Now this was an interesting movie. It seemed pretty political to me.
Batman is a metaphor for America, and the Joker represents Islamic terrorism. There are a lot of clues to this in their characters and it’s important to keep in mind as you watch the movie.
Batman is portrayed with a seriously flawed character. He doesn’t do things b/c they are right. Rather he tends to react emotionally in a reckless manner, to satisfy his selfish interests.
When he beats up the Joker in his prison cell, Batman is acting out of personal anger, not justice. He is not trying to get information to save innocent citizens, but is only frantically trying to save the girl he loves. It is made clear that he is in a state of rage—that he is out of control.
Also, he makes the wrong choice. He selfishly chooses rescuing his girl over Dent, who is the hope to save all of Gotham.
Interestingly, Gotham acknowledges that Batman’s dirty work was necessary, but now they want Harvey Dent and a new era. At the end, the authorities of Gotham say something like “Batman will have to pay for his crimes eventually.” Keeping the movie’s metaphors in mind, I think this is actually a pretty sinister statement.
Then there is the “sonar” issue between Batman and Morgan Freeman. It appears to argue both sides of the “government spying on citizens” debate, but ultimately gives the moral high ground to Morgan F. who represents the liberal position. Morgan does agree to do it “just this once,” but it’s still clearly the wrong thing to do and he announces his resignation. Pointedly, the invention later goes haywire on Batman and almost gets him killed.
On a side note—Joker destroying the batmobile with a bazooka represents 9/11. Batman is baffled, afraid and full of self-doubt after encountering the Joker. He can deal with street criminals, but not terrorists. He plans to resign—to just give up. Kind of lame, to say the least.
Also, note that at the end of the movie, Batman departs in the much more modest (and vulnerable) batcycle.
6 comments:
I haven't seen the movie yet so I will certainly be watching it from a different perspective.
Although I definitely agree with the parallels you are drawing between the liberal view of the US and Islam nations and the movie- many sections were quite preachy and definitely liberal. But I would like it if you could expand a little more about HOW Batman and Joker are as the US and Islam countries, more specifically in the beginning of the blog.
Batman is portrayed with a seriously flawed character. He doesn’t do things b/c they are right. Rather he tends to react emotionally in a reckless manner, to satisfy his selfish interests.
When he beats up the Joker in his prison cell, Batman is acting out of personal anger, not justice. He is not trying to get information to save innocent citizens, but is only frantically trying to save the girl he loves. It is made clear that he is in a state of rage—that he is out of control.
Also, he makes the wrong choice. He selfishly chooses rescuing his girl over Dent, who is the hope to save all of Gotham.
***With all of these statements, are you saying that the film producers were trying to show the US as impulsive and as poor decision makers? Or are you saying that this scene is MEANT to be taken otherwise but that the way it came out is as you described? I'm just trying to figure out if you are arguing that it's a wrong (or too liberal) storyline with propaganda, or if they attempted to show anti-US Propaganda but were unsuccessful because they contradicted themselves? I'm just trying to understand because I think the points are really good, I'm just not too educated on the issues :)
The movie also uses Batman’s traditional nice guy ethics to suggest a soft approach on terrorism. Batman decides to fight, but undergoes an intense internal conflict. He almost gives in to what is portrayed as a base and anti-heroic desire to kill the Joker, but his conscience wins out. The focus is bringing Joker by due process, even if it ties the hero’s hands and costs more lives. Truly though the right thing to do is kill him before he can do more harm. (Am I the only one thinking this?)
***Along with my first question, I'm wondering if this is their way of saying that this (the way Batman behaves) is how the US IS (and that it's a bad way to be), or if this is how the US SHOULD be? Because before, you were saying that they (movie producers) are portraying Batman as overly emotional and doing things for the wrong reasons, but then here it seems that you're saying how he SHOULD be. Some clarity on this would be great! Nice insights, definitely enlightening, and I'm actually sort of proud of myself for sensing this type of message all by myself- that's a first!
(This is Katelin Rowley BTW!)
What's up Katelyn? How are ya?
Okay, so I kind of wrote this in a hurry so thanks for the feedback.
But to clarify--Clues that Joker represents Islamic Terrorism: 1. He makes terrorist threats--"If you don't do such and such, I will kill random people." 2. They showed he wasn't doing it for the money. 3. He always uses bombs (like 4 or 5x in the movie).
Clues that Batman is the US: 1. He is fighting Joker. 2. He is a superhero (Did you see Hancock--they used him as a superhero metaphor for the US too.)that plays by his own rules. 3.The bazooka blowing up the batmobile--represents 9/11. Like I said though, sometimes he seems to represent the Bush Administration specifically.
"are you saying that the film producers were trying to show the US as impulsive and as poor decision makers?"
Yes, I think the movie is a criticism of the US political behavior and motives.
When I said he should kill Joker tho, I don't mean out of anger. I mean out of justice. Not b/c of Batman's personal feelings of loss, but b/c it's logically the best solution to the problem.
Nate, I saw the film last night. I'm surprised you didn't mention Alfred's responses to Bruce's self doubt. He said several times "it doesn't matter whether or not people think you are doing the right thing, it matters that you are doing it anyway because you know it is right." Alfred has always been a voice of reason and wisdom in these films. Don't you feel his character provides the balance necessary to justify Batman's actions?
Oh and I just loved the scenario with the ferry boats. Portraying criminals(even if it was just one) as reformed, caring, softies who have no intention of harming citizens even if it means sacrificing their own lives was a bit too much for me to swallow.
Reading your comments before the movie made it that much more enjoyable to watch
I disagree that the movie is liberal or conservative. Because you can find examples of both in the movie.
Ok so I'm using Joker as the one that people don't like and anyone, anything to defy/stop the actions of the Joker is considered what is desired for the audiance to follow or is the message.
So using Lakoff 1999's model of Liberal and Conservative, He said that Liberals put moral empahty above moral strength, and conservative vice versa, I'll explain that the Dark Knight incoperates both Liberals and conservative views in it.
First, the batman is to be followed for opposing the Joker. So his methods are fight the criminals, sent them to jail. Hard on moral strength, especially on having to stop himself from killing the bad guys. this requires a lot of moral self-discipline. He stop the bad guys, put them to jail and that's it, like moral boundary and moral health, criminals belong in jail Dent said, "think of what you can do with the streets clean." and criminals among us can corrupt us. All of them are included as moral strength according to Lakoff's model, so The Dark Knight contains conservative elements.
As for liberals, there are instances where Batman stop short of killing, moral emphaty perhaps? And protecting Coleman Reese, it's helping people who need help, one of the strong points of moral emphaty. The people on broad the ships, they showed moral emphaty by not beliving in pure good/evil. They are prepared to believe in good. Moral emphaty basicly says that everyone is good initially and education is posible. Sorry can't think of any good points now.
Oh ya and the batmobile exploding, Bats is not stunned or want to give up after that, he is prepared for the possibility and purposely sacrifice his batmobile to save Dent. So another instance of moral emphaty, helping Dent (who needs help at that time).
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