July 20th, 2022

10 Years of

The Dark Knight Trilogy

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tights, capes, masks. visual effects and punchlines. These were the elements which comprised to create the typical superhero film prior to the year 2005. This formula resulted in immense box-office success and a push towards selling the film’s related merchandise. The year 2005 would flip this entire concept on its head with a revolutionary approach that to this day, has set the standard for cinematic greatness. As Warner Bros looked to reboot the story of one of the world’s most well-known superheroes, a choice was bestowed upon them – they could either continue doing things the way of the past, or explore a new dimension to the character of Batman and Bruce Wayne. After conducting a market analysis, it was discovered that though the superhero genre generated high box-office returns, most movie watchers found these kinds of films to lack emotional depth – they were not in any way “cinematic” and could not compete with films of critical acclaim and award recognition. Plotlines and characters were shallow and the only thing driving mass profits was the fact that an audience under the age of 13 found amusement in high-octane action sequences and the prospect of their parents getting them the latest action figures of their on-screen heroes. The studio knew that in order to change this perception and attain a heightened interest from older audiences, they would need to find a director who could tell a great story. That director would be Christopher Nolan. With an experience of only three feature films completed previously, it was an interesting choice by the studio. A sense of uncertainty behind this choice may have been quite prevalent as most superhero films were typically helmed by directors who had proven their ability to handle high-budget projects. But Nolan offered the studio something unique. A vision to transcend genre. Rather than having Batman deal with a singular villain, the story would explore an in-depth and emotional character arc, in which the villains’ roles would serve as a turning point to Bruce Wayne’s journey as Gotham’s caped crusader. Nolan’s pitch to the studio provided a perspective which served as a mature telling of the tale. It created the vision of a superhero film which was no longer shallow. And he would further accomplish this vision by casting the greatest of actors, ranging from Academy Award winners such as Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Marion Cotillard, to actors such as Eric Roberts and Matthew Modine who had been absent from mainstream cinema for years. This journey would be introduced with an origins story unlike any other, with Batman Begins.

BATMAN BEGINS

With the audacious move in creating an opening scene that takes place in a prison cell in the Himalayas, Nolan made it clear to audiences that this is a Bruce Wayne which has never been portrayed on screen before. He created a first act in which the audience is put in a state of anticipation, wondering how the eccentric billionaire ended up in a state of captivity away from Gotham. Nolan effectively leaves a trail of bread crumbs through various flashback sequences that highlight Bruce’s childhood, the death of his family, his quest for blind vengeance, and his enlightenment in discovering the key differences between revenge and justice. With the guidance of Alfred, Bruce navigates through the trauma of losing his parents, and also gets key insights into the psyche of criminals. Nolan creates the role of Alfred in a way which compliments the overall direction of the script – serving both as a father figure and as a strategic advisor to Bruce Wayne. Never before had we seen this character’s ex-military background be characterized in such detail as in The Dark Knight Trilogy. This vital change created a true sense of authenticity to their relationship which proved to be extremely beneficial to the plot. With villains ranging from Ra's Al Ghul to Carmine Falcone to Scarecrow, we see a film which doesn’t serve as popcorn entertainment, but instead becomes a commentary on crime, corruption, and a young man’s journey of self-discovery. The mere fact that Batman does not show up in full costume until the halfway point of the film speaks volumes in regards to Nolan’s innovative storytelling and his willingness to take risks. And the fact that the film holds your attention based off of strong character development, realistically established motivations, and an engaging plot rather than just flashy VFX and fight sequences, underscores the notion that Nolan understands how to make a story universal, realistic, and relatable to audiences. Even as a 13-year-old kid watching Batman’s entry scene back in 2005, I remember thinking to myself that the exposition was well worth it. The fact that we as an audience were able to see the events come full circle from his parents’ death, all the way up until his completed training and fallout with Ra’s Al Ghul, justified the probability that something like this could ACTUALLY HAPPEN. For the first time in my life, I began to believe that Batman was no longer confined to just fiction – that he could potentially be a part of the reality we live in.

