Sunday, July 20, 2008

Dark Knight of Terror


The Washington Times' Sonny Bunch reviews The Dark Knight:

The Nolans force an interesting dilemma on the audience: How should society combat [terroristic] malevolence? With the shining white knight, a district attorney who plays by the rules and brings criminals to justice in a court of law?

Or with the tarnished dark knight, a masked vigilante who operates outside the jurisdiction of the police — a man who doesn't blanch at the thought of dropping a murderer off a 20-foot balcony to soften him up for interrogation? Is it possible for the two to work in tandem without the dark corrupting the light?

..."The Dark Knight" is a masterpiece of the first order, and the first great post-Sept. 11 film. I mean that not chronologically, but generically. It is the first film to realistically confront the impact of terror on society writ large — and grapple with how that society must respond in the face of nihilistic aggression against a foe dedicated to ending its way of life.

Goodness. Now progressives will be complaining that Hollywood is endorsing the "politics of fear."

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