The "Dark Knight" in Guatemala City

Still puzzled as to our lack of productivity in Antigua, Max and I backtracked to Guatemala City on a Friday in order to reunite with my family. We had hopes of heading to their beach house on the coast. Unfortunately, inclement weather forced us to stay inland. The result: we would depart for Panajachel on Lake Atitlan in the morning. However, the "knight" was not lost.

A quick glance in the local paper revealed the sweet information that the new Batman was playing in an IMAX theatre around the corner. The following post will now, from this point, proceed in form as a short movie review fused with my normal travel blog. (I have been writing about travelling for 35 days and needed a reprieve.)



"Its not about the money. Its about sending a message"

I was appalled by the action and grew angrier by the second. Unable to bear the blatant lack of disrespect I tapped the middle aged man on the shoulder and in broken Spanish let him know that the line for entry into "Batman: The Dark Knight" started 40 people behind us. He was shocked and angered at my audacity yet reaffirmed his self-entitlement to the front of the line by refusing to adhere to my implication. In line for the IMAX movie, in the most affluent part of the country of Guatemala, I stood pondering the deeper meaning of his action. After the movie, I would have a theory.


"The Dark Knight" is a cinematic success. It is so filled with entertaining and substantive content that it could, and arguably should, have been made into two great movies. I entered the theatre a critic who hated the most recently released version of Batman. Yet, the director redeems himself in creating a follow-up film that, beyond the super-hero surface, instills a strong message.

The strength of the movie is derived from its actors, dynamic characters, and lasting images/scenes. Really, this trinity must be discussed concomittantly. Elaboration on the most dominant performance, specifically for purposes of this blog, is sufficient to make the point.

Heath Ledger is, so early in the year, deserving of a best-supporting actor nomination for his role as the Joker. The Joker has always been a multi-faceted character exuding both a humor and terror, but Leger elevates these bare descriptions to create the best villian I have ever seen on film. The splattered and dripping clown make-up, the scarred mouth, and the flacid-armed strut convey a fear-of-the-unknown in the viewer. When the voice and laugh is added to the image the demon is completed. With a better-than-mediocre script Ledger then uses the already provoked feelings to magnify incredible scenes. The pencil magic trick, the hospital walk, the police car ecstacy ride, and the fiery money pyramid will forever be ingrained in my mind. Yet, imagery is not all I would remember into the night.

In one of the scenes, the Joker slides down an 10-ft pyramid of mafia-money. Waltzing around his supposed treasure he wittily informs the spectating mobsters that he is now in charge of all crime in Gotham. He douses the entire pile with gasoline and ignites it to create a fiery green volcano. The words that followed should be etched into the hollywood hall-of-quotations. To the dismayed and frightened former crime bosses he says "Its not about the money. Its about sending a message."

In the world of reality my hope is that the message will be something more progressive than terror or death. In fact, it should always be that. However, there is a beauty in watching from afar, and from reality, a character that shuns the greatest social confine of them all - monetary wealth. The Joker applied his no-rules chaotic lifestyle even to the most tempting of all vices. My cousin always says that nearly all men "have a price" - not the Joker.

While on the chicken-buses of Central America I have ridden among some of the most impoverished people of the world. Yet, the people function in a respectful and orderly way, however disorderly the system may seem. Entitlement, power, wealth, and hierarchy are refreshingly absent in these small scenes. I was quickly reminded of the two-sided world we live in by the individual action of the person in line before the movie. His action, derived from an elevated social class, is frequently emblematic of those in a position of wealth. At what price is respect for others and the public good lost? That small act, combined with one of the messages from "The Dark Knight" has left a lasting impression on me.



One should deny ultimate temptations, including false societal norms, in order to be free enough to send a positive message - this is the point I have ironically taken from the villian of the film as I apply it to my environment and ongoing experiences while travelling.

"The Dark Knight" is rated PG-13 for strong violence (Parents strongly cautioned) and is being shown in theatres nationwide.

(insert Joker laugh here)