THE DARK KNIGHT

With the conclusion of Batman Begins, Nolan leaves the audience with the understanding that the caped crusader has started a movement. He has not only inspired and empowered others such as GCPD Lieutenant James Gordon, but in a way has held bureaucrats responsible for their inaction and corruption. This segues into the story arc of The Dark Knight. In the opening scenes, we see the city of Chicago stand in as Gotham with the clarity of the IMAX camera. Nolan begins this film with a set design which seems less gritty and more in line with a typical metropolitan area – signaling to the audience that Gotham has cleaned up its streets significantly in the last year under Batman’s unofficial leadership and with the rise of Gotham’s new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, progress appears to be on the horizon. On the personal front, Bruce Wayne struggles with the choices of hanging up his cape and cowl and settling down with Rachel Dawes (his childhood friend / love interest and the assistant District Attorney working for Harvey Dent), or his continued commitment towards keeping Gotham safe. Amidst these choices, somewhere in the shadows, we begin to see a disruptive force emerge – one that is both maniacal and psychotic. The Joker.

To this day, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of this ruthless and unhinged antagonist is regarded as one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema. As The Joker forms an alliance with the same mobsters who the Batman aims to take down, the city once again begins to unravel. Just when Bruce begins to think the Batman will no longer be needed, the Joker goes on a vendetta, and dismantles Harvey Dent’s faith in the system. He takes the life of Rachel. Harvey becomes distrusting and spiteful of the system, his mentality shifts, and he now believes that the only true sense of justice in life is chance, “unbiased unprejudiced, fair.” He proceeds to confront who he believes are the most responsible for Rachel’s death, including Jim Gordon. In the climax of the film, the Batman is able to capture the Joker who unveils the success of his psychotic social experiment. He reveals to Batman that he deliberately killed Rachel in order to undo all of the Batman’s efforts to clean up the city. With Harvey Dent corrupted and now loose, seeking revenge, all public faith within the efforts of his prosecutorial victories would be vanquished and likely undone. He accomplishes his goal in proving to the Batman that there is no inherent “good”— that people are only as good as the circumstances which surround them. As he maniacally laughs at the disarray which is yet to come, Batman tracks down Harvey who has now captured Jim Gordon’s family. As Harvey flips a coin to decide their fate, the Batman takes him down, leading to his accidental death. Cornered by police, Gordon and Batman realize that the optics of Gotham’s white knight being corrupted is something that could potentially destroy everything they ever fought for. Batman takes the fall for this as he tells Gordon that he could be perceived as the villain if that means preserving the faith of Gotham’s citizens within the system. Batman rides out with his motorcycle into the darkness with perhaps the most iconic musical score ever produced by Hans Zimmer.

More than anything, this film is about choices. And there is great depth in regards to how the perception of morality and the fleeting quality of human nature could impact those choices. The choice of Harvey Dent, picking the path of vengeance; the choice of Bruce, in taking the blame for Harvey’s actions, to serve the broader purpose of keeping Gotham safe and maintaining the public’s faith in its institutions. It is due to these elements that Nolan was able to make a film which not only served as an epic crime drama, but also as a philosophical epithet in which the antagonist, despite how psychotic or vicious, ends up getting his point across about the faulty nature of society. In the end, The Joker almost wins. And very few filmmakers could have ever pulled that off.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Following the conclusion of The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan proceeded the series with a third and final installment which transformed the enormity of the Batman’s struggle. While the previous two films dealt with the concept of organized crime, The Dark Knight Rises shifted Batman to an elevated state of battle – this time against terrorism. The opening shot of the film displays the now Commissioner Jim Gordon addressing officers at Harvey Dent’s memorial, stating the words “I believed in Harvey Dent.” As planned by himself and the Batman, Gordon upheld the lie surrounding the night his family was kidnapped, putting the blame on the caped crusader. The results of doing so, upheld most of the legislation which Harvey Dent had pushed for against the criminals in the city, leaving Gotham significantly safer, eight years after the battle with The Joker. Now, an older and reclusive Bruce Wayne, sits alone in his mansion. He has lost his sense of purpose and has hung up his cape and cowl as he is no longer needed to protect Gotham, until one night during a city event hosted at Wayne Manor, he encounters Selina Kyle, who under the guise of the event staff, steals his finger prints in exchange to obtain, the Clean Slate (a device which could eradicate her criminal record) from John Daggett, one of Bruce Wayne’s corporate rivals. It is revealed that Daggett is working with a masked mercenary named Bane who is concocting a plan to destroy the city with a nuclear reactor in Wayne Enterprises. The reactor was initially intended to be a tool to create clean energy for the world, and was represented by Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises board member. As Commissioner Jim Gordon and his fellow Sargent John Blake incidentally encounter Bane’s army in the sewers, they become increasingly alarmed at what Bane might plan to do with the city moving forward. Blake pays a visit to Bruce Wayne’s mansion informing him that he is aware of his identity as the Batman. He urges Bruce to put on the cape and cowl again help him and Gordon crack down on the looming danger ahead. The rest of the film consists of Bane’s occupation of the city and holding it hostage over the course of months, along with Alfred’s increasing concern that one day Bruce will end up dying in battle. Alfred urges Bruce to instead use his resources to help protect the city and gives him an ultimatum stating that if he doesn’t stop putting his life at risk, he will resign and never see him again. Bruce pushes back stating that his reason for living a normal life was Rachel, and now that she’s gone, there is no other purpose of his apart from protecting the city. At this point, Alfred reveals that Rachel had chosen Harvey Dent over him and had sent him a letter to disclose it, however after she died, he chose not to give him the letter and instead burned it to spare him pain. This scene consists of a very deeply emotional element which seldom exists in the case of superhero films. The acting ability of both Michael Caine and Christian Bale underscores the fact that this is the balance which is always needed but rarely achieved in telling a story.

