Comments on: A weakness of superhero films

By: Shaun

Shaun — Fri, 15 May 2009 23:46:19 +0000

Caleb, while the parallels to Bush and the erosion of our civil liberties was there PLEASE do not compare Batman to Bush. I mean, first off Batman is arguably one of the smartest people on the planet. I don’t think I need to go any farther about that.

Also, Bruce Wayne is a philanthropist, one who’s always used his wealth to better the lives of those less fortunate. AND he’s always been that rarity of rarities — an ethical businessman. Neither of those are qualities that I would ascribe to the Bush years (and of course we’re ALL a lot less fortunate now thanks to the business practices encouraged over the past eight years).

Finally, you did have the parallels to the whole wiretapping thing in TDK, but just when Lucius Fox drew the line with his boss, we discovered that Batman had already taken those same fears into account and had created a password that destroyed the invasive technology.

Going back to Batman Begins, there was that great about Bruce’s ancestors being a part of the Underground Railroad, and then there were Bruce’s parents also doing what they could to use their wealth to better other people’s lives. I’m going to stir a hornets nest here, so be it, but Bruce Wayne was raised by progrssive, liberal family. The guy’s no neo-con.

Oh, and perhaps the most obvious point of all… Batman is staunchly anti-gun. I don’t think I need to tell you which way most NRA members vote, and Bruce is certainly no fan of the NRA.

By: Daryll B

Daryll B — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:31:51 +0000

Isn’t every movie like this? Most female movies equate to ‘most men suck’, war movies are allegories to well war, comedies poke fun at everything, etc. etc. etc.

The author should face facts…..most of comic books drawn inspiration / allegories from real life events…so comparisons are natural and inevitable.

By: Will

Will — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:16:53 +0000

When one of one of Samuel Goldwyn’s (head of MGM studios} producers was talking about making meaningful motion pictures Goldwyn reportedly said “If you want to send a message, use Western Union.”

That being said human beings see patterns where they may not exist from clouds shaped like ponies to superheroes who really understand how we feel about terrorism or gay rights or whatever it is that means most to us.

Remember Batman isn’t real just like the WMDs in Iraq or Sadam’s connection to Al Quadi.

By: Claudio R.

Claudio R. — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:56:19 +0000

Something that I find particularly interesting about this piece is the fact that there is a certain difference between the interpretation and subtext of a movie and the baiting towards blatantly easy political figures.
It is one thing to read the plot of a movie under its intrinsic meaning, or a possible one, and to comment it with critical arguments, providing a richer intellectual experience in front of a film, any kind of film. But then we have a whole different deal when commentators start using the immediate allegories as a plot by itself, that is, substituting characters for figures as a way to propose an obvious significance of the content merely through dialogical charades. Sure, a superhero can be attached to a current political figure and actions, and sometimes it’s worth as a means of real critique, but such a thing must be seen as one possible interpretation. And the bigger problem, I think, comes after spread opinions on such matter. A studio will probably commission a movie based on a superhero to have an obvious political message dictated by certain media trends, and that is when all meaning seems to be lost. Real critique goes with honesty, be it veiled or not, but movies (and comics and literature, for that matter) also carry on a sense of Art that can take measures to convey an emotional response and an intellectual debate.

By: imp

imp — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:45:32 +0000

Good stuff. I’m a big fan of Mike Allred’s “Batman A-Go-Go” story, which addresses the *reinvention tension* dilemma pretty well, imho: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ozhw5g

By: Jeremiah Allan

Jeremiah Allan — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:22:37 +0000

I thought the Joker symbolized Jesus and Batman was an enforcer of the tyrannical Establishment, and watching “the Dark Knight” was like watching “the Passion of the Christ” from the point of view of the Romans–that is, we were rooting for the Romans instead of Jesus.

This interpretation thing is fun.