Batman (1989) Reviews

• Science Fiction/Action Classic and the best Original Batman film from the 80's.

  ivo-cobra82015-10-10

  The 1989 Batman is the original Dark Knight and Tim Burton's Classic Dark Knight film. This is my number 1 personal favorite Batman of all Batman movies this is my movie and I love this film to death! Jack Nicholson was well-cast as The Joker he was a wonderful in his lead role performance. Michael Keaton was just great as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he acted like the role of Batman was written on his skin. Kim Bassinger did a wonderful performance as her role Vicki Vale. I think Vicky Vale is very underrated character from all other female lead characters in all Batman films. Michael Gough did a wonderful job as the butler Alfred Pennyworth Batman's helper. Seriously Alfred for me will be always Michael Gough not only that he acted much better than Michael Caine did he even showed more heart and caring in the whole Batman franchise than Michael Caine did. The acting in this film is awesome, the character developments and the story plot are TERRIFIC! Michael Keaton caused an uproar when he was casted as Batman as fans boycotted the idea yet in Christmas 1988 when the trailer hit theaters the silence was shut as it was a nice teaser. This movie was the most hyped movie of 1989 as months audiences including fans had waited even with a second trailer that showed up in the spring of 1989 and merchandise was everywhere as it was the year of the Batman, hell even TV stations had reruns of the 60's Batman show to cash-in on the phenomenon. This movie opened on June 21st 1989 and became one of the highest grossing movies of all time and the biggest movie of the year earning acclaim and making Batman cool again just like Frank Miller and Alan Moore did. The Action and fights sequences were great and awesome. At least so much better than they were in Batman Begins (2005). It was my first Batman film I ever saw and this movie just absolutely Kick Ass. The Batwing that appears by the end of this movie is awesome by using to combat the Joker. When the Joker launches a deadly Smilex gas attack through balloons, Batman came in the Batwing and destroyed the balloons, angering Joker. Awesome! Batman then fired off several missiles and two mini guns, killing many henchmen but missing Joker, who in turn shot it down with one bullet from his long barreled revolver. The Joker Thugs are amazing. The main theme score by Danny Elfman was just amazing and really beautiful. I absolutely love this movie. I would never compare all other Nolan batman films with this masterpiece. Except The Dark Knight that it is the best Batman film. I will say it again this movie is AWESOME! The Batsuit designed by Costume designer Bob Ringwood who turned down the chance to work on Licence to Kill in favor of Batman was AWESOME! Ringwood found it difficult designing the Batsuit because "the image of Batman in the comics is this huge, big six-foot-four hunk with a dimpled chin. Gotham City, a big city where crime has been occurring lately and a mysterious caped crusader named Batman (Michael Keaton) is wiping streets clean of criminals, it leaves the police especially commissioner Gordon (Pat Hingle) baffled. A gangster named Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) was dropped into a vat of chemicals which leaves him disfigures with paint-like white bleached skin and ruby-red lips plus green hair which makes him clown-like as he now calls himself Joker, he begins to terrorize the city of Gotham and stalk a sexy photographer named Vickie Vale (Kim Bassinger). Bruce Wayne who is Gotham's richest man falls in love with Vickie yet she doesn't know his true secret that he's Batman, but can Bruce deal with romance and battling with Joker at the same time? Batman is a 1989 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Jon Peters, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton in the title role, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. This is definitely my favorite classic Action film from the 80's it was always my favorite childhood movie and it will always be. The action scenes are just fantastic and how Batman saves Gotham City from the Joker balloons of a deadly Smilex gas attack was amazing. Burton's Batman is my number 1 favorite film of all times and it will always be and I love it to death! 10/10 Michael Keaton will be the only Batman for me!:P.

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• Stylish and Thrilling

  ReelCheese2006-06-07

  Dark, foreboding and vastly entertaining, BATMAN changed superhero movies forever. Gone are the days of happy-go-lucky heroes arriving just in time to save the day. Director Tim Burton's Caped Crusader is a vengeful creature of the night preying on criminals who would turn his city into their personal playground. BATMAN is one stylish, thrilling and one helluva ride. While he's not generally associated with action, Burton proves it to be his forte as the Dark Knight Detective swoops out of the shadows, crashes through windows and employs a host of what his nemesis calls "wonderful toys," such as grappling hook guns and the amazingly versatile Batmobile. And man on man, this Batman kicks some ass, at one point daring an armed henchman with a "come here" finger gesture. BATMAN wouldn't have worked nearly as well as it does without the right casting ingredients. The hiring of Michael Keaton in the lead role drew plenty of snickers, but the underrated actor showed up his detractors with a suitably mysterious performance. We know his heart is in the right place, but we're never quite sure what we should make of him. Jack Nicholson's famous performance as the villainous Joker is every bit as good as they say. Nicholson is equal parts amusing and sadistic beneath the white face paint and green hair. Sexy Kim Basinger, as reporter Vicki Vale, also makes the most out of her screen time. BATMAN is one of those films whose obvious flaws are so easily overlooked. The worst sin a movie can commit is to be dull, and that's something BATMAN never does.

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• I don't even need to say that this is the best Batman of the series. It's obvious enough.

