This post contains some spoilers about The Dark Knight, so if you’ve not seen it, go look at kittens
1.
Some conservatives are claiming that The Dark Knight and its depiction of Batman show that the character is a true conservative and that the film displays those values wonderfully:
Innocents get killed, civil liberties are infringed, and Batman ardently defends lies over truth in the pursuit of propaganda. Extremism in the defense of liberty is Batman’s virtue, and he ventures much farther into the wilds of lawlessness than any politician would dare. Moreover, his Gotham is a place where some believe that chaos can be managed, that giving into a simple demand from the Joker that Batman turn himself in might be a workable alternative in the long run.
2.
Some liberals do something similar, claiming that the movie is fascist propaganda:
So Batman, a true “hero” whose only motive is to protect the City, is portrayed as being hamstrung by pantywaist bureaucrats and nosy reporters. He needs to hide; he needs to do his deeds out of pure sacrifice, knowing that an ungrateful populace will not appreciate what he’s done for them. But he doesn’t care. He’s truly the warrior standing watch to protect the city, and he does not expect anything in return.
This is a remarkable piece of propaganda. It is the type of propaganda that’s breathtaking in its audacity and scope. It’s in your face. There is no subtlety to it. And that’s what’s eerie about it.
3.
In their zeal to prove a point, sides actually ignore the fact that Batman’s invasions of privacy and the like were portrayed as bad things happening for a good cause. The whole film revolves around that moral gray area: Batman does things that the police can’t, but the police can’t do them for good reason and Harvey Dent, someone who believes in the law and its power, is betrayed by his belief and is pushed over the edge by The Joker.
4.
Gordon’s escalation speech at the end of Batman Begins discusses the situation succinctly: “We start carrying semi-automatics, they buy automatics. We start wearing Kevlar, they buy armor-piercing rounds.” Batman’s very presence has pushed Gotham into the state it’s in at the beginning of the movie with dopplegangers and supercriminals on the loose on top of the “old’ problems represented by Salvatore Falcone.
5.
As Dorian pointed out in a conversation, Bruce Wayne’s affiliations with Lucius Fox and Alfred provide him with an ethical center he may not have otherwise. While it’s obvious that he wants to help the city in any way he can, it’s also apparent that he’s very afraid of going too far. By giving Lucius control of the listening devices, he’s allowing the man to act as a governor on his actions, and with Alfred he gets the feedback and steering that he still needs.
6.
At the end, a new status quo emerges that is, if anything, more chaotic for the principals than what the film started with, despite the extraordinary methods used and sacrifices made. In many ways, you could say that The Joker won because he’s pushed Gotham into a more paranoid state than ever, something a terrorist would want. Batman’s actions, while saving countless lives and keeping the city together, are merely a band-aid on much larger problems that the character will have to face in the future.
7.
I love that a summer blockbuster can’t be reduced to talking points by either side, no matter how much they try. In a time where the news, politicians, and most entertainment bombards us with left/right, right/wrong, and good/bad, it’s refreshing to have a movie - a superhero movie at that - contradict that sort of thinking by giving viewers something more than spectacle. It’s been over three weeks since I saw the movie and I still find myself thinking back about choices made by the filmmakers and their characters. Helluva movie.
Browse Timeline
- « The Rack | Staff Picks For The Week Of August 6, 2008
- » Shameless Self Promotion: Cthulhu Tales Volume 1
Comments ( 11 )
Andrew Hickey commented on Aug 05 08 at 10:13 amYou’re going to get a *LOT* of angry comments about this, you know. There’s a lot of people out there whose comprehension skills are rather limited and only thought as far as “Batman is good” when watching the film. They really, really don’t like it when you point out the moral ambiguity…
Mel commented on Aug 05 08 at 10:25 amVery well written. This is why I love Batman cause it can spark so much discussion even weeks after the movie. Hell, at my game store people have been debating since the movie came out what Batman and Joker’s D&D alignment would be!
Brian commented on Aug 05 08 at 11:50 amDamn straight. *adds to the applause*
mightygodking commented on Aug 05 08 at 6:03 pmHell, at my game store people have been debating since the movie came out what Batman and Joker’s D&D alignment would be!
Batman’s alignment is Batman. DUH.
Dan Coyle commented on Aug 05 08 at 6:19 pmWhat both left and right see in TDK is to play out their similar fantasy: that the common man, the middle class, is full of worthless little ingrates who deserve whatever misery is visited upon them.
It’s bullshit, but it keeps them warm.
Jim Kakalios commented on Aug 05 08 at 6:48 pm“I love that a summer blockbuster can’t be reduced to talking points by either side, no matter how much they try. In a time where the news, politicians, and most entertainment bombards us with left/right, right/wrong, and good/bad, it’s refreshing to have a movie - a superhero movie at that - contradict that sort of thinking by giving viewers something more than spectacle.”
To paraphrase Nicholson’s Joker from the 1980’s Batman:
Wait’ll they get a load of Watchmen!
Mike C commented on Aug 05 08 at 7:42 pm“At the end, a new status quo emerges that is, if anything, more chaotic for the principals than what the film started with, despite the extraordinary methods used and sacrifices made. In many ways, you could say that The Joker won because he’s pushed Gotham into a more paranoid state than ever, something a terrorist would want. Batman’s actions, while saving countless lives and keeping the city together, are merely a band-aid on much larger problems that the character will have to face in the future.”
I think people are really oversimplifying by holding up certain story beats and character choices as conservative (or otherwise) propaganda. The above quoted really sums up what excites me about the prospect for a third movie: Batman (AND Gordon, since he can’t publicly support him, or even be seen with him) really has his back against the wall, and it will be very interesting to see how he reacts to it.
Rjackson commented on Aug 05 08 at 9:13 pmGreat counterpoint to the junk that’s out there (both left and right). You hit it on the head and succinctly lay it out in a way that I was having difficulty explaining to some knuckleheads I know. Thanks
Dayv commented on Aug 06 08 at 11:27 amWhat both left and right see in TDK is to play out their similar fantasy: that the common man, the middle class, is full of worthless little ingrates who deserve whatever misery is visited upon them.
Generalizations are never wrong.
Dan Coyle commented on Aug 08 08 at 5:21 pmAnd where, exactly, have those generalizations gotten us in the past 40 years?
