A week ago I was in the midst of what I was calling my Bat-Hajj. Three screenings of Dark Knight in 24 hours. Now, seven days and nearly 300 million dollars later I’m still thinking about Chris Nolan’s triumph.
While I love this movie unreservedly I will also be amongst the first to point out it’s flaws- if only to deflect some of what I consider to be some of the pettier criticism I’ve heard. Yet what continues to astind me is it’s success.
By all estimates TDK will be the first motion picture to breach 300 million in less than 10 days. Is this just the result of marketing? A morbid fascination with one actor’s death? Or is there something more going on, beyond the scope of the movie?
From where I sit I can sense a pressure in the zeitgeist. A need to have something succeed wildly as collectively we suffer. That what has been chosen fir this honor is a noirish tale that explores the limits of justice, hope, and fear is all the more telling about the state of this nation.
The people need a conduit for their confusion, and in our sincerity we’ve chosen the “lowly” blockbuster to be our voice.
