Act 1 : Batman The Dark Knight

ACT ONE

The film opens with a BANG as we swoop over Gotham City in a helicopter shot.

A strange new criminal named the Joker has hired five criminals in clown masks to rob a mob bank. This entire sequence is shot and edited in a style reminiscent of Michael Mann’s HEAT or other crime films, rather than the usual Spider-Man 2 fare. Each criminal systemically kills off one another until only one is left. The fallen bank manager lambasts the remaining robber for lacking any principles and asks what he believes in. The robber removes his mask, revealed to be the Joker himself (it also is a unique way of introducing the character; his face is only a continuation of his mask. He has no “real” face). He pops a canister in the manager’s mouth. To our surprise, the canister doesn’t explode, but instead releases a strange gas. The Joker’s comment “I believe whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stranger” implies that this gas will likely have nasty consequences to the bank manager and turn him into a fellow freak. Riding off in a yellow school bus, the Joker gets away with the loot of $68 million.

[Of course there are many contrivances in this opening scene. We have to believe that the Joker would be able to predict all would be killed except him even when things don’t go exactly according to plan, that he could trust all his goons to do everything just right, and that when one turns on him, he could easily maneuver him to be in the right position to crushed by the bus, which was expected to arrive at the exact time. Yes, the entire heist is so meticulously planned to a convoluted extreme. And you know what, that sums up the Joker perfectly].

A short montage goes by introducing us to all of the characters. The plot of the film is so intricate that often two or three things are happening in the same scene. A brief clip of Gotham’s mayor being interviewed by reporter Mike Engel on Gotham Tonight introduces both characters and establishes the setting a little bit. Gotham City is still reacting to the arrival of Batman. The crime rate is lowering and criminals are afraid, but the public is also unsure of how to treat this figure. We also briefly meet Det. Wuertz, who is assigned with trying to find Batman’s identity. The fact that his list of suspects are Elvis, Abe Lincoln, and the Sasquatch, suggest he is a curmudgeon and apathetic towards his job, foreshadowing his later actions. Furthermore, as the entire force is aware that Gordon communicates with Batman, this assignment is a bit of a joke. Finally, we meet Lt. Jim Gordon on the roof of the Gotham Major Crimes Unit building standing by the lit Bat-signal. He chats with Det. Ramirez, which simultaneously also reveals to the audience that her mother is in the hospital, foreshadowing her own actions as well.

The Chechen, a Gotham crime lord from Chechnya, is having a meeting with a drug dealer in the upper level of a parking garage. The dealer is revealed to be the Scarecrow and their dialogue only further reveals how handicapped Gotham’s criminal empire has become: the Scarecrow is the only drug dealer in the city not scared of Batman, and as his toxins have unpleasant effects, the Chechen’s clients are not pleased. Suddenly the meeting is interrupted by several “wannabe-Batmen;” it appears that an unfortunate side-effect of Batman’s campaign is that it has inspired imitators with makeshift costumes to try and be fellow vigilantes, though with inept results. Their use of gunfire makes it clear that they are not the real Batman. Eventually the Tumbler crashes in, but it is empty and only programmed to shoot in order to cause a distraction. Finally the real Batman makes his entrance in the film, thwarting the gunshot of one of the imitators and fighting with the various henchmen. While the Chechen is able to escape, Batman goes after the Scarecrow, and carefully times his jump to land on the Scarecrow’s van as soon as it passes the lower level of the garage. Dr. Jonathan Crane is caught and tied up, along with the imitators, and left for the police; Batman never kills anyone. This scene introduces us to our hero and makes one thing clear: he may have a lot of imitators, but Bruce Wayne is the only one who can do it right.

Gordon is chatting with Ramirez about the Joker and the bank heist when Batman appears in the room, almost magically [This is really stretching it. I can believe Batman appearing on rooftops unnoticed, but that he’s able to enter buildings and just appear in closed rooms is a bit hard to swallow. This is another occasion where a film that’s generally trying to be realistic reverts back to the comic book logic of its origins. In any case, Batman will continue to do this several times throughout the film]. Batman reveals he has been giving Gordon dollar bills marked by irradiation that undercover detectives have used to purchase drugs. Now they’ve been able to trace the mob’s funds to five banks and all Gordon needs is to get a Search and Seizure warrant approved in order to perform a bank raid. Batman asks if the new district attorney is trustworthy and Gordon simply acknowledges that the DA will want in. He also comments “He’s as stubborn as you” setting up a parallel between Batman and Harvey Dent that will last the whole film. The moment Batman gets his answer, he is gone. With Wayne Manor being rebuilt after the events of BATMAN BEGINS, Bruce Wayne now lives in a penthouse and Batman’s base of operations is a bunker under a shipping yard. His butler, Alfred Pennyworth, visits him in the “Bat-Bunker” and offers the sarcastic dry remarks that are the trademarks of his character, disapproving of his master’s reckless lifestyle while at the same time showing admiration for what he’s doing. Noticing Bruce’s scars and wounds, Alfred advises him to be aware of his limits. Bruce initially states that Batman has none, but also acknowledges he may meet that day soon.

