Thomas Hibbs Gets "The Dark Knight." Plus: Andrew Sarris.

And here... we... GO!

Thomas Hibbs from First Things:

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The Joker espouses a nihilist philosophy concerning the arbitrariness of the code of morality in civilized society; it is but a thin veneer, a construct intended for our consolation. If you tear away at the surface, “civilized people will eat each other.” As The Joker puts it, “madness is like gravity; all it takes is a little push.” In a wonderfully comic take on a Nietzschean sentiment, he sums up his beliefs: “Whatever does not kill you makes you stranger.” His character also illustrates the parasitic status of evil and nihilism. A thoroughgoing nihilist could not muster the energy to destroy or create. As The Joker puts it at one point, he’s like the dog chasing a car; he has no idea what he would do if he caught it.

and...

dark

And then there's THIS from Andrew Sarris:

The Dark Knight

But please note this warning halfway through:

The Dark Knight

Thanks to Christian Hamaker for that one.