Note: Unfinished, non-formatted version - was completed in college. This is still pretty much 95% of the gist of it. Ignore reminder notes, it's how I roll.
Running Head (Reminder): Under Cover of Knight
Title Page: Under Cover of Knight:
Analysis of Nolan-Batman 2
Jean Calixte
ENC2102-N2
Prof. Masterson
February 24, 2011
Title Insert: Under Cover of Knight:
Analysis of Nolan-Batman 2
Intro: Transcending the comic book movie.
Since the resurgence of film's based on comic book properties in the late 90's, certain expectations were established. The 'origin story' is essentially a sub-genre in itself, and we watch a relatively normal man or woman become a costumed superhero. The 'sequel story' raises the stakes for our hero, who at this point usually questions their role, and presents the requisite greater challenge. This progression certainly appears formulaic, yet it has become standard practice for the comic book movie. Still, in this progression we witnessed the X-Men sequel X2: X-Men United and Spider-Man sequel Spider-Man 2 push what was expected of their class to successful heights. The sequel to 2005's Batman Begins would follow suit with a strong entry to its series, but under no formulaic, standard fare. What we came to know as The Dark Knight (henceforth known as TDK), released in July of 2008, not only elevated past superhero film expectations, it transcended the general medium. It would actually appear to mitigate TDK's strength as a film if you were to mention its comic book roots. How this came to be is no small feat, and one that warrants at least one more analysis.
Para 1: What is The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight is the sequel to Batman Begins, a 2005 reboot of the Batman franchise directed by Christopher Nolan. After a critical and commercial failure in Batman & Robin from nearly a decade prior, a number of changes ushered in the modern incarnation of our live-action superhero. Gone was the stylish goth of Tim Burton's '89 Batman, and certainly expelled were the hyper expressive antics of Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin. Instead we were reintroduced to a darker, realistic tale of a young man driven to be a costumed crime fighter. After the toppling the challenges of his origin tale, the Batman is given an ominous warning from an ally, of caution against "escalation" and a mysterious criminal with his own "taste of theatrics" (Thomas, Franco, Roven, Melniker, Uslan, 2005). These warnings would come to pass in TDK, where the escalation of the bleakest sort prevails, and a villain of theatrical sensibility emerges. Batman, now settled into a mythical status within the fictional Gotham City, must face intensely complicated challenges. He finds no quarter in his life as either Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy, or the Batman, masked avenger. With his personal value system put to the test by a madmen, Bruce learns that being Batman is no longer something he wants to do - but a necessity. He learns that his actions have consequences, and if a shining knight is to bear them in the name of good, he must accept that he will not be regarded as a white knight...
Para 2: Who are The Dark Knight.
A film of this scope was aided by a particular strong cast, under the supervision of an unlikely director. Returning as Bruce Wayne/Batman is Christian Bale, who viewed this film as a lonier[sic] outing for his character (Dargis, 2008). Not adding as much muscle for the role due to an updated suit that offered the actor unprecedented physical range (compared to the previous actors who could barely turn their head in costume), Bale now expressed Batman's external difficulties, no longer insulating the death of his parents (Gilchrist, 2008). Always at his side is Bruce's trusty butler Alfred, again portrayed by Michael Caine. Elevated from the usual role in past movies, you are left to wonder if Bruce could ever succeed without Alfred, such is the strength of the character. Lucious Fox, played by the returning Morgan Freeman, once again acts as Batman's chief utility supplier. It would seem he has deduced Batman's identity by now, though that may have been true as early as the second time Bruce requested items in Batman Begins! Lucious plays a bigger here, and Freeman more than delivers the plight of a friend who can only do so much. Also returning is the Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, not yet the iconic Commissioner rank of his comic self[citation?]. Historically seen as an ally to Batman despite the lawlessness involved, Gordon learns that his warning of escalation would not spare him by movie's finale.
Joining the already impressive cast are two standouts and a surprisingly welcomed replacement. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Batman Begins' Katie Holmes as Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes. Being somewhat a deciding factor for Batman's very existence, Maggie portrays Dawes with noted "energy" and "depth" (Gilchrist, 2008). Carrying the weight of a pivotal role on his shoulders, Aaron Eckhart is District Attorney Harvey Dent. Though Batman's story was revealed in the previous movie, and the Joker appears as if a random storm, Eckhart's Dent conveys the true evolution and origin of a final act villain from the comics. And finally, though unforgettably, the late Heath Ledger's turn as the much discussed villain the Joker. Heath Ledger died in January of 2008 while TDK was still being edited. His death cast a dark shadow over an already unexpectedly dark film, but few were prepared for his portrayal - a key performance to be examined later. Rounding out the cast with a smaller but key role is Eric Roberts as the crime boss Sal Maroni. Begins villain Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, returns in a brief cameo, again portrayed by Cillian Murphy. Of course, this cast is directed by Nolan, who returns to tell a darker tale written by his brother (Jonathan Nolan) and himself. Not even using a second unit, Nolan surely watched over every shot of the film (Dargis, 2008).
