way the real world is. There are very rarely
happy endings, and every action and decision has a consequence. With this movie the Dark
Knight, the Batman has transcended the restrictions of being just a comic book character and has become an icon that people of all ages can appreciate and relate to. Batman is no longer a
superhero. Rather, he is now deemed a hero not because of his cape and costume and his crime fighting abilities, but rather because of the difficult moral decisions he is forced to confront and his ultimately selfless but unrecognized acts that, in the movie, make him loathed by some, but make this new symbol of Batman that the Dark Knight creates, loved by many who see the movie.
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1 comment:
Your topic was a great one to write on. This movie greatness comes from its moral complexity, and I totally agree that it is more than just a superhero movie. I like that you made the war on terror an example of how this movie relates to society, but i think more examples of that could have made it stronger. Comparing him to our world leaders was a good idea, too.
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