Faith in Film, The Dark Knight

Some really great, interesting comments last night. Hopefully you all enjoyed a chance to view the movie and then break down some of the themes. I felt like there were several times last night where I got some really great insights into the film.

I think "The Dark Knight" is a complex, but beautifully made film. I think when we're looking at the medium of film, as with other art forms, there is a distinction to be made between appreciating its artistic merits and agreeing with the social views or worldviews presented. I deeply love the artistic qualities that I think make "The Dark Knight" the best film made in the last decade. But I struggle with the worldview presented in the film because it differs from our own.

Batman tends to be the most humanistic of all super heroes. In humanism, what we see is the idea of man becoming God. The idea that man is inherently good and capable of creating his or her own morality. Batman already lends himself toward that worldview, but I think director Christopher Nolan accentuates and explores that idea in the film. And, of course, in humanism there is no room for God, so there is no room for God in the ideological presentation of this film.

This film also builds on some themes we've previously explored. In "V for Vendetta" we looked at the idea of anarchy. In that example, the main character V expressed some anarchistic ideas and philosophy, but he fell short of truly being an anarchist. A true anarchist doesn't believe in anyone or anything, they just act to destroy the established order and see what happens. V was driven by personal motives, bent on revenge. It just so happened that those he sought revenge upon were part of the established order.

With "The Dark Knight," we get a more pure presentation of an anarchist in The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger. The film also provides us with a chance to explore the flip side of that coin, which is vigilantism. Batman believes in the rule and order so strongly that he is willing to violate that order to enforce it. That makes him a logical paradox, but also the flip side of the Joker's anarchistic bent. That's why when the Joker says "you complete me" when they meet face-to-face, it's a flippant joke that contains some truth.

So when you analyze "The Dark Knight," what you really need to know is that it is a great chess game, a battle for Gotham's soul. On one side is The Joker, who believes men are inherently evil, and Batman, who believes men are inherently good. In the middle is Harvey Dent, who is a pawn played by both sides to try and achieve their goals.

We know as Christians that men are inherently evil, that is our sin nature. The Bible clearly speaks of this in Romans 3:10-12, which says, "As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." In other words, apart from God's grace we're in trouble.

But in a humanist world, there is no room for God. So the filmmaker, much like Batman, has to believe that men are ultimately good. That is what the ferry boat test is all about. It's meant to show that even the most morally bankrupt men, the boat full of prisoners, will make the right decision when push-comes-to-shove. We would disagree.

The film, though, can't quite sustain that idea. I believe it is because somewhere in their souls, the filmmakers realize the truth about the nature of man. That's what makes the ending so powerful and so controversial. The Joker succeeds in turning Harvey Dent, who ends up dying in the middle of a violent stretch that saw him taking revenge against those who he felt wronged him. He says, "The only morality in a cruel world is chance." In some ways, he's expressing a nihlistic view that life is meaningless, in that there is no order or established code. Therefore, it doesn't matter what decision he makes.

The film spends a lot of time dealing with the idea of hope. The filmmakers correctly realize that hope is an essential human need and soul craving, but with their humanist worldview they just don't know where it comes from. So Batman and Jim Gordon pushed all their chips in and set up Harvey Dent as the savior of the city. He was the light, hope, and inspiration of the people. So when Dent came unspooled, it threatened to destroy the hope of the people. I think that admission alone creates an interesting paradox to their stated belief that people are ultimately good. Because if a symbol of hope was darkened, the implication is the people would fall into darkness. We, of course, believe that as Christians, but it is interesting to see the filmmakers grappling with that idea here.

So Batman decides to preserve the hope of the people by taking the blame for Harvey's actions. It is a controversial and sad decision. But it is necessary because the people of Gotham put their hope in things of this world. When we put our hope in the things of this world we will always be disappointed because that does not last.

I used the example last night of fan reaction in Cleveland following "The Decision" by LeBron James. James crushed an entire fan base and state with the words "I'm taking my talents to South Beach." Some fans wondered, in e-mails, how they would be able to make it through their lives since James was leaving the Cavs. All this over a 25-year-old basketball player. I couldn't help but wonder, where is your hope? Where does your hope come from?

That is the world we live in. In that way, "The Dark Knight" is a perfect reflection of the times in which we live. And that's why it is so important that we show the world that our hope comes from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and he never fails us.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, being certain of what is unseen.” Faith is a critical element to hope, but that faith has to be in the one that truly offers us hope. 1 Timothy 6:17 says, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” Our hope comes from God. When we hope in things of this world, we hope in that which is uncertain. When we hope in the Lord, our spirit is renewed.