Ultimately, Bruce chooses to let Alfred go. With his advisor and father figure now gone, Bruce has to battle Bane with the help of Gordon, Blake and the police. The film leads to an epic conclusion, paying homage to the comic book character of Robin, and ultimately leading to the Batman sacrificing his life to save his beloved city – or so we think.

The Dark Knight Rises, by far is the weakest installment of the series with the most convoluted of plot points and seems to be the closest to fiction in comparison to the previous two films, yet it still manages to rank higher than most other superhero films that I have seen. This is largely due to Nolan’s casting and technical teams. To me, the saving grace for this film was the thunderous background score of Hans Zimmer, a suspenseful and epic climax sequence, along with the performances of Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Tom Hardy. And while it is the weakest film to close out the series, the final scene prior to the end credits makes it hard for viewers to leave the theater feeling disappointed, proving to audiences that even in its failure, The Dark Knight Rises. (see what I did there??)

THE NOLAN LEGACY

By redefining this genre with elements of reality, Nolan paved the path forward for prolific filmmaking to be established within what was previously nothing more than popcorn cinema. His character development, progression of plot, and philosophical style revolutionized the way these kinds of stories are told. And while the subsequent adaptations of Batman have been impressive, they sorely pale in comparison to the profound narratives which surrounded the characters in The Dark Knight Trilogy. When as a filmmaker, you are able to portray multiple protagonists with pivotal contributions to the script, and with their own internal conflicts, believable and relatable to greater society, regardless of whether they are leads or supporting characters, you have established something monumental – you have established a conflict which is beyond “good” versus “evil”, and instead delved into the detailed complexities and motivations behind why humans do what they do, all while keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, and marveling at a poetic masterpiece in the guise of a superhero film. I think the biggest shame for this trilogy, particularly The Dark Knight, is that it didn’t receive a single Academy Award nomination in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, or Best Background Score. With all of their perceived greatness, films such as Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are rarely recounted as all-time memorable epics while The Dark Knight is still constantly streamed and admired today by fans everywhere. It just reemphasizes the fact that in the past couple of decades, the Academy has severely lost touch with the tastes of general audiences, which may be the reasoning for its decline in ratings in the years leading up to 2021. As an audience member, I believe Christopher Nolan is the best director to helm this series. In the 10 years since the release of The Dark Knight Rises no filmmaker has been able to do the justice of providing a believable human story with a philosophical narrative as complex or as profound as he has. With memorable villains, breathtaking locations, engaging dialogue, and a thunderous background score, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the greatest trilogy of all time. As for Nolan himself, I hope the day comes when he receives the recognition of both Best Picture and Best Director honors, something he so rightfully deserved for The Dark Knight.