An agent of chaos

In theaters Friday: The Dark Knight Rises, The Queen of Versailles
New on Blu-ray: Casa de mi Padre, Friends with Kids

By now everyone reading this is aware that the midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado turned into a nightmare early this morning for so many families and friends of the 12 killed and some 60 more wounded when a gunman, armed and armored to the teeth, snuck into the theater as the latest Batman movie played and began shooting at the audience, blanketing the room in tear gas before firing at will.

I realize violence happens across our country, in areas urban and rural, on a daily basis, affecting many lives, but such a random, willful act of hate is tragic and its significance cannot be dismissed. People go to the movies, even those that depict action and violence, with their families and friends to see heroes, to see bold acts of sacrifice and daring, to see the innocent protected from harm and good triumph over evil. All these people wanted to do was watch a movie. That’s it.

Four years ago this week, I attended a midnight screening of The Dark Knight on opening day. The energy in the room was electric. Heath Ledger’s performance was gripping from beginning to end. Being surrounded by so many Batman fans who were as engaged with the story as I was, well, it was the most fun I’ve ever had at the movies. To think that one malicious individual can ruin that experience for others and, more significantly, yank loved ones out of the lives of so many and with such reckless, indefensible aggression, is horrifying.

While it is in no way comparable to the effect felt by the families and friends of victims, and my sincere condolences go out to each of them, what happened early this morning in Colorado will certainly have an impact on Hollywood. Already, the star-studded premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in Paris has been cancelled, and a violent preview for Ryan Gosling’s new film delayed.

Will Hollywood directors and writers shy away from violent material for a while? Not likely. What we may see is increased security at movie theaters, and a good hard look at midnight screenings. These have become very popular in the last 4-5 years as ways to reward hardcore fans of tentpole movies and to help build advance buzz for the film by letting all the biggest fanatics—those likely to love it regardless of flaws and tell everyone in their social media circles about it—see the film first.

Seeing The Dark Knight at midnight in 2008 was an incredible thrill. Of course, I could also sense an abundant edginess and picked up on a level of adrenaline and testosterone I haven’t felt since at the movies. Maybe it’s not the film itself—Batman doesn’t even wield a gun—but the fact that you have a near rabid fan base staying up late to watch a movie in public that attracted the Aurora attacker? Had he ever been to a midnight movie before? Does that even matter? Who’s to say at this point.

The bottom line is that movie audiences have the right to sit in a theater and feel safely transported to a world of adventure or laughter or romance. That’s just an essential part of the collective cultural experience, and Hollywood, theater owners and law enforcement need to figure out the best, most non-intrusive ways in which to protect that right.