The Dark Knight

Let’s talk Batman. There’s something that sets him apart from so many other superheroes in the movies. It’s not just a lack of superpowers, however. One of Batman’s strongest singularities is his intentional moral ambiguity. Sure, a lot of superheroes are misunderstood, but Batman seems to depend on people being not sure whether or not he’s really on their side. This ethical question comprises one of the most powerful themes of the latest (and greatest) Batman movie, The Dark Knight.

            You’ve probably already seen it. You may have seen in twice, like I did (in the same weekend). If not, you have friends who have told you it’s good, heard or read critics tell you it’s great. All true, and all things you can hear everywhere else, so let’s focus on something more substantial then how well done of a film this is— let’s focus on heroes.

            There’s something I’ve noticed about a lot of hero movies, and I’m sure you’ve caught it too. They depend on sacrifice from the main character; any hero has to be sacrificial to fight for other people. Here, I suppose, is an easy comparison to Christ. But superheroes aren’t Christ, and Batman makes this idea real: not only is he not Christ, but also he reminds us that he’s only a man, no superpowers, just a single person working for a better world.

            When Batman faces The Joker, (“a better class of criminal” in The Joker’s own words, and “[a] man who just wants to watch the world burn,” in the words of trusty butler Alfred) the hope for a better world seems to come crashing down. The Joker is dedicated to breaking Gotham apart, pulling its heroes into the gutter for the public to see, stealing their faith in a better world. Batman puts everything on the line to fight for the people’s hope, to show The Joker that the people of Gotham are capable, to show how much “they believe in good.” It’s rather beautiful. Here we see Batman’s moral ambiguity: when one of Gotham’s greatest public servants (no spoilers!) is dragged into the gutter by The Joker, he decides to take the blame, because he “can be whatever Gotham needs him to be.” Batman not only saves lives but also restores hope in other people at the expense of his own reputation.

            Again, it’s easy for us to say Batman took on another’s sins, Batman plays Christ in this movie, but I propose a different school of thought: Batman is, instead of Christ, Christ-like, which is our highest goal as humans. Commissioner Gordon thanks Batman earnestly, to which he replies: “You don’t have to thank me.” Gordon then muses how Batman is a silent watchman, a guardian almost out of view. Something we should strive for, and here’s how. We, being Christ-like, do not need to be thanked for fighting for justice. We simply need to turn heads toward justice, toward God’s justice, towards God himself. We are to do our deeds without being seen, we are to act with our right hand, not letting our left know what we are doing (Matt. 6:3). What people to need to see is the effects of our actions, the change for a better world, a hope in God’s goodness and justice.