Every legend begins somewhere, and for Batman, while he'd been in the public conscience sense his comic book debut in 1939, his real fame began, and public perception took shape with the classic 1989 motion picture “Batman”. It technically wasn’t the very first theatrical Batman picture, but it is the classic movie that set the template for the franchise moving forward and is still a benchmark for Superhero movies to aspire from. I must admit, I wasn't too fond of this movie back when I was a kid, but my feelings for the movie have sky rocketed sense then. I still don't view it as the absolute best in his long running film franchise, but it's arguably the most important. Fans who grew up with this film couldn’t praise it enough, and often it gets regarded as a favorite movie in cinema. I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it's certainly one of the most important game changers of the superhero genera. I still wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but obviously I love it, and I think has only gotten better with age. Before this film, Batman was just part of the campy 1960’s pop culture, which had its place, but this was the film that shaped his dark, complex, awesome factor that fans have come to love.
The opening credit sequence is one of the best of the whole series, with the camera traveling through dark tunnels and sculptures, the music builds and then in a big pull back shot it’s revealed to be the Batman logo. It gives me chills every time, and the classic score by Danny Elfman is one of the greatest music themes ever composed for a superhero movie. It fits the character perfectly, and it’s one of Elfman’s greatest achievements.
One of the most inspiring moments of the film is a "fake-out" opening, in which we see a family mugged by some crooks. This was a great way to tease the audience into thinking we were watching a flashback to the death of Bruce Waynes's parents, when really, it’s present day, and the hero is already in costume. While I like my origin movies, it's cool how this first movie begins with Batman already in costume. Even if you’re not a fan of Batman, you’re probably familiar with his backstory on some level. He was the son of two billionaire parents, who were tragically killed by criminals, which left a traumatizing impact on the young Bruce Wayne. Now as an adult, he tackles the night as a costumed vigilante called Batman, who is either setting out to protect the people of Gotham City or maybe he’s just venting out his personal demons with no real care for anyone else. His test of character is soon challenged when the city is terrorized by a colorful villain calling himself the Joker.
Batman is famously played by Michael Keaton and was initially best known for his comedic roles in comedies like "Mr. Mom", or zany roles like in Tim Burton's “BeetleJuice”. There was actually a good deal of backlash over this casting at the time, but Keaton pulled out a surprise performance and not only knocked it out of the park, but many still view him as the best live-action Batman by far.
As Bruce Wayne he was sly, unassuming, but you can always see that little twitch, like he's hiding some personal pain. As Batman he was intimidating, and just plain cool. The costume also looked really good, fitting the classic image of Batman, while still looking very threatening. While the character regretfully doesn't have much of a story arc, I feel this portrayal of Batman is truer to the spirit of the character than any other rendition. When he goes out fighting crime, he's really battling his own personal daemons, and when he enters a room ... the fights instantly over, he just hasn’t done anything yet. There's also a confidence and mystique to the character that thrills me every time he's on screen. While most versions of Batman venture out into the night because the city needs it, this Batman dose it because he needs it.
It's interesting to note that this is the only Batman movie to date to only feature one villain and surprise, surprise ... it’s The Joker, played in this film by Jack Nicholson.
Unlike Michael Keaton, this was a very obvious casting choice, but Jack is still great in the role. He’s completely crazy, entertaining, unpredictable, funny, delivers quotable lines and has a captivating screen presence of his own. It may seem strange that a clown is Batman’s greatest enemy, but if you think about it, they’re a perfect pairing. One is virtues, yet hides in a dark, monstrous form, while the other actually is a heartless monster that hides in a bright and colorful form. Sense he’s the only villain, there’s a lot of room for a good hero and villain rivalry, which for me comes off as a mixed blessing. It’s a very standard setup with Batman learning Joker killed his parents, while Joker in return is angry at the hero for ruining his plans and former life. Personally, I find it kind of a cheat to make Joker the same killer of Batman’s parents, as that makes him our hero’s nemesis by default, and not because of a built rivalry. Having said that, it all balances out by having Batman unintentionally create the Joker, because now we have the duality of the hero and villain forging their own greatest enemies. I find that very intriguing indeed, and it leads to one of Batman's best lines ... "I made you, but you made me first". Unfortunately, one of the films biggest missteps was giving more focus, and even a bigger character story to the Joker then our main hero. With all that said, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker can still be regarded as iconic in its own right, and he definitely has his shining moments. I think his most memorable kill is with the hand buzzer that he uses to electrify one of his enemy's. Not only does the guy get reduced to an electrified skeleton, but he also talks to his fried corps afterword and then strangles it with a necktie for good measure … now that's crazy!
The supporting cast is small but functional, and each player adds a special ingredient to the film. The butler Alfred is played very well by Michael Gough and continued his iconic role for three more Batman movie outings. Pat Hingle also continued his role as Commissioner Gordon throughout the 90’s Batman movies, but while the actor is good, he just doesn't stand out as anything more than an extra most of the time. The late great Jack Palance is given a small role as a crime boss, and while not in the movie for long, it's somehow one of his most memorable roles. One cast member that really doesn't get enough credit is Robert Wuhl as a reporter named Alexander Knox, who is externally charismatic, and brings some needed levity to the film. Billy Dee Williams, whose best known for playing Lando Calrissian from the Star Wars series, makes select appearances as Harvey Dent. This is the man who would later become Batman’s arch foe Two Face. Unfortunately, the actor became less and less popular, and for whatever reason he never returned to the series. There's also this very random moment with Harvey Deny giving a speech in front of his own promotional billboard, which is a visual call back to "Citizen Kane", but what's the point when the character amounts to so little.
