The Dark Blight

While I, perhaps even more so than most appreciate a good magic trick, there was something gnawing at me the whole time I was watching The Dark Knight in IMAX last night.

It took me a while to put my finger on it, and then all of a sudden it hit me.

First it was interesting when they pushed Harvey Dent down to "Lower 5th St.", considering the only city I've been to with that system is Chicago.

Then it got worse.

Why does the Batmobile have Illinois plates?
Why is the Joker walking down a wide avenue with a storefront behind him called "Sweet Home Chicago"?
Why does this look like the spitting image of the windy city?

BECAUSE IT IS.

What happened? I mean, maybe I should have known about this before, but due to my self-imposed blackout of all news Batman (I hate ruining the movies before I see them), I hadn't heard about this latest travesty.

I understand if the Nolans feel that Chicago looks more like what they picture Gotham to be in their heads. But why the heck wouldn't they just shoot Chicago in a generic "Gotham" fashion? As a New Yorker, one who's been to the Gotham Comedy Club, eaten at the Gotham Bar & Grill, and read the ny-centric website gothamist, I'm truly offended.

How dare they take something that us "mad" New Yorkers have owned for over 100 years and appropriate it to a wholly new city?

While I may be the only person who has a complaint about this movie, I don't care. At least when they filmed Rent in San Francisco, they tried to make it look like New York. This was simply offensive.

I'll probably never get one, but I still expect an apology.

Harumph.

PS-Am I the only one that thought Christian Bale's "Batvoice" was ridiculous? Come on!