by Chris Alexion, Copyright August 08, 2005, all rights reserved. 254 views
Okay…so I said I wasn't going to comment on the philosophy of Batman Begins. But I've been turning some parts of the film over in my mind, and I've noticed something the other reviews didn't mention. (Warning: this is a plot-spoiler, so if you haven't seen the film, put your mouse down and get your car keys.) My question is this: What distinguishes Bruce Wayne from Ducard, his former teacher in the League of Shadows?
They both share some prima facie similarities. Both are committed to "justice." Both want to see criminals punished. Both realize that the civil magistrate can't always be trusted. (As Sgt. Jim Gordon says in the film, "In a city this bad, who is there to rat to?) Yet Bruce and his ex-instructor end up locking horns. So what leads them to their different positions?
Some surface differences come to mind, of course. The League of Shadows operates without regard to any other human authority. "Justice is balance," they teach, and they're the self-appointed balancers. When Bruce is asked to execute the murderer early in the film, he recoils, saying that he's not an executioner, and that the man should be tried, implying that the League of Shadows is not a sovereign authority.
We could also say that Ducard is a vigilante, whereas Batman works with the authorities (such as Jim Gordon). But this is only partially true; Batman isn't exactly a member of the Gotham PD, and has his own vigilante tendencies.
What if Bruce's compassion is what separates him from his mentor? The League of Shadows is about justice in the abstract: "Justice is balance." But Bruce wants to help people, people who are definite and concrete: "I seek the means to impose fear on those who prey on the fearful." When evil flourishes in a society, the League of Shadows seeks to destroy the society. This not only arrogates God's prerogative, but destroys compassion for those in the society. "Gotham's not beyond saving," Bruce tells Ducard in an attempt to dissuade him.
This compassion even extends to the criminals themselves. After living a life outside the law in his attempt to understand the criminal mind, Bruce admits that crime and desperation are more complex then he'd first thought. While this never excuses criminal acts, it does warn us that vengeance or cold "justice" is not the answer. Even the murderer the League wanted Bruce to execute deserved a fair trial. "Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share," Ducard tells Bruce. But isn't that what elevates Bruce above his enemies, including Ducard?
Biblically, we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who wish us ill. And while the civil magistrate bears the sword–lethal force–against evildoers, we must remember that evildoers still have souls that need to be saved.
Pray for them. For without compassion, you're one of them.
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