What Bush and Batman Have in Common

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 25, 2008 | ANDREW KLAVAN

[Bratch]

A cry for help goes out from a city beleaguered by violence and fear: A beam of light flashed into the night sky, the dark symbol of a bat projected onto the surface of the racing clouds . . .

Oh, wait a minute. That's not a bat, actually. In fact, when you trace the outline with your finger, it looks kind of like . . . a "W."

There seems to me no question that the Batman film "The Dark Knight," currently breaking every box office record in history, is at some level a paean of praise to the fortitude and moral courage that has been shown by George W. Bush in this time of terror and war. Like W, Batman is vilified and despised for confronting terrorists in the only terms they understand. Like W, Batman sometimes has to push the boundaries of civil rights to deal with an emergency, certain that he will re-establish those boundaries when the emergency is past.

And like W, Batman understands that there is no moral equivalence between a free society -- in which people sometimes make the wrong choices -- and a criminal sect bent on destruction. The former must be cherished even in its moments of folly; the latter must be hounded to the gates of Hell.

[Bratch]

The Joker was definitely portrayed as a terrorist. Whether he compares to Al-Qaeda and their ilk probably depends on your political persuasion.

IMO.

[Havok]

I was thinking almost the same thing when I saw the movie.

[alecqss]

Perhaps that's when Hollywood conservatives will be able to take off their masks and speak plainly in the light of day.

This day is coming.

[Names Ash Housewares]

I saw the parallels with the war on terror with the first film. This movie it is impossible to ignore.
And I feel was intentional.
But just like during McCarthyism, comics, movies and TV shows had to disguise the message with aliens and flying saucers and other symbolic meaning. I feel this movie has as well. Because of course Hollywood does not make pro war on terror films.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

They both spend like there’s no tomorrow.

[griswold3]

I hope they do Captain America proud!!

[Daus]

I caught this too while watching the movie. All the “if you stick around long enough you will go from being the hero to the villian” stuff.

[akorahil]

Yey! Someone else has the same opinion of Bat(Wallet)man that I do!

I assume everyone feels Bush spends a ton...

[Biggirl]

...And it is coming soon.

[Cyman]

This had to be one of the most conservative movies to ever come out of Hollywood.

[Bender2]

Re: What Bush nObama and Batman Have in Common

I think both have... ugly lovers!

Batman has Robin and nObama has... that uncle that liberated Auschwitz and then went up into the attic.

[fish hawk]

One of the best articles I’ve read in a long time. Rush just did a long segment on this article.

[knews_hound]

I posted this on an earlier thread....

I thought that the movie was perhaps, one of the most political movies I have seen in years.

Once you get past the storytelling itself, you end up with the following set of archetypes.

Batman is Order.

The Joker is Chaos.

Two Face is Chance.

I think the movie is making a huge political statement.

Evil must be confronted. Soldiers must fight it.

Chaos is at our door, it cannot be appeased or negotiated with, it needs to be smashed.

Chance is always with you. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

And finally, and most importantly, a real hero never needs to take credit for all that goes well, and accepts the blame for things he didn’t even do in order for Order to persevere.

I could go on and on about the allegories to the War we now fight, from concerns about electronic spying, rules of engagement, a nay-saying press, rendition of prisoners and on and on.

This movie was a huge risk for the Director. Once you peel away the crashes and explosions, it is a parable of the need to stand strong in the face of evil and of self sacrifice in the name of a greater good.

I’m stuned this ever got made in Hollyweird.

Cheers,

knewshound

www.knewshound.blogspot.com

[Non-Sequitur]

A Hollywood movie praising Bush? Just what is Andrew Klaven smoking or snorting?

[Bender2]

BTW I saw The Dark Knight yesterday and it is a pretty good film, not too bubble-gummy and not too many real "Suspension of Belief" moments except for one whopper!

In 2005's Batman Begins, the Rachel Dawes character was played by Katie Holmes. While she is not a great actress, Katie did supply a sexiness that one would expect to be a necessity for Batman's love interest.

Now, in 2008, Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Rachel Dawes and she has the sex appeal of a well used burlap sack. Hell, she could star in a female version of Brokeback Mountain!

The women Bruce Wayne has on his arms during the film are all high up on the sexy thermometer while Maggie is subfreezing.

I can accept the usual "Suspension of Belief" required in watching most of today's action/adventure/sci-fi/fantasy/comic book films. As it goes, The Dark Knight is better than most, but if George Lucas can go back and redo his old Star Wars films, I hope those in charge of this Batman can go back and edit in Katie Holmes or another sexy actress in place of Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Then I could watch it again and believe that Batman and Harvey Dent could actually have the hots for Rachel Dawes that powers the major plot-line of the film.

[safeasthebanks]

Go hijack a different thread, sweetie.

[NurdlyPeon]

I think that most of the things said here about the Batman movie could also be said about the first Spiderman movie. I think that one of the reasons that it was popular was it's idea of “With great power comes great responsibility”. It resonated with the American people at the time. It was a story of a guy who made his own life more difficult when he went out to fight evil, when he could have just sat home eating dinner (while other people died).

[Pride in the USA]

I knew you would like this one. Another article to put a smile on your face.

[sbMKE]

“Some men just want to see the world burn” about sums it up - great line and scene in the movie.

[Notforprophet]

Maggie Gyllenhaal not sexy?! LOL, turn in your Man Card, buddy. :)

NFP