Why Dark Night Fails
July 29, 2008 | Filed Under Theatre & Movies
(spoiler alert)
I have always admired Batman for apparent lack of super-powers. But the movie - Dark Knight - reduced him to really a vain super hero. In this movie, he still has a nice bike and the best car ever made, a great utility belt and you almost feel he is a James Bond sans the women. What he completely lacks in the movie is good judgement. He is a reluctant super hero and almost pathetic at times. He would really be nothing if he didn’t have the butler or the gadget expert - Morgan Freeman with him. Even the letter that needs to be given to Batman, the butler decides to not give it to him and it is not his judgement call to know that it does not relate to him. No one seems to trust him with decisions. His ex-girlfriend seems to have seen the spiderman series and knows all about a super heroes fallibility. She forgets that spiderman has real powers. I hate how Batman is made to look in this movie, more like someone who takes orders, doesn’t even come out as a strategist.
The movies hero is undoubtedly the Joker character. It just seems that the movie is made around him and he is just playing with Batman, like a cat plays with a mouse. He creates so much mess and it seems without too much of trouble. And he still has the last laugh.
The movie is well made, but that is the least you can expect from a Batman movie. It fails at being a Batman’s movie.
Comments
4 Responses to “Why Dark Night Fails”
Leave a Reply
I don’t think the portrayal was of a weak person but rather of a tired and confused guy. He is eager to give up but still trudges through, like a good knight should. I thought this was perfect. Wayne is not a superhero, he is just someone ordinary made that much extra- through hard-work and dedication. Why should he be infallible? As for people not relying on his judgement, I didn’t read that in the movie, wonder why you did. But yeah, the Joker was amazing, Harvey Dent was good, and Batman was a machine going through the motions. I loved that! This movie has changed super-hero flicks forever. It surprised me at first with its raw and realistic portrayal but wow man. I think you need to see it again.
Yes, what you have mentioned about Batman, being a guy who is being helped about, is very true. And the reason is that… it is meant to be so. The movie, though doesn’t seems like a sequel to ‘Batman Begins’, is so in terms of the timeline. Batman is relatively new to Gotham, and is in the process of becoming the great superhero that he is considered as! A factor that you have to keep in mind, is that The Joker and Two-Face are just being introduced in this film. The only other big villain he has fought so far is The Scarecrow.
So, to your comment: “I hate how Batman is made to look in this movie, more like someone who takes orders, doesn’t even come out as a strategist.”, all I have to say is… give him time, he is still learning :)! If you look at it that way… it doesn’t fail as a Batman movie!
Just my thoughts…
Batman has never been super-human.. he doesn’t have any great powers.. his only power is his wealth, and he uses it to help gotham.. in fact, i thot this was, by far, the best portrayal of any comic book hero ever!!
also remember, a spoilt rich businessman by day is an extremely good cover for a super hero by night..
But I stillll luuvvv Batman of all the heroes…
I did a review myself and my take is on here
http://deepsm25.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/the-dark-knight-a-review/