Para 3: How is The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight abandons the cramp, amber alleys of Batman Begins' Gotham City for a cleaner, orderly presentation of the city. Like colors of a painting, this only increases the contrast between order and the coming chaos. True to the theme of escalation, what begins as Batman's successful crack down on Gotham's mobs leaves an opportunity for a mysterious villain to coax the desperate mob heads to hire him. The Joker, however, had bigger plans than simply killing Batman for mobsters. We see this plan unfold with waking senses, similar to the terrible awe reserved for broadcast calamity. Surely wonder (and hope) that things can't possibly get any worse for Bruce and his friends. But they do, we feel it because we're familiar with the stakes. Bruce sees both Rachel and Harvey as happy endings, reasons to retire the cape and cowl. The Joker manages to ruin both reasons, however, and effortlessly considering he hasn't a clue who Batman really is (Ebert, 2008). So we watch things get worse, and how the order of Gotham and the protagonists of the story unravel in response to a madman's whim. Putting yourself in these character's shoes would simply not do; this isn't as easy yelling a screen telling a scream-queen the monster is right behind her, and subsequently thinking, "Well I would have looked over my shoulder."
What would you do if your salvation both in and out of costume was threatened by a self proclaimed "agent of chaos" who's more interested in killing your loved ones than actually killing you? How could you at once be a shining beacon of the city, a public official even, but know to catch this same man you may have to suspend the principals that made you who you are? How about being an officer of the law, whose relationship with an outlaw makes you a target of assassination? These questions don't even begin to explore some of the more powerful choices of the film, almost all uniformly revealing the darker recesses of our nature.Wall Street Journal's Morgenstern notes in his review, "Every motive is mixed. Every effort to banish criminals has unintended consequences" (2008). This film has little in the way of right answers, perfect decisions, or correct counter-strategies. The heroes, and by extension the viewers, are eternally locked between two evils. We must choose the lesser of the two, and no outcome feels remotely like a victory. This escalation, this overwhelming sense of dread, is what TDK brings to the table of film. Do you even remember that this is all based on a $2.99 per issue comic book series? And as the title secretly promised, we all would know what it means to be a 'Dark Knight' by film's end (Gilchrist, 2008).
Para 4: Batman and Harvey Two-Face.
Providing an interesting dichotomy within the ranks of the heroes is Batman and Harvey Dent. Batman moves around the law to face the criminal element, while Dent works within the law as a proactive public defender - arguably doing just as good a job. But as Bruce comes closer to the light provided by Dent's service to Gotham, Dent is ever more exposed to the grim realities of city no longer exclusively threatened by mobsters. It is now men with "tastes for theatrics" that run loose now, and he isn't prepared for what he'll be forced to endure. Add to that the love triangle between himself, Bruce, and Rachel. He's mostly unaware, though it is also Bruce who is unaware of Rachel's honest devotion to Dent. It is in fact a powerful decision by Alfred that spares Bruce the crushing realization, which itself is another example of a hard choice. Batman and Harvey Dent are the knights of the story, and their fortitude is tested by the circumstances. But like Batman, it would seem all Dent needed was "One bad day" (Moore, 1988). By the end of the film you will witness one man's descent into despair, and after a significant loss, emotional, psychological breakdown.
Batman and who would be Harvey Two-Face, are really two sides of one coin in the end. Avengers both, but only one will bear the fruits of the others actions. Harvey Dent will always be the white knight, and Batman the dark knight. Why this is so is a testament to this film's mastery.
Para 5: The Joker.
By the time we see Joker is all his gangly twisted visage, he had already amassed a kill count of half a dozen. This would triple by movie's end. The Joker is without remorse, and seemingly without reason. He acts, just as a volcano or hurricane acts. And like those events we suffer, random catastrophe at the behest of a killer clown. What is truly scary about Heath Ledger's final performance is that we never really know why Joker is what he is. He recounts with his own origins with all the credibility of a mental patient diagnosing himself; twice in the movie, both completely different stories. Or perhaps both are true? Or more likely he's just entertaining you before he finally kills you. Heath Ledger finds a way to convey this insanity with a hidden layer of brilliance. After all a man who antagonizes the mob, the police, and the Batman all at once may not be as insane as we'd like him to be. By the final moments of the film, you may even discover his ultimate 'point' in motion. His very mannerisms are unnerving, you can't decide if his obsessive lip licking and limped steps are a part of his act or some compulsive disorder (Dargis, 2008). You'd even swear he was a drug addict if not for the pressing thought that somebody like him may actually be too wise to impair himself using drugs.