At last, unlike Superman or Spider-Man, Batman has never had a stand-out girlfriend, in fact the girl friends change in every movie, much like the James Boned women.
Our lead girlfriend in this film is Vicki Vale played by the lovely Kim Basinger. She’s a surprisingly likable, albeit a cliched damsel in distress, always in need of rescuing, always losing her shoes and always screaming. However, despite being such an obvious cliché, she could still stick up for herself, she was supportive, had her limits, and it just made her a really fun character to have present. As for the girl always losing her shoes, Kim Basinger was actually the tallest person on set, so she always had to go around either bare foot in order to appear shorter than either Michael Keaton or Jack Nicholson. One side note, I really like Vale's wardrobe, as most of Batman’s girl friends are always in black attire, but Vale was always in white, which I find a much cooler contrast to both Batman and the dark, Gothic surroundings. On a random sidenote regarding Batman's female co-stars, this film and just about every Batman movie to follow through the 90's would make reference to "Beauty and the Beast" ... I don't know if it was intentional, but it's something I took note of.
Equally as important was dark visionary director and mastermind Tim Burton, who did movies like no other. He's never been one for telling a layered story, but he is one for delivering an experience, with a presentation built on amazing visuals, strong atmosphere, and in this regard the film works. Not only was the darker side of Batman brought to life in this movie, but every classic trademark of the character was perfected in this film.
“Batman” rightfully won the Academy Award for best art direction, and even though the effects are dated by today’s standards, there’s still a charm from seeing all these models that brought the city to life. Gotham is grand and larger than life, with buildings that look like they can reach the stars. The bat-mobile also looked slick, cool, dangerous, and in my opinion it’s the greatest portrayal of the Batmobile on film. Another tradition that took shape with 1989's "Batman" is the mandatory Batmobile car chase. This first car chase is good, but looms in the shadow of the majority of great car chases to follow. Another staple to follow was seeing the hero crash through sky lines. The bat cave was also perfected in this film, with less technology on display, and more of a massive cave appearance. There are bats flying around, and every detail is just right on the dot.
Then there's the Batwing, which Batman uses to fly through Gotham city, and it looked amazing. That shot of it flying in front of the moon is something I’ll always remember, honestly even more memorable than in “E.T. The Extraterrestrial”. Of course, every superhero movie worth it's sault has something special to offer, whether it be thrilling action spectacles, compelling characters or the hero's journey. For me, the greatest strength of Tim Burton's 1989's “Batman” is the overall experience. No other Batman film makes me feel this submersed in a comic book world, with a strong atmosphere, and such creative visuals. My favorite scene of the movie by far is when Batman and Vicky Vale are riding in the Batmobile to the cave. There are hardly any lines, the shots combine with the music beautifully, I love those skeleton trees in the background, and it just feels like we're descending into a mysterious place. It's a moment that represents the power of film, and it once again highlights this movie as an experience.
The movie builds to a reasonably strong climax, in which after the Joker fails to kill Gotham's people with his toxic gas, he takes Vicky Vale to the top of Gotham’s cathedral, and an injured Batman follows close behind. Even though this finale is short on action, it still feels like a spectacle, with a striking mood and growing tension as each scene gradually builds on top of the other. In many ways, this climax is like a classic medieval adventure finale. Batman is a metaphorical Knight climbing a tall tower to rescue a girl, while Vicky Vale in her white dress resembles a princess, and the Joker is the evil that needs to be slayed. My only real issue with this ending is that the actual showdown between Batman and Joker isn’t that riveting, in fact Batman never once feels like he's rising against a challenging adversary. Still, the movie makes-up for it was a satisfying and drawn-out death, in which the Jokers falls from a helicopter, and plumets to his death. Obviously, it’s one of the most common cliches to have a villain die from dropping like that, but the Batman movies actually make a tradition of it. Finally, that closing shot of Batman on top of the building with the bat signal in the background is one of the most triumphant closing moments to any superhero movie I've ever seen.
While this movie doesn't quiet reach my "favorite movie status", it's certainly a film I enjoy, and I feel the strengths of the film have only gotten better with age. I have plenty of other Batman and Superhero movies that deliver better character stories and superior action, but this film has a personality all its own, which makes it stand out with its own unique flavor of cool. As stated above, I love experiencing all the visuals, the sets, the music, the clichés, the film noir, and just the whole artistry of how the film is brought to life. It doesn’t need a strong script or intense character depth ... it already makes for a worthwhile film on its own technical merits. Even the characters ... simple as they are ... can leave a memorable impression and are strong enough to anchor the technical strengths of the film. Again, I can't call this a masterpiece ... Tim Burton himself has even referred to this movie as "More of a cultural phenomenon, then a good film". Regardless, I still look back on this movie as a classic, a great start to an outstanding franchise, and it still did its job making an icon out of this character.
Thanks for reading my review of the 1989 Sci-Fi and Superhero classic “Batman” ... and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!
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