On the Darker Inner Concepts

"The Dark Knight"

As a longtime fan of comic books, when the Burton “Batman” came out many years ago, I was there with the masses.  I liked the film, but I’m not really a DC Comics person (blasphemy, I know) favoring Marvel, especially Spider-Man since I was a kid.  My favorite line from the sequel was “I was my parents’ number one child and they treated me like number two.”  (something like that).  Afterwards, I was done with Batman films forever.

After “Spider-Man,” I felt vindicated that film industry finally brought my favorite comic book to the big screen.  It’s about time, I thought.  Now I can enjoy Spider-Man and I won’t be dragged back into comic book films Redux times one hundred.

Enter “Batman Begins.”  While surfing MSNBC entertainment, I found it interesting that actor Christian Bale would be cast as Bruce Wayne.  Wow, the guy that played Laurie in “Little Women,” starring Winona Ryder?  My respect of Bale’s acting didn’t intrigue me enough for the film.  My husband explained to be about “The Dark Knight” comic series and I listened as a good wife should and said, “No.”  Batman has been done to death.  I slammed the Batdoor of my mind and locked it with a Batlock.

Afterwards, the block-exploder sequel, “The Dark Knight” opened to the world except me.  Again, my husband assured me that the film was excellent and it would fit my dark fantasy taste.  “No!  It’s Batman!”  I reinforced my Batbrain with a Batneuro-blocker to open-mindedness.   Yes, Heath Ledger was a favorite actor of mine (RIP, miss you!).  But made to look like an ugly Joker?  Hello?  Again, “Noooo!”

While at home with a migraine, months after it was on HBO repeatedly with four stars, I finally decided to give it a chance.  When my husband got home, I was on my third time to watch it.  Now I have the DVD and I really don’t know how many times I’ve seen this film.  Now my husband calls me Batbrain with an entirely different meaning: Bat-addiction.

What turned my opinion on this franchise is what I think turned everyone else; I was just the last to figure it out.  One can see the film and it’s Batman with unlimited money, unlimited gadgets, and unyielding loyalty to Good against the ugly, evil Joker.  If one looks closer, something else arises from the story; a darker part of society represented by the supporting characters and pointed out by the protagonist Batman and antagonist Joker.   The line between good and evil often isn’t drawn with a straight line, but with a gray paintbrush.  Society is complicated because people are complicated. 

When a comic book film can bring out darker inner concepts, it’s a winner.  Even if I’m the last to know.