The Dark Knight Opening Scene Analysis Essay

“I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you stranger” (The Dark Knight, 2008), this is the stand out sentence that the main antagonist, The Joker (Heath Ledger) speaks in the opening scene of the movie. Not only does this line set up the suspense for the rest of the movie but it also sets up the suspense for the opening scene of the movie. ‘The Dark Knight’ is a film directed by Christopher Nolan that builds suspense and intrigue throughout the movie, the director uses mise-en-scene, mise-en-shot and editing to put a seed of meaning for the viewer to draw from. This essay will analyse the opening scene of ‘The Dark Knight” mainly focusing on mise-en-scene, mise-en-shot and editing, where meaning can be taken away from the movie. This can definitely be seen in the opening scene of the movie, it has all the components to make it the perfect scene and the viewer will be able to

The editing of ‘The Dark Knight’ make it just the more exceptional than other movies, these editing techniques make it just the more exciting and add tension to the movie. The opening scene uses quick shots that add a sense of speed, back and forth from all the robbers and causing the audiences heart beats to speed up to add to the tension and danger. The viewer is able to follow two different sequences that are assumed to be happening simultaneously, this is the sequence of the two robbers trying to gain access from the roof and also the sequence of the three robbers from the van walking in the front of the bank and taking over. This gives the audience the idea that the scene is full of action and a rollercoaster of emotions because the audience doesn’t know what the two different parties will do once they are in the bank, since it is apparent to be a heist the audience expects fighting and gun fire and some action.