12 Pointless Subplots In Otherwise Awesome Movies

1. Coleman Reese Knows Batman's Identity - The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is an absolutely incredible movie and, by most estimations, remains the best superhero film of all time. However, it's also bogged down by one totally ancillary subplot involving Wayne Enterprises accountant Coleman Reese (Joshua Harto), who figures out Bruce Wayne's alter ego and attempts to extort Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) for it.

Fox gives him his classic "Good luck" speech and that really should be the end of the matter, right? Nope. Later in the movie, Reese goes to the media with his information, causing The Joker (Heath Ledger) to order Gotham's citizens to murder Reese so he can't disrupt his plans to force Batman to unmask, with the added incentive that he'll blow up a hospital if Reese isn't quickly killed.

This leads to Reese being placed in secured custody and almost killed, but he's saved by Bruce himself, leading to a moment of recognition between the two.

It's needlessly over-complicated when The Joker simply could've told Batman, "Take off your mask or I blow up Gotham Hospital", which would've been much more urgent and presented a far more interesting quandary to Bruce, albeit one far more difficult for Nolan to solve satisfactorily.

Which pointless subplots in otherwise awesome movies most stick out to you? Shout them out in the comments!