In a red carpet interview a good while back Christopher Nolan was asked what the theme of TDKR would be. The question was put to him with the suggestion that Batman Begins was all about fear, while TDK focused more on escalation. The director simply smiled and said something along the lines of: "You will have to wait and see".
Well with the official release of the full theatrical trailer for TDKR we may have our first clue. It's clear that fear does play a big part in the plot of Batman Begins, and escalation along with the notion that good does not always triumph over evil is an underlying theme of TDK. There is much more to them too of course, but there is no doubt that Christopher Nolan likes to mix in something else for audiences to chew on aside from the usual CBM staples. This time it could well be a more political slant we in store for.
Nolan may have debunked the rumor that he would be shooting scenes at Occupy Wall St but that doesn't mean one of his characters won't be sharing that movement's ideals. It can't be ignored that Anne Hathaway's Selena Kyle (Catwoman) gets the largest chunk of dialog in the new trailer, and said dialog tells us more about her, and possibly the movie's plot, than anything else we have seen/heard thus far. While dancing with Bruce Wayne (for those unaware of his secret, a 1%er is ever there was one) she is heard to whisper (hiss?):
“You think this is gonna last? There’s a storm coming Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches because when it hits, you are all going to wonder how you ever thought how you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.”. Sounds like Miss Kyle may have been spending a bit of time down at Wall St herself. This dialog is accompanied by shots of what appears to be the ransacking of a wealthy homestead. We also see the brutish Bane commit an act of terror while being joined by a chanting mob of prisoners. Are these antagonists to be driven by the usual comic book villain plans or will their motivations and goals resonate with what many people are feeling in today's climate? Add to that the singing of The Star Spangled Banner at the beginning and the talk of Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) being a "War hero in peace time" and I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume that there will at least be a political undercurrent to the story, if not a major theme.
So if this is the case, how would that go down with fans? I know here on CBM it's pretty much a minefield whenever a political subject is broached. Many feel that movies should just be entertainment and not platforms for those wishing to express an opinion. Others welcome it, believing it gives a bit of weight to a story even if they don't necessarily agree with the ideas/opinions being put across. Do you guys agree with this assessment of the trailer? And if so what are your thoughts on it?
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.