Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” Analysis

While watching “The Dark Knight”, I was on the look out for any links I could make to the theme of Morality.

While watching the film, I made notes on the following:

• Contrasting characters.
• Morality.
• Themes.
• How does the film tell the message?

Contrasting characters:

• First thing we see the joker do is steal and murder.
• Batman is trying to make justice.
• Batman is on the side of the law.
• Jokers father was a drunk, and a fiend. He came from an extremely different upbringing than batman. Polar opposite upbringings.
• The joker calls batman “cold” for letting dent take the blame.
• The batman “completes” the joker.
• They are both seen as freaks.
• You’re only as good as the world allows them to be.
• The joker has nothing to lose. – he laughs while taking a beating
• “you have nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength.”

Morality:

• “Criminals in the town used to have honour and respect.” We see that the joker is not a conventional criminal.
• Batman’s call card, the light in dark, and dark in the light.
• The joker also steals from criminal bosses.
• Batman is a symbol to make people stand up to people like the joker.
• We see Harvey dent do an immoral act when he talks things outside the law.
• How much power can one man have?
• The joker gives the choice to the two boats, either innocent civilians or prisoners and guards. This shows how easily humans will go to extreme measures to save themselves. This is a great example of how Thomas Hobbes theory that humans are at the root, selfish creatures. That will do anything for self-preservation.

Themes:

• Hope.
• Morality.
• Justice.

How does the film tell the message?:

• The first thing we see from the joker is him doing an act that most would see immoral (robbing bank). But this is questionable morality he is stealing the money from a big bank. Most are corrupt.
• Harvey dent starts his character arc as a lawful and man with good morals.
• “You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain.”
• Harvey dent lies and tells people is batman. Then a lot of people die because of this choice.
• Harvey dent turns into “two face”, this is his characters decent into darkness. Showing that all men have evil inside of them.
• Is it moral for one man’s death in exchange for a full hospital of people?

Concluding Thoughts:

After watching “The Dark Knight” I noticed that it links perfectly to Thomas Hobbes’s theory of “The State of Nature”. This has helped my in my research to get a visual representation of the theory.

The Harvey Dent character in the film has inspired my “Coin Toss” narrative idea for my own FMP. Because he uses a coin to make his decisions.