To understand the message of a film—what the author wants to convey—it is crucial to grasp the film's theme. The narrative structure is the tool used to articulate the theme and message throughout the story. It is the primary means by which the author’s message can be decoded. While the structure of films is almost always the same, this does not mean the content is similar from one film to another. The structure can be likened to a form of grammar, and each author uses it to compose their own poetry.

To illustrate this, let’s consider the structure of a joke in its simplest form: there is the setup and the punchline. The setup can be long or short, and the punchline is often quick and unexpected. Beyond this, there is room for endless invention.

Example of a joke:
A guy walks into a café (setup), splash! (punchline). Here, the genre is absurd humor.

Second example:
A guy walks into a café, a lot of things happen (setup), and he ends up slipping on a banana peel. The genre here is slapstick.

We see that the genre often sets the tone. The genre of a film greatly influences its theme. Each genre has its preferred themes. While the narrative structure remains consistent across genres, specific structural points are developed differently and in a genre-specific way, almost like a secondary structure that blends with the traditional narrative framework.

With The Dark Knight, we will analyze the narrative structure specific to the genre this film belongs to: crime.

Beats are the key moments through which a story progresses to maximize its effectiveness and convey its theme. Every film includes 22 beats, which are distinct structural moments, and, more broadly, 7 main parts (distinct temporal moments) called steps. Each genre has a specific way of handling these beats.

Overview of the traditional 7-step structure:

1) Weakness (Beat) / Need (Beat)

• Introduction of the character in their daily life.
• The character's weakness (beat) prevents them from being happy, creating a need for change (at the beginning, the character is unaware—or barely aware—of this need).
• The character acts based on a false belief (beat).
• This marks the beginning of the character's narrative arc (values), highlighting the internal conflict they must resolve during the climax (beat).
• Two types of weaknesses can be distinguished: Moral (beat): the character suffers from it. Psychological (beat): others suffer because of it.
• This step establishes identification with the protagonist.

2) Desire (Beat)

• The inciting incident triggers the protagonist's desire by challenging their weakness.
• The protagonist aims for a clear and specific goal.
• Desire is the heart of the plot and keeps the audience invested in the outcome.
• There is tension between the protagonist's desire and their need.
• The desire grows more complex and aligns closer to the need.
• The protagonist cannot achieve their desire while persisting in their initial behavior (false belief).
• During the climax, the protagonist makes a moral choice: to achieve or abandon their desire.

3) The Antagonist

• The antagonist creates conflict and offers the possibility of change.
• The antagonist must be as complex as the protagonist.
• The protagonist is also the antagonist's antagonist.
• Both the antagonist and protagonist share the same desire but pursue it differently.
• They must be of nearly equal strength.

4) The Plan

• The plan consists of a series of actions devised to achieve the desire.
• The plan should not go smoothly and must be continually adapted.
• The plan should be creative and surprising.

5) The Battle

• The ultimate confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist.
• This is the culmination of their two plans clashing.
• The scope of location and time is reduced (often to a single scene) to heighten dramatic intensity.
• The outcome must remain uncertain.
• This step clearly distinguishes the protagonist and antagonist one last time by showcasing their values in action.

6) The Personal Revelation

• The moment when the hero understands what they have done wrong throughout the story.
• Climax: a moral choice between their desire and their need, requiring a sacrifice.
• Ideally, the hero chooses their need and also achieves their desire.

7) New Equilibrium

• Return to normalcy.
• By contrast, it highlights what the hero has gained and learned.
• Ideally, everyone benefits from this resolution.

We will discuss the structure specific to the crime genre after viewing the first excerpt, but let us first explore the theme of the crime genre to which The Dark Knight belongs.

An Exploration of Conflicting Moralities

The Crime genre always grapples with a fundamental question: “How do people live together in society?” This question becomes particularly significant when an individual—the criminal (antagonist)—breaks social rules by committing a crime. This act calls into question the validity of the rule or law being violated. The antagonist systematically places themselves above the rules of the city, believing that their personal morality, which they deem superior to that of society, justifies their illegal actions.

In contrast, the police officer (protagonist) believes in the city. They acknowledge its imperfections but are committed to protecting it from the criminal. However, the protagonist often holds a personal morality they also see as superior to that of the city. In this sense, they share a certain proximity to the criminal. Yet, their moralities or philosophies diverge drastically.

The core of such a narrative lies in presenting these three moral systems—those of society, the criminal, and the police officer—and bringing them into argumentative conflict. Which philosophy is the most just? That of society? The criminal's transcendent morality? Or that of the police officer?

In The Dark Knight, this dynamic is embodied by the clash between the Joker’s philosophy and Batman’s, as well as the perspectives of Harvey Dent and Gordon.

