The Dark Knight Rises: 6 Themes That Define The Movie

3. Justice

Batman fights crime and metes out justice, but the focus of The Dark Knight Rises shifts the emphasis on portraying Bruce Wayne's caped alter-ego as a man responsible not only for righting criminal wrongs but also for righting the wrongs of society... Bruce Wayne emphasises the need for philanthropy to help those who are less fortunate, as oppose to Bane's policy of handing back power to the people and imprisoning them by their own natures. Given the chance to rule themselves from within, Gotham erupts into violence and depravity. And without the symbol and example of Batman, and in the absence of a police force that is able to intervene, the populace turn to mob courts to deal out justice; the lines between revenge and justice blur as society piles the blame on the privileged and the wealthy. The Dark Knight examined this interplay between justice and revenge and this is also dealt with in this movie, though more of concern now is the reciprocal relationship between justice and truth. This is because, after his defeat by Bane and his subsequent escape from the overseas prison, Bruce appears to have finally come to terms with the guilt that he felt for Rachel and his parents' deaths. Key line: Commissioner Jim Gordon - "We were in this together, and then you were gone. Now this evil... rises. The Batman has to come back. He must... he must..."
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