Why So Serious? Are Batman Films Faltering on the Path to Perfection?

In spite of all its worshipful praise and acclaim, a movie like The Dark Knight seems like a bit of a trade-off. Movie fans are swept away by the intense new realistic edge of 21st century Bat-films. It’s exciting to say the least, and after burnouts like 1997’s Batman & Robin, who couldn’t yearn for a filmmaker who takes things seriously? Director Christopher Nolan resurrected the franchise in 2005 with Batman Begins, and then pulled a Godfather II this past summer of 2008 with The Dark Knight. By that I mean the sequel was better than the original. To his credit, these are both fantastic movies. It was like justice had finally been served. It has a clean, professional edge to it that hasn’t been achieved in the series since Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989.

When I ask people about their gripes over the two most recent films, they almost always mention the Bat-dude’s scary voice. I honestly don’t know what they’re complaining about because it’s hilarious. It may seem like I’m being overly cynical towards Nolan’s Batman films, but the reality is that many others agree that they’re overrated. It can be truly said that there’s no such thing as a perfect film because everyone has their own preferences, and Batman is a character with such a diverse history that he can appeal to many different crowds.

The new movies are not without their flaws. Nolan’s films may contain a great deal of thought, but they lose themselves in the details and the realism they aim for is counteracted by being self-indulged and by going too far. My point is that while it’s ingenious the way they’ve conceived the characters, they need to let us, the audience, become acquainted with them through their action and behaviour. The dialogue has to be characteristic, not just prose-filled monologues and proverbs. The latter actually works against the realism the filmmakers are gunning for because us real people don’t usually say things like “don’t make me your one hope for a normal life” off the top of our head in casual conversation. I know they’re good lines, but they should be used more sparingly for better effect.

Their lines are the main reason why many of Nolan’s characters are good, but just too good for their own good. For example: The Heath Ledger Joker of The Dark Knight, while brilliantly acted, betrays his audience by explaining himself directly. “I’m like a dog chasing a car. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it.” A villain as complex and unfeeling as Ledger’s Joker shouldn’t be philosophizing about who he is because that demonstrates empathy, which he’s not supposed to have. By contrast, Jack Nicholson’s Joker of Batman (1989), a narcissistic interpretation, never attempts to analyze himself. His actions and dialogue speak for themselves.

In spite of their faults, Nolan’s Batman films have spectacular plots and can serve as a good commentary on fear, crime, and human nature. Both Ras Al Gul (Batman Begins) and The Joker argued against the common person’s morals (interestingly though, they both wanted order and chaos respectively.) The scripts show a thoroughly thought-out theme and the suspense never lets up, which is quite a feat for such a long movie like The Dark Knight. In Batman Begins, the theme of fear was well executed through Batman’s origin and the character of Scarecrow. Of course, the way in which Scarecrow’s defeated was sort of pointless IMO.

Both films are gripping and carry a resounding conflict of order vs. disorder. It’s a sign that we’re not completely without ideas in the 21st century. People often say that we keep reusing old franchises and scavenging literature for fresh ones, but The Dark Knight was a leap of faith by aiming for a new atmosphere in Batman. The ambiguous atmosphere of morality was complemented by an original story with good themes but overdone execution. Batman has changed with the times unlike any other superhero, from campiness to dreary fantasy, to a real-world crime drama. This new serious approach is refreshing, but still overcompensates for the shortcomings of Joel Schumacher’s two films. Although I personally prefer the fantasy of Tim Burton’s interpretation, that doesn’t mean it’s the ideal either. Any way you look at it, successfully revamped franchises such as Batman and James Bond deserve to be treated seriously, but not so serious you have to ask that now annoying Joker quote. There’s never a perfect way.