Batman: The Dark Knight Rises (A Christian Review)

Let me first start by saying I am and always will be a Batman fan. From childhood I have preferred Batman from DC Comics better than other superheroes. Because here is a man who has no superpower whatsoever fights for justice and peace for a city so corrupt. His dedication to a City he still believes in Gotham.

After recently seeing ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ I seemed to find a lot of Christian Symbolism. I do not know wether Nolan or the script writers put  it cause of their christian faith or not, I am not being able to say. But this much I have noticed in the latest Batman Trilogy that it mirrors a lot of Christian Symbolism.

“Why So Serious?” – The Joker © Warner Bros. / DC Entertainment

In ‘Batman Begins’ Ra’s al Ghul played by Liam Neeson is the Head of the League of Shadows. The original mastermind who wanted to burn down Gotham cause of how corrupt it became. In ‘The Dark Knight’ The Joker played by Heath Ledger, a stunning Oscar winning performance of a psychotic maniac “who just wants to see the world burn”. In ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane played by Tom Hardy is a terrorist but more importantly he is a Tyrant, war lord whose sole motive is to bring Judgement on the people of Gotham cause of their corruption and fulfil the desires of Ra’s al Ghul (who as of now seems to exist in the mind, in & out of Bruce Wayne’s thoughts some what like the devil) .

All the above villains represent the Devil in someways or the other.

Other minor, but very important Symbolic Similarities in the Trilogy are:

1. Harvey Dent played by Aaron Eckhart is Gotham’s Knight in shining armour. The Elect who is brought down from his horse and made into a villain. A quote I remember from the movie was “We stopped checking for monsters under our beds when we realized they were inside us.”. The Bible says “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” ~ Matthew 24:24b
2. Selena Kyle/Catwoman played by Anne Hathaway is the struggling dual minded  sinner just like most of us.
   

   Selina Kyle in prison. © Warner Bros. / DC Entertainment

   Who needs the ‘clean slate’ to wipe her record and start afresh. The ‘Clean Slate’ is a computer program which can wipe away all her criminal records (sins). In the movie the clean slate comes in the possession of Batman.

3. Halfway through the movie, Batman is captured and striped of his mask,and then he is Descended into the ‘Pit’ (Hell) where he speaks with the people in prisoned there.”For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; ” ~ 1 Peter 3:18-19. But He rises from the Pit and drops the rope to free the prisoners.
4. Then back in Gotham City He frees the police officers who were buried in the tunnels below & with them he leads an army to march against Bane (The Devil) “Look! The Lord comes with thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict them of all their ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against Him.” ~ Jude 1:14-15
5.  Commissioner James Gordon played by Gary Oldman says in the film, “You hope you had a friend like I did, to plunge the hands into the filth, and keep yours clean”. He was refering to Batman who took all the blame on himself to save Gordon’s family and Gotham. All for a Higher Purpose. How Christ did the same for us.
6. Amongst all this there is a Judas Iscariot in Bruce’s close circle. Miranda Tate who betrays Batman.
7. In the end Batman gives his Life to save Gotham as he takes the Atom bomb and blows it in the horizon. A Substitutionary Sacrifice like Christ did on Calvary.
8. As the trilogy comes to a close the last few glimpses of various characters among which you will see of Selena Kyle is with Bruce Wayne in a cafe enjoying New Life. It was sensible to have Bruce there as He was the one who gave her the ‘Clean Slate’ to wipe away her records of her past.
   

   Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle after Gotham. © Warner Bros. / DC Entertainment

After seeing this movie, it reminds me of Chronicles of Narnia. How C.S Lewis in his novel & also followed in the Movie put in a lot of Christian Symbolism and meaning. And from the begining to this great trilogy I have enjoyed ever moment of it.