Amanda

I was completely fixed on the story. The acting was, on the whole, very well done. I agree with you on the overall feel of these films. There’s much more realism. They didn’t look to turn Gotham into some mythical gothic city, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Gotham could be New York, which makes the rest of the superhero storyline more effective. The same can be said for the explanation and detail of Batman’s weaponry and toys. They’re not just some magical technology. They’re believable, though highly advanced.

What affected me most about this film, however, was the realization of how powerfully this will impact our youth. There is a deeper darkness to this film than in any Batman film prior. Millions of teenagers will see this film, and I wonder how many will trip on acid and fall in love with the Joker’s madness. If you never experimented as a teenager, you won’t understand enough to respond. But this is the type of film that can affect a generation.

That film, for me, was The Crow. I won’t go into details, but it had a profound affect on me at a time when I was very impressionable and open to morbidity and madness as an escape from normalcy. It’s a very real threat to some percentage of our youth, and films such as The Dark Knight pull of the portrayal so well that I am concerned about how it will affect our kids.

I would most definitely NOT show this film to my children. I can appreciate the film, but I don’t want my kids to witness everything I’ve witnessed in order to be less overwhelmed by powerfully dark performances.