David W. Swanson

Pastor and Author

i’m batman

So, I don’t get some of the comic book-insider humor of this, but as someone who almost didn’t see The Dark Knight because of the hype, this is quite funny.

I did see the film on Sunday night. I enjoyed it. Heath Ledger was despicably excellent. Even so, there was no way it could live up to the hoopla.

Related…

“The Dark Knight” is cultural rigormortis. It’s what happens when we are done, and we are done. Jacques Barzun had it right, when he wrote a history of western culture up through the 1990s, and said, certainly, that our age is defined by boredom. We are excited by nothing, really, but maybe for a moment here, or a moment there, we can try to be turned on. Sex can do it (or fake sex, much more likely) but brutal violence can work, too, if for a short time.

David Swanson

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5 responses to “i’m batman”

  1. Jeremy Avatar
    Jeremy

    Does it live up to the hype? Probably not. But…

    While that article is certainly articulate, I don’t agree. He is judging the movie but I am not sure why. Is it because of the violence? I feel like he is condemning the movie for some of its gruesome violence without realizing that the filmmakers are TRYING to make us uncomfortable, TRYING to cause us to be repulsed by the acts of an evil maniac. There are reasons for that, but I don’t like commenting on blogs so I will keep this short short and not say much more. Anyway, while I don’t consider the movie “high art” or anything like that, I definitely don’t agree with the Kamp Krusty’s pronouncement “this movie is a bunch of violent, purposeless noise.” That is way off.

    On a side note, what bothered me the most while watching it, moreso than what was actually going on in the film, was the somewhat forced, probably nervous laughter of the audience at the horrible things the Joker did and/or said (though sometimes the laughter seemed real). Very disturbing/upsetting.

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  2. David Avatar
    David

    Jeremy, how many of the film’s viewers are watching The Dark Knight on the same level you are? Do most folks think about the repulsiveness of the on-screen violence or are they (we) simply mesmerized by that violence? I supposes there may be a distinction between the intent of the director and how the film is received by the mass market that is used to entertainment consumption.

    As an aside, Gareth Higgins has written a very intelligent review of the film, The Dark Knight: A Love Letter to George W Bush?

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  3. Larry Eisner Avatar
    Larry Eisner

    While I will admit up front that I loved the film, I have to say that I would think that most people ARE indeed thinking about the film at this level.

    Everyone I’ve talked to about the film (including high school students) are dissecting the film in this way. The whole plot of the film is about the topic of violence and whether one chaotic, persistent agent (the Joker) is enough to turn normal people into psychotic-acting agents, willing to preserve their own lives at the risk of multiple deaths of others.

    That’s the premise of the film and it’s hardly hidden!

    I know this isn’t necessarily your stance, so please know I’m not asking YOU to defend this position by Kamp Krusty… but I’m simply saying that I also found this review to be a bit reactionary and more than a little self-serving.

    Compared to other superhero films where collateral damage is simply ignored, this film brings it to the forefront. What will people do when they and their loved ones are in the crossfire between some villain and some larger-than-life superhero? That’s what happens in this film, with what I believe to be quite realistic (for the subject matter) results.

    I thought the film handled these subjects quite well.

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  4. David Avatar
    David

    Larry- I too appreciated the way the director layered this film with themes… and in a way that seems to provoke conversation after the film, something I appreciate. I’d be curious to know whether those of your Christian friends who are talking about the film are doing so in a way that to seems distinctly Christian. In other words, does Faith impact how a person receives the film?

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  5. Larry Eisner Avatar
    Larry Eisner

    I think what I’m seeing more than anything else is that those Christians seeing the film (that I’m in contact with, at least) are the ones who are articulating the points mentioned more often than those who are not. I find that those who are not walking with Christ, still seem to echo the same sentiments but aren’t internalizing it or, at least, are not as direct about it. (Does that make sense? I’m saying that they agree with all these points, but perhaps weren’t the first to realize or say it…)

    But again, I think the director is very heavy-handed in this treatment. It’s blatant as a theme, and (as someone with a deep appreciation for the history and power of film) I think it’s delivered appropriately, for the mood/setting.

    I think the theme is unavoidable. I think, interestingly enough, that those outside of the faith give more credit to the human race in terms of our “scruples” and “moral fiber” than perhaps those with Jesus may. That’s a very broad statement to make, but in the ferry scene (no spoilers, except that there is, indeed, a ferry) I believe I was much more tense than a couple of my non-christian friends, who saw through it entirely (allegedly).

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