  Anonymous_Maxine2001-08-26

  What is all this yap about Michael Keaton as Batman? Yes, he was Batman, and he was a GREAT Batman. He pulled off every aspect of the role perfectly – he was better than Val Kilmer, better than George Clooney, better than everyone. He portrayed the mysterious charm of the winged crusader just as well as he captured the cool and collected character of Bruce Wayne. Michael Keaton is a huge part of the reason that this film was such a huge success, the other main portion having come from the tremendous contribution from Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Gotham City is created in incredibly detailed comic-book style, which adds to the overall quality of the movie. Director Tim Burton does an amazing job bringing this unreal world to reality, and Kim Basinger is excellent as Vicky Vale, the film's main female presence. The script is particularly brilliant. The role of the Joker seems to have been written specifically for Jack Nicholson, which would not be surprising because of how well he pulled off the role with lines like `Why didn't anyone tell me he had one of those…things?!' and `Remember me? When you dropped me into that vat of chemicals? That wasn't easy to get over, and don't think that I didn't try.' And, of course, my favorite, `…we'll be like Beauty and the Beast. Of course, if anyone else ever calls you beast, I'll rip their lungs out.' Everything, from the setting in Gotham City to the characters costumes to the actual dialogue, gives the unreal feeling of a comic book, but the characters are developed enough so that we understand their problems and we care about what happens. The movie is a thrill ride from the beginning to the end, and is enjoyable for all ages. If anyone is going to complain about who was chosen to play Batman, there is much more room for complaint among the film's several sequels. Keaton did a spectacular job that no one has ever even come close to.

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• A Tim Burton Classic!

  Smells_Like_Cheese2002-09-19

  Tim Burton takes a darker twist to a cheesy over the top silly TV show that was loved by everyone. Batman is now played by Michael Keaton. Michael as Batman was perfect, he had the look, humor, and mystery that is Batman. Playing Batman for him, he became the role and I will always stand by that. For me, he is the best Batman, no one besides the original Adam West can touch his performance. Jack Nicholson is now the Joker. Who could ask for a better Joker? He has the look and dirty scary side to him that makes you fear but want to enjoy his presence on screen. He has such charisma and appeal, his lines were perfectly delivered and every scene, he stole. He and Michael were terrific together. They played off each other so well, it makes you go crazy almost. The Dark Knight vs. The Joker, the perfect super hero and villain. Jack stole my heart with his killer, no pun intended, performance. Kim Bassigner was also fantastic. She plays Vicki Vale, the love interest of Bruce Wayne/Batman. She is a photo journalist who is looking for the true identity of Batman, which leads to the question of if Batman can trust another being with his darkest secret? She was absolutely beautiful and charming. No other woman could've done a better job. Like I said, Tim Burton, he takes a different turn on this "Batman", but it's very appealing. Everyone loves this movie, and I can't blame them. Batman is the best super hero of all comic book hero's in my opinion. You see Spider-man can fly with webs, Super Man has super strength and can fly, but Batman just needs himself. He kicks butt by himself. :) The only thing you miss in the movie is Robin, his faithful sidekick, but I don't blame Tim for not adding him for this Batman. It wasn't needed. With a cool soundtrack by Prince and and awesome setting, please watch "Batman", it's a true classic. 10/10

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• The "serious" comic book movie

  hall8952006-05-23

  No radioactive spider bites or guys turning green or supermodels painted blue here. Campy television series aside, Batman has always seemed the most serious, the most grounded, the most real of all the comic book sagas. Our hero has no magical, mystical superpowers...he's just a guy in a suit. But where does he get those wonderful toys? In this film Tim Burton does a very good job of bringing the Dark Knight to life while also seemingly giving the dark, foreboding city of Gotham a life of its own. Gotham is dark, gloomy, and dreary...almost oppressively so. The city is almost a character unto itself in the film...dark, mysterious and somehow quite real. The brilliantly conceived, stunning visuals are the perfect backdrop for the story which will unfold. The story follows our Caped Crusader in his quest to clean up Gotham which is in the midst of a frightening crime wave. There was much unnecessary angst when comic actor Michael Keaton landed the title role with fans feeling that was a sure sign the film would lean towards the campy style evident in the famous television series. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Batman would be a serious film (well, as serious as a comic book movie can be) and Keaton was perfect in the Bruce Wayne/Batman role. Keaton's Wayne comes across as an ordinary guy doing extraordinary things. Keaton brings all the required seriousness to the role but also can add a little comic touch when necessary. Inspired casting pays off big time. Good as he is Keaton is actually overshadowed in the film. Who else but Jack Nicholson could cause the actor playing Batman to get second billing in a movie titled Batman? Nicholson's performance as the Joker is simply terrific. Maybe a little over the top at times but, hey, it's the Joker...he's supposed to be over the top. Nicholson livens up every scene he's in, he simply owns the screen. With two terrific actors doing outstanding work bringing our hero and villain to life the film can hardly go wrong. It's certainly entertaining enough but the film as a whole doesn't quite match the brilliance of the two lead performances. The supporting cast, led by Kim Basinger as the requisite love interest, doesn't add much. Instead of leaving well enough alone with a fantastic Danny Elfman score the whole movie comes to a screeching halt a couple of times while we're forced to listen to some inane Prince songs. And the story just seems to lack a certain zest. We want to see the conflict between Batman and the Joker, these two great characters played by two great actors. And for too much of the film that conflict simply isn't there. But all in all, Batman is certainly a worthy effort. Some top-notch acting, stunning visuals and a story that does just enough to draw you in and hold your attention throughout. To call this film great might be a stretch but one could say it is very, very good. Certainly good enough to be worth your while.

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