Over a decade after it first hit theaters, no superhero movie has managed to top Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. In the time since its release, The Dark Knight has reached an iconic status unlike any superhero film before or since. Fans of the comic book movie genre or otherwise have at one point or another found themselves checking out this groundbreaking take on the Caped Crusader, and for good reason. This film has become the benchmark for all in its class, and it has yet to be outdone.
Prior to Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, comic book properties as a whole had not been doing well on the big screen. 1997’s Batman & Robin was regarded as not only the worst Batman movie of the bunch, but one of the worst comic book movies ever made. Not to mention characters like Superman had fallen from grace at the movies and even Marvel had seen little success with household names like Hulk. While there were big moneymakers like the original Spider-Man trilogy or the X-Men series, they didn’t quite manage to make a huge splash in the way you’d expect now, and mostly didn’t push the boundaries of their genre.
This all changed when Batman Begins hit theaters in 2005 to resounding praise and monetary success. Originally intended to be a standalone origin story, the film received its fabled sequel in 2008. The unbridled mainstream popularity of The Dark Knight was and still is unlike anything seen before. The movie redefined what it meant to be a comic book movie in its own style, one that has been replicated in the years since, but still has yet to be duplicated. Even something like Avengers: Infinity War wasn’t as big a movie, all things considered. Knee deep in the age of the superhero film dominating the movies, both Marvel and DC alike have yet to pull off what Nolan did over a decade ago.
What Made The Dark Knight So Groundbreaking
Before The Dark Knight trilogy flipped the superhero genre on its head, its predecessors maintained a fairly similar style. The presentation was campy and the stories were one-dimensional at best. There were very few comic book movies that dared to go beyond simple adaptation as opposed to reinvention. As a result, they were not taken seriously by many critics and actors – even Heath Ledger disliked comic book movies until Nolan came along. They were thought by many to be popcorn flicks aimed primarily at children. The focus was to sell toys, not memorable performances. This formulaic and downright boring tradition gave the Nolan trilogy a perfect springboard into the mainstream, taking all that came before it and boldly going in a new direction.
The Dark Knight was so popular because it didn’t have that same corny, colorful, comic book feel to it. It looked at all of the over-the-top, cookie-cutter aspects of the genre and did away with them, making Gotham and its citizens feel like they could exist in the real world. The likes of Batman, Two Face, and the Joker became real people with real motives. Gone were the days of the superhero caricature, with cheesy one-liners and flamboyant costumes, and so began the dawn of the dark, gritty re-imagining. It wasn’t bogged down by the need to sell toys or connect into a grander universe. The film stood on its own while also acting as a continuation of the Batman Begins story. The Dark Knight was a breath of fresh air not only for the Batman character but for the superhero movie genre in its entirety.
Superhero Movies Are Much Different Now
Fast forward to today, and in one way or another superhero movies have changed since The Dark Knight. Everything, in some way or another, feels grounded in reality. Sure characters like Thanos or the sci-fi infused Captain Marvel lean more into the fictitious side of comic stories, but at the very least they take themselves more seriously than they once did. There is more focus on world building and fleshing out characters as opposed to big, elaborate yet hollow stories with protagonists that give off the same vibe as cartoons. In this regard, it is clear that there was some measure of inspiration taken from The Dark Knight, which first brought this presentation to the forefront years ago.
There is an increased focus on shared universes now than there was back in 2008. Yes, 2008 was the year the Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Iron Man, but there was nothing established just yet. In many ways, The Dark Knight was one of the last superhero films, or really franchise films in general, to not carry with it the expectation of a tie-in with other properties. It is interesting to ponder what things would be like if the Nolan trilogy was part of the DCEU, however as it stands it’s for the best that it remained alone – even its sequel, The Dark Knight Rises, feels more linked to Batman Begins than it does The Dark Knight. The industry has evolved beyond anyone’s wildest expectations, so much so that the blueprint has changed when it comes to how to put a superhero movie together. Some of it has to do with the massive success of the MCU, while other portions undoubtedly looked to Nolan’s work for guidance. 2019’s Joker, the closest successor to The Dark Knight in this regard, itself may spawn a sequel and related DC spin-off movies, and in terms of quality it can’t quite match The Dark Knight either.
The Dark Knight Is Still The Best
Even with over 10 years under its utility belt, The Dark Knight has proven to be the best at what it does, which was go a bold new direction as it pertains to not only Batman but superheroes as a whole on the big screen. It combines comic book elements and puts them in a real life setting, seamlessly. Though it is very clear other films since have attempted to pull off the same genre reinvention, none have come close to doing what Nolan did back in 2008. The movie had standout performances, breathtaking action, and iconic quotes all blanketed by a score unlike anything Hans Zimmer had done before.
In doing all that it did, The Dark Knight also managed to change public perception toward comic book movies in ways never thought possible. No longer were they made for kids alone as vehicles to sell merchandise; they were rebuilt as a way to tell meaningful stories by actors who cared deeply about the performances they were putting in. These were not adaptations anymore, but rather reinvention of famous comic books heroes and villains for the modern age. For once there was some legitimacy to the superhero movie in the eyes of critics.
There won’t be another movie like The Dark Knight for a very long time, if ever. While it is not everyone’s favorite take on Batman, it is by far one of the most appreciated and respected films in recent memory. Without the pressure of interconnected universes or marketing executives looking to appeal to kids, The Dark Knight was able to push the envelope with comic book movies, retooling the genre into something many thought it could never be. Though the business has adapted when it comes to how superheroes are perceived on the big screen, it cannot be understated the importance of this film in bringing them to the forefront of Hollywood in ways unimagined.
