point~counterpoint: Opposing a Sequel to The Dark Knight
By Bob 8/6/2008
As
The Dark Knight is quickly cementing itself as one of the most successful films of all time, fans have begun rampant speculation as to what the inevitable third film will be like. In the months that follow, speculation about villains for Batman Begins 3 (or what I can only assume will be titled
The Dark Knight Returns) will undoubtedly pick up, and the creative team that brought us the single best superhero film of all time will probably begin talks that many hope will lead to this trilogy’s completion in the summer of 2011. But should they? While most fans are searching through
The Dark Knight for clues about potential future villains, I believe that no sequel is necessary and that Christopher Nolan should declare his Batman series complete
With many series of this genre each film is inevitably viewed as a smaller part in a whole. This is for many reasons, but mainly because the comic book source material presents an endless amount of stories that can be told about our heroes. These stories are often used to string together various arcs that create long running narratives. While Sam Raimi adapted Spider-Man for the screen by creating a three film narrative, he also barely scratched the surface of Peter Parker’s story and the Rogues’ gallery that goes along with it.
I believe that
The Dark Knight works best when viewed not as a piece of a greater whole, but as an isolated story in and of itself. None of the storylines in this film directly continue from the earlier film, and everything in this film is wrapped up before the credits role. Character arcs for Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent richly define this film, while the battle with the Joker creates a tight plot that is also fully resolved. Certainly
Batman Begins is critical in introducing the characters and relationships that are integral to
The Dark Knight, but I believe Nolan’s first film will be remembered simply as the overture to his magnum opus that is
The Dark Knight.
Because I do see The Dark Knight as a masterpiece, like many other viewers, I also see it as a film that probably can not be matched. I believe that attempting a sequel to The Dark Knight would be more akin to attempting a sequel to The Departed than it would be to Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. The fact that Nolan’s film has its roots in comic books should not in any way diminish its stature. Like Scorsese’s crime drama before it, The Dark Knight leaves the viewer completely satisfied at the conclusion and any attempts to extend the story would be unnecessary and futile. In making a sequel to The Dark Knight, every person involved with the production would be attempting to create something just as masterful, and would most likely fail.
Furthermore, another venture into Nolan’s Batman universe would be incredibly difficult because of the lack of compelling villains that could be explored. Thus far, the filmmakers have done an extraordinary job of grounding the film in realism, and certain Batman villains are just too unreal for this world. Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Clayface, and Man-Bat are too supernatural to exist in Nolan’s Gotham. While that still leaves villains such Poison Ivy, Catwoman, The Penguin, and The Riddler, that could be realistically translated, each of these has its own faults. For starters, the filmmakers have publicly stated that they are not interested in rehashing other villains from the previous film series. Catwoman and The Penguin have already been portrayed excellently on screen by Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito in 1992’s
Batman Returns,
The Riddler is incredibly similar in nature to The Joker, and any possible Poison Ivy storyline would probably be too similar to Ra’s al Ghul’s release of flower based toxins in
Batman Begins. All in all, there are really no villains that I feel are realistic and compelling enough to drive a third film.
As for bringing back villains from previous Nolan films, my excitement about this possibility died with Heath Ledger. As Batman’s arch-nemesis, The Joker would have been excellent to continue as the primary villain in a third installment. Not only are him and Batman parallel in so many ways, but he provides a certain level of threat that The Riddler
and Catwoman really never exude. Ledger’s Joker is terrifyingly dangerous, and he the stories surrounding him are certainly compelling enough to drive another film. However, with Ledger gone I don’t believe it would be fair or proper to try and find an actor to replace him.
One other villain that could be brought back for another go-around is Two-Face. While the ending of The Dark Knight clearly leads the audience to believe that Harvey Dent is dead, it would only take a few lines of dialogue in the next film to explain that all away. However, I think that Dent’s character arc in The Dark Knight was entirely satisfactory and bringing him back would serve no real value to his story or Batman’s.
Don’t get me wrong, if and when the next Batman film is released, I will be one of the first in line to see it. I love the character, and I love Nolan’s depiction of his universe. I have complete faith that Nolan and his people will not take any missteps, and while I do believe that they will not be able to match the greatness that is
The Dark Knight, I do trust that if another film is forthcoming, it will certainly be greater than any Batman film that came before Nolan.
But finally, while the main reason that I don’t
want to see a sequel made is the fact that it probably can’t match the ridiculous standards set by
The Dark Knight, the main reason I don’t
need to see a sequel made is because the film is perfect on its own. When I walked out of the theater following
Batman Begins, I was yearning to see The Joker enter Nolan’s universe. The final scene of the first movie just begged for a follow-up featuring the clown prince himself. When I left the theater following
The Dark Knight, I was completely satisfied. While the story certainly does go on, it left Batman the way he should be, as a protector of Gotham. He must flee the police while he fights the criminals. Despite the fact
that I believe
The Dark Knight is more than just a superhero film, it is still based on a series comic books whose characters are everlasting. Batman’s story can never be fully resolved because comic books are never fully concluded. At the end of
The Dark Knight, Nolan’s story is completed, but Batman’s story is meant to have an open end, allowing it to live on forever.