[This sets up one of the film’s central themes: the limitations of Batman. It also establishes that Bruce Wayne is just a man, flawed like any other. A life as Batman has its repercussions. Can Bruce continue living this lifestyle?]

Gotham’s new district attorney is Harvey Dent, a man so beloved by Gotham that he is called “the White Knight.” He is dating his assistant: Rachel Dawes, who is Bruce’s old girlfriend and is aware of his secret identity. Dent has a laid-back, entertainer’s personality. He comes into court late, jokes with the concerned Rachel, and offers to flip a coin to decide who will lead the case. He claims to use a coin toss as a deciding factor for everything, including having gone out with Rachel. A coin toss is a symbol of blind chance and would appear to indicate that Dent lives life arbitrarily. The scene that follows pays homage to the traditional comic book depiction of how Dent became Two-Face. He prosecutes a hostile witness in order to incriminate mob boss Sal Maroni, who has taken over the Falcone criminal empire. However, rather than throwing the expected acid at Dent, the wiseguy pulls out a gun, which ends up misfiring with a pop and so he is instantly caught. Maroni ends up walking, but regardless, Dent’s popularity with the public has been cemented and Rachel asserts that the assassination attempt is a sign they are making progress. Dent then meets with Gordon over the warrant issue. As predicted, Dent figures out that Batman is involved and wants involvement. He also mentions that he has caught every single money-launderer in the city, and so these mob banks will be the fatal blow to what’s left of the criminal empire. He reluctantly agrees to issue the needed warrant. Over at Wayne Enterprises, a scene occurs that, as usual, has three different purposes: we are reintroduced to Lucius Fox and Bruce’s day job in the corporate world; we also meet the suspicious Chinese businessman Lau who is proposing a joint venture with Wayne Enterprises; finally, we meet employee Coleman Reese, a surly accountant who is dissatisfied with his job and his current assignment of investigating the books of Lau’s corporation. When Fox tells Bruce that he suspects Lau and his corporation are guilty of illegal “off the record” activities, Bruce reveals he already knew this and was only pretending to go forward with this deal to take a better look at Lau’s books. Later, Dent and Rachel run into Bruce and his date at a fancy restaurant and so dine together. Bruce, continuing his public image as a billionaire playboy buffoon, is dating a gorgeous Russian ballerina who he does not seem to be really interested in. The group discusses the ethics of Batman’s vigilantism, which Dent surprisingly approves of, comparing the situation to ancient Rome suspending democracy so that one man could protect the city. Rachel points out that this is how Caesar became emperor. Dent agrees and states the central theme of the film: “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Batman’s heroism does have limits: he must eventually retire from being the city’s Official Protector once justice is served, or else a reign of vigilantism without rules or observance of the law will lead to totalitarianism, and “might makes right.” Bruce likes Dent and sees in him the ability to legitimize his campaign by handing the protector’s mantle over to this idealistic White Knight. He offers to throw Dent a fundraiser party.

[It is worth noting that Harvey Dent physically resembles Bruce Wayne, and the many things they share, from ideals to love of Rachel, make them “opposite sides of the same two-headed coin.” Batman’s goal throughout the rest of the film will be the protection of Dent’s legacy for the sake of Gotham. However, in addition to Dent, Batman has another doppelganger, whom we are about to meet.]

