The Dark Knight

[jij]

My thoughts on this are still a bit jumbled, so forgive me if they tend to tumble over each other a bit.  I've written this without looking at any other reviews for the movie because I didn't want mine to be in reaction to them.  So bear with me if I state the obvious that's been hashed over a dozen times, or seem really stupid.  :)

In George

Comments

[jij]

I'm glad I enjoyed it too! I didn't think I would at times based on what I'd heard.

I'm curious about what you'd have to say in private to me. I'm sure we'll run into each other sometime.

[saavikam77]

Excellent analysis!

I found also that the Joker seemed to be saying that the biggest joke is the illusion of the civility of man, and just wanted people to see how much of a joke it was.

[jij]

I found also that the Joker seemed to be saying that the biggest joke is the illusion of the civility of man, and just wanted people to see how much of a joke it was.

Yeah, it's very much "Killing Joke" Joker, which I've never actually read! But I know the story and it seems very similar to this Joker. He wants to teach us all the absurdity of life! It's a hard lesson but he's willing to beat it into our thick skulls...*shudder*

[arch_schatten]

I think, in the long run, Batman's sacrifice is actually useful for the Mission. Batman is not supposed to be hope for the innocent and punishment for the guilty -at least in the streets. Which is an image too big for any man and one of the reasons why Bruce makes mistakes and gets so frustrated, because living to that imageof Jury, Judge and Executioner is impossible, but Joker proves right there that without inspiring a deep fear, Batman faces criminals with a handicap. If the world believes Batman will kill you or worse... in truth, I think in comics that's kind of a given. Criminals don't widely know Batman won't kill them, they beg for their lives. So... I guess it will come as an useful deception, once our hopeful movie!Bruce gets around the idea

[jij]

If the world believes Batman will kill you or worse... in truth, I think in comics that's kind of a given. Criminals don't widely know Batman won't kill them, they beg for their lives.

Maroni's sneering dismissal of Batman makes a good case for him deliberately being seen as a killer. If Maroni thinks he might just kill him, he wouldn't need to be dropping him off buildings. I've...always assumed criminals think Batman kills and that the whole non-killing thing is a P.R. stunt. Why do they beg for their lives if he's a pacifist?

I should not go around comparing Batman to Jesus, lol, but that moment felt perfect for Gordon and Batman. I think Bruce is a perfect scapegoat, in the very old religious sense. That's part of what Nolan is trying to tap into, I think--the person who takes the sins of the world on himself and bears them for people. Yes, Christ is a form of scapegoat, but I think it's more primal than that as well. (Although I like Jim as Judas quite a lot! Oh man, a bunny with 30 pieces of silver...I'm way behind on

[jij]

I'm not exactly disagreeing with you here, but Nolan seems to argue otherwise when he has Maroni just sneer at him--even after getting thrown off a roof and his legs broken--that no one will talk to Batman because the Joker will kill them and they know Batman won't. If Maroni honestly thought Batman would kill him he might have talked right away and Batman wouldn't have had to break his legs, so he could potentially save a lot of actual torture that way. I'd rather have Batman seen as a murderer if it might cut down on the actual torture he has to do.

Though I'm sure that's not an either/or proposition, really. It would handy if it were, but I doubt it would be in actual practice.

[anonymous]

This is the best review I've read for this movie. I think mostly because I agree with pretty much everything you say.
I think the Joker was well casted and well played in this movie.
I also agree that the message of the human spirit being worth making sacrifices for is a beautiful message.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[jij]

This is the best review I've read for this movie. I think mostly because I agree with pretty much everything you say.

Oh, well, that's kind of the definition of a good review, isn't it? ;) I found the movie very inspiring, in a dark and gloomy way. Life stripped down to the bones of what you're willing to do for people... I'm glad you enjoyed it as well!

[starsandsea]

I need to go see it again before I can get any words down, I think! (I know, I know, I keep saying that! :p But it looks like it might actually be happening, so yay! :D)

I agree with you about the scene of the boats! I was on the edge of my seat because I really didn't know what was going to happen. It seems silly to say this, but that scene restored my faith in humanity. I think I was on edge because in one of the trailers before the film there had been a joke about two men having sex, and I could hear people behind me going 'ewww' at the sight of two men seemingly having sex and grrrrr!!!! If only they knew there was a slasher only a few seats away from them... :p. Also, seated opposite me was someone who looked freakily like Jim Gordon! I was double taking everytime I saw him out the corner of my eye, lol. So, I really liked that scene

[jij]

I need to go see it again before I can get any words down, I think! (I know, I know, I keep saying that! :p But it looks like it might actually be happening, so yay! :D)

I hope so! I think we'll be going next week again. I really need to be able to watch it more...clinically, and less, uh, woobily. :)

It seems silly to say this, but that scene restored my faith in humanity.That's funny, I said exactly the same thing (including the, "this sounds silly...") to DaMo after the movie. I just...really didn't know what would happen. Maybe that means I'm awfully cynical, but it seemed very reasonable to me that someone would press that detonator