It has been my tradition to bring the family out to the movies, a ritual my father started with his children -- that I am now (consciously or not) perpetuating. In a time when there is not a lot of good news to be had from any form of media; and my work/post-graduate studies/projects schedule is simply driving me nuts … movie-watching  becomes an easy (though at times expensive) escape. 

I have been watching movies as early as I can remember, and consider myself somewhat of a movie critic. I endeavor to enjoy and sample films of various genres. I may not exactly be a connoisseur, but I can tell a good movie when I see one. I have come home a couple of times regretting the money I paid for a movie badly done … although not much compares with the pleasure brought by the merger of an intelligent script, with great acting and superb directing. Tonight I was pleasantly surprised to witness the genius invested on the latest Batman movie.

As a child, I was a great fan of TRON. I began to develop such great idealism that upheld the concept of good defeating evil. Where the bad guys were essentially evil and incapable of doing good; while the good guys were by nature beyond reproach… nearly divine. My world operated on absolute fairness, you reap the good you sow, no ands, ifs or buts. My view of people and circumstances remained so for a good portion of my life until I finished college and had to deal with REAL life.

Being an oncology nurse, I saw illness and suffering strike the old and the young, the arrogant and the humble, friends and foe – cancer does not prejudice against the immoral, nor does it favor wealth and education. It was difficult to accept the world’s inability to deliver my sense of justice -- good behavior sometimes had painful consequences. As an adult, I began to understand that even with the best intentions, my words (or mere silence) can offend. As an immigrant, I realized how other people’s racial prejudices can hurt me, and vice versa.

Gotham is not too different from the world we live in. Like any common resident of Central Phoenix I am no stranger to crime nor unfairness. As the rest of the nation celebrated this past fourth of July, I got rear-ended by an uninsured motorist. When all was said and done, I realized that it was going to cost me at least six hundred dollars to undo the damage done to my car. I also had to miss a week’s worth of work because of aches and pains. Depression began to creep my way as I slowly came to feel like I was being penalized for someone else’s carelessness on the road (and its rules). For almost three nights I dwelled on my misfortune and found myself asking the same questions over and over again: why and what now?

Bruce Wayne , James Gordon and Harvey Dent were the heroes of Gotham. Three folks who appear to me like three (among many other) archetypes of city dwellers: the insanely rich (who may or may not be noble), the humble worker (who deals with the daily grind), and the extremely educated (who may or may not be honorable). Each of these three characters were flawed in many different ways – but they came to share one thing. All three were committed to doing better… even when it was tough. Taking it upon themselves to try and better their lives and those of others, despite great sacrifices. 

The movie affirms the notion that many-a-time ‘no good deed goes unpunished‘. Director Chris Nolan is clever and unapologetic in the way he steers the audience into particularly painful twists and turns; while Heath Ledger introduces us to the pain and suffering of pure, disgusting anarchy. It is not a film for the immature … nor the unbrave.

In the end, our heroes move on, altered by their experiences. The Caped Crusader endures… the road ahead of him will be tougher undoubtedly, but he is determined to continue his quest. As I speculated on what lies ahead for Bruce Wayne, I couldn’t help but wonder… what lies out there for me? As the economic downturn continues, and the demands of work, school and other activities loom large over my head… Will I continue on my own quest? Where will it lead? And what kind of person will I be at the end?

I shall sleep tonight, fresh out of my three-hour-oasis … happy to have contemplated through my movie experience. Few and far between are movies that showcase talent the way The Dark Knight does. All that… for just nine bucks.