The next scene is perhaps the signature scene of the film, and the one in which we REALLY meet the character of the Joker. Gotham’s crime lords are having a meeting in the kitchen of a hotel to discuss the problem of their money. The group includes Maroni, the Chechen, another gangster named Gambol, their associates, and a strange businessman via satellite, who is revealed to be Lau! Lau explains that, as the cops have become aware of their banks, he will protect all their funds for them at a hidden location. As he is on his way back to Hong Kong, Dent will not be able to prosecute him and he will be protected by the Chinese government. Finally, he reveals that he has in fact already taken the mob’s money without their permission in order to beat the police. This is played over footage of Gordon leading a SWAT team on the bank raids, and discovering the vaults completely empty, aside from the marked bills. This meeting is interrupted by a creepy sarcastic laughter of “Hee-hee-hoo-haw-haw” and the Joker enters the room. He is a tiny, scrawny man in a purple suit and leather gloves, his face splattered in white makeup with black grease around his eyes, and his frizzed hair died green. Worst of all are the scars giving him a permanent grin. Rather than a traditional evil genius, the Joker comes off as socially awkward and even a little nerdy, speaking in a nasal Chicagoan accent. It certainly takes a lot of guts to walk into a room of gangsters you have just stolen from, but he knows they are desperate. He performs a “magic trick” with a pencil and kills one of Gambol’s henchmen in a single swoop without batting an eye (I still remember the shock, laughter, and applause this got in the cinema on my first viewing). He awkwardly explains to the mobsters that Batman has been the sole cause for the rise of cops and lawyers, taunting them by saying “Did your balls drop off?” Furthermore, Lau’s plan is flawed because, the Joker correctly predicts, even in Hong Kong, Batman will be able to find him and do what Dent can’t. Therefore, the only option the mob has for its survival is to kill Batman, which the Joker offers to do for half their funds. Fed up, Gambol pulls out a gun, but the Joker reveals he has explosives in his vest, the trigger tied to his thumb [Again, as much as this film tries to be as realistic as possible, little moments like these are reminiscent of classic comic book pulp]. Gambol still puts out a bounty on the Joker’s head, so our villain decides to exit, but leaves a Joker playing card as his “business card.”

Dent, Gordon, and Batman meet on the rooftop of MCU. Dent is furious that Lau has gotten away with the money [though it’s never explained how they are aware that Lau is the culprit. Didn’t the earlier scene make it clear that Lau was generally seen by the public as a legitimate businessman unless one took a close look at his company’s books?]. Clearly the mob, specifically Maroni, has undercover men working in their offices, but Gordon and Dent fight over whose office it is. Interestingly, Dent correctly calls out Wuertz and Ramirez, the two individuals who will be responsible for his transformation into Two-Face, as traitors, though Gordon refuses to consider them the problem. Batman only asks one question: if he catches Lau for them, will Dent be able to bring the mob to justice? The moment he gets a yes, he disappears. Gordon simply tells the confused Dent “He does that” [This scene is taken from The Long Halloween].

Gambol is shooting pool at his headquarters when several thugs come in, claiming to have killed the Joker. He inspects the body and falls for it; the moment he turns around, the Joker jumps up and holds him defenseless. Likewise, the thugs all manage to overpower Gambol’s men. The Joker tells a possible story of his origin and says his catchphrase “Why so serious?” before murdering Gambol [The Joker taunting us with conflicting origin stories pays tribute to his various origin stories in the comics. While Two-Face is always Harvey Dent, the Penguin is always Oswald Cobblepot, and Catwoman is always Selena Kyle except in the Halle Berry movie, the Joker is unique in never having a consistent identity. This particular Joker is one big mystery]. He then announces to Gambol’s three bodyguards that one of them may join his group, and throws a broken pool cue on the floor, for “try-outs.” The scene is ambiguous, but implies that the winner will be the one to kill the other two with this savage weapon.

The capture of Lau is a spectacular sequence. Bruce goes about preparing the effort with the amount of planning and diligence expected for a CIA sting operation, not a superhero. Fox enables him with a new Bat-suit as well as knowledge of skyhooks. Alfred then helps him secure a plane and a flight crew, and Bruce sets up an alibi by going on a publicized cruise with the entire Russian ballet, thus cancelling the performance that Rachel and Dent mentioned earlier that they were attending. On the boat, Bruce leaves Alfred with the ballerinas so he may fly undercover to Hong Kong [This alibi is pretty filmsy. The ballerinas are obviously going to figure out that their patron has disappeared for several days while they are at sea]. Once in Hong Kong, Fox visits Lau on the pretense of continuing their negotiations, and leaves a sonar cell phone in the building. He also equips Bruce with another cell phone that creates a sonar of the inside of the building. That night, the planted phone knocks out all security in the building, giving Batman enough time to swoop down from a high building, break through the window, fight off guards, capture Lau, destroy part of the building with a planted bomb, and escape the local authorities via his skyhook. The plane flies Batman towards Gotham, and Lau towards justice.

[Lau’s capture marks the end of the film’s first act and is notable for several reasons. It is a perfect example of something that Dent and traditional means of law could not accomplish and so a vigilante who follows no rules was necessary. Thus, Dent needs Batman. It also represents Batman driving the final blow to the pre-established criminal empire. Having now lost their banks and all other options, Maroni and the Chechen have nowhere to go. The only possible way they can survive is to turn to the Joker. However, the Joker, as we have seen, has just taken out Gambol and gained his muscle, and once unleashed, will only continue to grow in power. Lau’s defeat will be the fall of the mob and the rise of the Joker, and Gotham’s fate is uncertain.]