The Batman

Along with many of my fellow Americans I saw The Dark Knight last night. And - it was pretty damn good. In fact, better than I'd expected considering a few nay-sayers. Things went boom real pretty, the acting was mostly well done (okay, scenes were a bit jumpy, I could have used a more convincing Two-Face, but that's mostly nit-picking).

For those really watching though, The Dark Night raised (and sometimes answered) a lot of interesting questions about justice and security, and related it pretty well to our modern day terrorism fears (thankfully Bin laden isn't The Joker). A few observations:

The imperfect (causing casualties, property damage, beating up prisoners...) Dark Knight ends up helping the city far more than Harvey Dent, the proclaimed White Knight...who finds the world too imperfect and loses it. Compromise and gray zones are always required in our world.

Batman uses a Machiavellian method: hacking into everyone's cell phones, to find the Joker (FISA, anyone?). However, Batman's real view is Aristotelian: extreme means only for extreme situations; he surrenders his powers immediately after the crisis ends. No "War on Crime" extends these powers indefinitely.

The Noble Lie: Batman and the Commissioner make sure the populace of Gotham doesn't know Dent turned sour. Batman tries to save Dent by not telling him their babe preferred him; Alfred thinks it wise not to tell Batman that he's wrong about this. An interesting question, often: "What is the value of truth?"

The exploding boat scene: A lawyer didn't blow up a boat of prisoners because...it seems like social pressure to me, mostly. A prisoner didn't blow up rich people because...nobility, mayhap? And some jackass didn't get one of those buttons...because of luck? And the Commissioner suggests that a vote on the rich ship on whether to blow up the other ship might have gone affirmative if Dent's true character were revealed. Things holding society together: fear, character, luck, lies.

The Joker: Well...acting was stellar here. There's a lot to say, probably, but I'd just say: he imagines a world of corrupt and hypocritical men, but isn't this just his construct? The boat scene seems meant to (sort of...) illustrate this. Or he's just crazy.

Woo...long post: but hey, the movie was thought-provoking. Also a grade: 18/20.