The Philosophy and Psychology of the Joker

The focus of this analysis will be on understanding the Joker’s psychology and philosophy. Why is he one of the most memorable antagonists? How does a well-crafted antagonist help shape an exceptional protagonist and, by extension, a successful film?

A Structured Exploration of Stakes and Values in The Dark Knight

Before watching the first excerpt, let’s keep a few key questions in mind to guide our reflection:

• What are the values at stake, and how do they conflict?
• What is the inciting incident?
• What do we learn about the Joker's philosophy?

From 00:00 to 31:45

Summary: In this excerpt, Batman and Gordon have nearly cleaned up Gotham, forcing the mafia into a position of weakness that paralyzes their activities. Batman seeks a legal substitute for his role and places his hopes in Harvey Dent, seen as the ideal solution. However, the Joker enters the scene, disrupting this balance.

• The Joker's first move: He steals the mafia's money, an objective that Batman and Gordon had failed to achieve.
• The Joker's proposition: He offers the mafia a pact: eliminate Batman in exchange for half of their fortune.
• Conflict with Gambol: One of the mobsters, Gambol, refuses this offer, puts a bounty on the Joker’s head, but is ultimately tricked and killed.

Note: This summary does not follow the chronological order of events in the film. As is often the case in the crime genre, the narrative structure begins with the crime (the inciting incident), followed by an exposition where the protagonists have yet to fully grasp the significance of this event.

Analysis of Structural Beats: Batman/Bruce Wayne

• Weakness: Bruce wants to control everything. Batman, his alter ego, allows him to act above the law.
• Need: Accept the world as it is, let go of the need to solve everything alone, and give up being Batman.
• Desire: Save Gotham by ridding it of criminals.
• False belief: Chaos must be controlled at all costs. Batman is the only means to achieve this.
• Ghost: The death of his parents in a random act of violence has made him obsessed with control and strength.
• Desire following the inciting incident: Save Gotham from the Joker.
• Conflict between desire and need (irony): Bruce needs Batman to save Gotham, but he must abandon Batman to find a normal life and evolve.

Detailed Analysis of the First Sequences

Timecode: 00:00 to 6:30 - Introduction of the Joker (mafia robbery)

• Joker’s initial status: He establishes himself as a super-criminal, not only through his crime but also by breaking the traditional criminals' code of honor.
• Game theory: The Joker applies mathematical logic to maximize his profit at the expense of others. He embodies an anarchic philosophy opposed to the old honor code of the mafia.

Key quote (5:38): «Whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you stranger.»

• Play on Nietzsche’s quote: «What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.» The Joker highlights that Batman, by disrupting the classic order of good versus evil, has spawned a new type of villain, one that is more unpredictable and unsettling.
• Symbol: The Joker’s mask, a reverse reflection of his face. Without the mask, his scars form a forced smile, embodying his nihilistic philosophy: in an absurd world, moral rules are merely a game.

Timecode: 8:00 to 10:30 - Introduction of Batman

• Disguised introduction: The first Batman we see is an impostor. Several «fake» Batmen appear before the real Bruce Wayne steps in. This setup illustrates the weight of the symbol Batman has become.
• Implicit elitism: When a fake Batman asks Bruce why he isn’t like them, Bruce replies, «I’m not wearing hockey pads.» This disdain for imitators reflects Bruce’s privilege, positioning himself above the law and others through his resources.

Timecode: 12:01 - Reference to Citizen Kane

• Irony: A sign reading «private property» threatens legal action against trespassers. Paradoxically, Bruce breaks these same laws as Batman.

Timecode: 14:00 to 16:00 - Introduction of Harvey Dent (The White Knight)

• Harvey is depicted as the ideal of justice, admired by the public and incorruptible. However, hints of duplicity emerge, such as his double-sided coin, symbolizing his singular perspective but also his hidden dark side, which the Joker will later reveal.

Timecode: 19:20 to 21:39 - Bruce meets Harvey

• Bruce sees Harvey as a solution to his moral dilemma: a public face for justice, allowing him to abandon Batman.
• Symbolism: A white leaf obscures half of Harvey’s face, evoking the two sides of his coin and the duality between the White Knight and the Dark Knight.

Timecode: 21:56 to 26:00 - The Joker confronts the mafia

• The Joker stands out for his unpredictability and efficiency. He anticipates the mafia’s moves and asserts himself as an anarchic leader.

Timecode: 29:40 to 31:30 - Confrontation with Gambol

• Inversion: The Joker pretends to be dead, using Gambol’s desire against him. This demonstrates his ability to manipulate and subvert his adversaries’ expectations.
• The scars: The Joker tells a version of the story behind his scars, tailoring it to each listener to reflect their fears or beliefs. His scars symbolize his acceptance of chaos and rejection of moral rules.