It is the Joker who masterminds most of the unrest for our heroes and even some other villains. The source of his philosophies and destructive tendencies may elude us for some time, especially as the actor who understood him best has passed away, but a character so deranged as Joker and so masterfully played by Ledger deserves to remain a sealed tomb of work. Heath Ledger's Joker is a moment in time.
Para 6: Morality of the Dark Knight.
This leads to one of TDK's more provocative themes: morality in an amoral conflict. This touches on the earlier comments regarding hard choices. It would seem following the law would have not fared well against Joker's gambits, and yet the Batman didn't come any closer to defeating the Joker. Harvey Dent flirted with murder just for the Joker's whereabouts, and Batman severely assaulted the crime boss Maroni for the same information. Even Officer Gordon was forced to act in a way his family would have to suffer from just to match Joker move for deceptive move. Lucious Fox isn't spared, as he is witness and accessory to Batman using more of Bruce's assets to get the job done in a way we Americans can relate to in a post-9/11, heightened security world. Given all the choices the characters had to bear, trying to force order against unhinged chaos, would your own choices be any different? What could you have done in any of heroes places that could have garnered victory, save for outright killing the Joker during his 2nd act capture - and even that would have lead to tragic consequences! And as far as moral choices go, one need look no further than the two ships scene. Morgenstern notes:
The whole movie is a social experiment on a global scale, an ambitious, lavish attempt to see if audiences will turn out for a comic-book epic that goes beyond darkness into Stygian bleakness, grim paradox, endless betrayals and pervasive corruption (2008).[block quote, asshole don't forget]
Para 7: Impressions of the Dark Knight.
The combination of memorable characters, seamless story telling, mounting drama, and compelling insight makes The Dark Knight more than a Batman movie. It's at times a mirror, showing you things you rather not see if given a choice. And at the same time it is a messenger, warning you the threat of power to change things - to escalate them beyond your own expectations. And yes, you may still enjoy yourself, as the requisite action sprinkled throughout hit their marks with ease. Batman fans will not be disappointed when they see iconic enemies Batman and Joker face off. General movie goers will be mesmerized by Nolan's tale of a bright city overcome by dark people. This may be one of the smartest summer blockbusters since... Batman Begins. It changes the face of not only high end summer films, but comic book movies in general. Unless you want to make a tradition tale of origins and greater challenges, you can now believe that a superhero tale can be much more. The Dark Knight excels in every possible form, fantasy, crime drama, mystery, suspense, and action. It demands to be recognized by virtue of itself. Even if such a thing as Batman never existed, you will watch this costumed affair with respectful intent.
Conclusion: Seven points summarized, and transcending the comic book movie.
The Dark Knight pays off the promises of Batman Begins' final notes, and transcends what we have come to expect from the comic book sequel. What we have are incredibly filled out characters living a story where order descends into chaos. We're watching actors vanish and characters take their place. We witness two knights, both noble, but both tested to the limits of human compassion. We try to understand a socially formless man as he proves to the world that we're all just a little bit like him. The choices force us to reflect on ourselves and our own moralities. And finally, we're left with a film that will linger whether we read comics or not. Christopher Nolan and his amazing cast left a mark that refuses to be forgotten, and rightfully so. And although the part was disturbing, Heath Ledger left the world with a final act IGN's Gilchrist imagined would be analyzed in the months following the movie (2008). Well his contributions are remembered in this essay, three years removed from the curtains first rising. It may not be the last analysis for him of the fine film.
Ref. Page: References
Dargis, M. (2008, July) Showdown in Gotham Town. The New York Times. Retrieved on February 22, 2011 from
http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/movies/18knig.html
Ebert, R. (2008, July) The Dark Knight. Chicago Sun-Times. Retried on February 22, 2011 from
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...views/55996637
Gilchrist, T. (2008, July) The Dark Knight Review. Movies Review at IGN. Retrived on February 22, 2011 from
http://movies.ign.com/articles/884/884876p1.html
Moore, A. (March, 1988) Batman: The Killing Joke. DC Comics.
Morgenstern, J. (2008, July) Ledger Dazzles in Suffocatingly Dark 'Knight'. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on February 22, 2011 from
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121632327909562803.html
Thomas, E., Franco, L.J., Roven, C., Melniker B., Uslan, M. (2005, June) Batman Begins. DC Comics. Legendary Pictures. Syncopy Films. Patalex Productions.
