"Batman must die"

Friday, July 25, 2008

I was thinking how much Heath Ledger didn't get to enjoy the popularity of his new movie. He has had so many comments on how good his acting was in The Dark Knight, but he's no longer around to enjoy the fame as it were. Life is so fleeting. It withers and dies in an instant. Yet how much we take for granted and don't live to our full potential in God. Wow. Worth thinking about.

Anyway...

I watched The Dark Knight last night. Stephen convinced me that I needed to go. I wasn't really looking forward to it, but actually quite enjoyed it to be honest. I got a lot of pearls of wisdom as Dr. Lizzle would say, out of it. I suppose because it's the whole "good verses evil" story and the villians and the heroes always have valid points to get across. Like in life, we can learn things from Jesus and his good character and example, but we can also learn things from paying attention to how satan works and his schemes.

These were some of my favourite quotes from the movie:

- "Sometimes, truth isn’t good enough. Sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded."
- "The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming!"
- "Chance is the only reality in this cruel world. Unprejudiced. Unbiased. Fair. The only morality in an amoral world is chance."

In the movie, the Joker is not like other renditions; he is downright evil, corrupt, insane, psychotic, terrifying. More scary than funny, he shows the audience that he is Batman's perfect nemesis, challenging him all the way. There's this one scene I thought was so true where he confronts Harvey Dent (two face) in hospital and says something along the lines of... "If you stick to the plan, no matter how horrifying, people will be ok. Tell the public you're going to blow up a busfull of soldiers and they're fine; tell them you're going to shoot one little old man and they panic... Introduce a little anarchy... Upset the established order... Well then everyone loses their minds!" People can sometimes be more content with ordered and structured chaos (if ever there was an oxy-moron) than with the war for peace if you catch my drift.

Just like the temptation in the desert with satan trying to get Jesus to give in, to feel inferior, to accept his authority, the Joker trys to get batman to believe he is just a freak like him, an outcast who people hate and therefore forget trying to help the people because they will only turn on him. But Jesus endured the temptation. And eventually, Bruce Wayne did too. (Batman: "People are dying. What would you have me do?" Alfred: "Endure. You can be the outcast. You can make the choice that no one else will face - the right choice. Gotham needs you.")

It also reminded me of how we are in a war while on this earth. Not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers. And just like the Joker who Alfred says of people like him, "They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn." we cannot bargin with the devil. We must learn the rules of how to fight and not only that but learn how to put on the right armour. Armour that can withstand all attacks, be versatile, flexible and not leave us vulnerable.

Oh God make us battle-hard and battle-savvy for You!