Since July of 2008, when Heath Ledger famously portaryed the Joker in Christopher Nolan's classic The Dark Knight, fans worldwide had been anticipating the next chapter in the Batman saga with unprecedented excitement. Some called Nolan's task impossible, while many expected nothing short of greatness from one of Hollywood's most brilliant moviemakers.
As each month passed from 2008 to 2012, anticipation rose for The Dark Knight Rises, but along the way, Nolan raised some eyebrows. It was first announced that Bane would be the villain in the next installment, one of Batman's lesser known adversaries whose most famous big-screen appearance was in Batman and Robin, the laughing stock of the franchise. Nolan didn't stop there, though, as he then went on to cast Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, a.k.a Catwoman. Die-hard fans (including me) were starting to question Nolan's decisions.
But still, who couldn't have been beyond excited for this film? It was reported that a theater in New York sold out of their midnight screenings six months in advance, an accurate representation of the build up this movie has created. I, like countless others around the country, sacrificed my sleep on the evening of July 19/morning of July 20 to see the final chapter. I arrived at the theater at ten o'clock and sat in the theater for 2 hours desperately waiting for the lights to dim and the show to finally begin. I, along with about 100 of my closest friends went from talking to the person next to us to complete and utter silence as the movie opened. Three hours later, we emerged more than impressed and honored we were able to be one the first to witness this historic cinema moment, the end to what will go down in history as one of the best trilogies of all-time.
Then, we woke up the next morning to the worst news imaginable.
In Aurora, Colorado, at the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises at the Century 16 theater, lone suspect James Holmes, dressed in tactical clothing, enters the theater and proceeds to set off tear gas grenades. He then opens fire in the audience, killing 12 people (including a three month old) and injuring 58 more.
The news caught the entire country by surprise, leaving the citizens of Aurora and the rest of America mourning the loss of these innocent victims. No one can fathom why someone would do this, and they probably never will. The fact is that it did happen for whatever reason. We just have to learn to live with it.
As a result, The Dark Knight Rises' box office numbers suffered because of the mourning and the legitimate fear of moviegoers, and the box office is still trying to recover. Although because of the last two weekends, it seems that people are finally starting to go back to the theaters, as evidenced by Hotel Transylvania's September record-setting weekend and Taken 2 grossing over $50 million despite terrible reviews (20% on Rotten Tomatoes). All signs point towards the box office being back to normal.
But let's not forget what transpired in Aurora.....ever.
And that's the reason I write this piece today. While it seems everything is back to normal, we must never forget what happened. The families of those 12 people who were killed have certainly not forgotten and never will forget. The workers of the Century 16 theater that worked that night have certainly not forgetten and never will forget. The citizens of Aurora have certainly not forgotten and never will forget.
Have you forgotten?
I write this as a person who loves going to the movies more so than anyone out there. I've noticed people moving on from that incident in the same manner the nation did with the Columbine shootings. I've noticed the box office recover, which is something I am absolutely grateful for. But today, I just want you to take some time to remember Aurora. Say a prayer for their city and those families. Be thankful everyday for the people around you. Tell them that you love them.
Never forget.
