A memorable film turns 10

Here’s an interesting historical tidbit: it was in 2008 when the film The Dark Knight starring Christian Bale was released.  I vividly remember seeing this film in theatres for the first time; to understand that this was already 10 years ago makes me shake my head in amazement (and sort of makes me feel old).

There is a lot I would like to say about this film.  I think I could write a week’s worth of blogs on this movie.  I would like to talk about some of my favorite scenes, and some problems I have with the movie that bother me, even to this day.  This is one of those movies that sticks in your brain long after.  Maybe I will devote another blog to this memorable film, but for today, I want to tackle two subjects.

First of all, it would be quite careless of me if I didn’t mention Heath Ledger’s masterful performance as the Joker.  There have been various interpretations of the Joker over the years; I appreciate the take that each of the actors have taken (I found Mark Hamill’s Joker very effective; I should write a blog about that version of Joker one day), but as Paul Asay, in his excellent book God on the Streets of Gotham: What the Big Screen Batman can Teach Us About God and Ourselves writes, “I don’t know if there’s ever been a more gripping depiction of pure evil in cinema than Heath Ledger’s unforgettable Joker.”  In my opinion, Heath’s Joker is the enduring legacy of The Dark Knight.

Secondly, this movie presents compelling topics.  I read a fascinating article by an author named David Chen.  At one point, he mentions the sad plight of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in the film.  Chen writes, “At the beginning of the film, Dent represents absolute good, a goodness that’s so pure, that has so much potential to change Gotham, that even Batman is thinking of hanging up his spurs…Dent’s journey from light to darkness is handled plausibly and adeptly in the film, which makes his story arc monstrously tragic…The film makes us realize that we, as humans are limited…Dent is not just a proxy for hope, he’s a proxy for us as well, reminding us of the duality that lies within each of us.”  (Source: https://www.slashfilm.com/assessing-the-themes-of-the-dark-knight/

Kevin