Conclusion

The stakes and values of the characters are now clearly established, paving the way for a deeper analysis of beats specific to the crime genre. The Joker embodies a philosophy of chaos that challenges the very foundations of morality and justice, forcing Batman and Gotham to reassess their own rules.

Beat: World Presentation – The Superficial Society

In the crime genre, the story begins by presenting society and its moral rules. However, this presentation always remains superficial. The crime itself exposes this superficiality, making hidden flaws visible to everyone.

The society depicted always falls somewhere between two extreme societal models:

• The state of nature, where no common rules exist, and only the law of the strongest prevails.
• The police state, where everything is under absolute control.

In The Dark Knight, the society presented is deeply corrupt, resembling a state of nature where the mafia rules. Every individual is susceptible to corruption, which undermines the rule of law. Batman, through his strength, also circumvents the law in his attempt to impose order (the law of the strongest). However, he seeks to legitimize his actions by giving space to Harvey Dent, who could take over his role in a legal manner. Batman aspires to a more just and moral society but pursues it through questionable means.

Beat: Inciting Incident

The criminal commits a crime that grants them a new status and particular power. This crime disrupts the established order and forces the policeman (the protagonist) to confront the limitations of the superficial system in which they operate.

While believing in society and its values (the law), the policeman elevates themselves above others with a superior personal morality. This is typical of superheroes and their dual personalities.

In The Dark Knight, the policeman is portrayed in three shades:

• White: Harvey Dent, the idealist.
• Gray: Gordon, the realist.
• Black: Batman, the pessimist.

The inciting incident is the Joker’s first crime: he steals an enormous amount of money from the mafia.

• Play on the beat (inversion): The Joker commits a crime, but against criminals.
• Additionally, he succeeds where Batman initially fails—by depriving the mafia of their financial resources.

Philosophy of Batman (Bruce Wayne)

Bruce Wayne recognizes society’s problems but believes it is worth saving.

Architype of the Joker

The Joker embodies the magician and the artist.

Beat: The Criminal is Revealed

The Joker explains who he is.

Beat: Cat and Mouse

The criminal and the policeman clash, each being equally intelligent and strong to keep the story engaging. In a good crime film, the criminal also tries to bring the policeman over to their philosophy.

In The Dark Knight, the Joker attempts to demonstrate that his philosophy—viewing life as a game and always striving to win—is the only valid one.

• To do this, he reveals that all social codes are, in reality, based on self-interest.
• He sets increasingly complex traps to push people to their moral limits, pitting their deepest desires against their ethical rules.

Examples:

• The Joker threatens to kill people unless Batman reveals his identity. Frightened, citizens turn against Batman, even though they previously applauded his actions.
• He forces Batman to choose between saving Harvey or Rachel, showing that even Batman cannot escape moral dilemmas.
• Later, the Joker promises to blow up a hospital unless someone kills an individual threatening to reveal Batman’s identity. Citizens, who once admired Batman, are now willing to kill to protect their loved ones.

The Joker thus exposes people’s hypocrisy and lack of loyalty.

Beat: The Battle

The two philosophical visions clash in a final confrontation.

In The Dark Knight, the Joker offers Gotham a variation of the prisoner’s dilemma:

• Two boats—one filled with prisoners and the other with citizens—must choose to blow up the other to survive.
• The Joker aims to prove that, under pressure, individuals will reveal their selfishness.

Meanwhile, Batman breaks a major societal rule by using mass surveillance technology to locate the Joker.

• Unlike the Joker, Batman believes in humanity and is convinced that the passengers on the boats will make a selfless choice. He appears to be correct when both groups refuse to detonate the bombs.

Beat: Personal Revelation

There are three possible conclusions in the crime genre:

1. Society is reaffirmed: Positive. The policeman was right, life resumes its course, and they regain faith in the law.

2. The criminal wins: Negative. The policeman fails, and society is revealed to be unworthy.

3. A moral compromise (The Dark Knight):

• The criminal is partly right, and the policeman must adjust their morality to maintain hope in society.
• The Joker, having corrupted Harvey Dent, proves that even the most virtuous can fall. Harvey renounces his convictions and adopts the philosophy of chaos, declaring that only randomness is truly fair.
• To preserve hope, Batman and Gordon lie, concealing the moral failures exposed by the Joker.

Thus, Batman cannot resolve his inner conflict: giving up being Batman while still believing in a better society. Batman’s narrative arc remains incomplete, which makes sense given that a sequel is planned.