Batman (1989) (4K Ultra HD)

Nearly twenty-five years later, I still listen to composer Danny Elfman's brooding orchestral score. It conjures up an image of actor Michael Keaton's Batman standing victorious atop a Gotham City skyscraper, as the new Bat-signal cuts through the night fog. As soundtracks typically do, I was recently inspired to re-watch 1989's No. 1 summer blockbuster. It is easy to see why it blew past a slew of routine sequels such as "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade;" "Ghostbusters II," "Lethal Weapon 2," "Licence to Kill," "Star Trek V," among other competition. It wasn't just the hype - sure, there was its mind-boggling marketing campaign (for its time) hawking every form of bat-merchandise imaginable (today, that's the norm). What really stoked moviegoers, I think, was its sheer originality - like lightning in a bottle that even its own three sequels couldn't re-capture. The movie's trademark, for better or worse, is Jack Nicholson's wily over-acting as the nefarious mobster Jack Napier turned macabre super-villain, the Joker. Although Nicholson was frankly far too old to be a legitimate physical threat to Batman, his sheer flamboyance overcomes this flaw. I still believe either Willem Dafoe or Ray Liotta (who was screenwriter Sam Hamm's preference) would have been just as effective in the role if the movie hadn't been designed as a Nicholson showcase. Even so, courtesy of a few well-designed flashbacks, director Tim Burton and screenwriter Sam Hamm cleverly side-step Batman's well-known origin by instead providing a mystery so viewers can deduce why a reclusive, strangely distracted billionaire has assumed a caped alter ego. The film opts not to show how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman since the psychological "why Bruce Wayne is Batman" factor proves far more interesting. Make no mistake: actor Michael Keaton doesn't look like Bruce Wayne, but, in this movie, he is Bruce Wayne ... a disturbed Bruce Wayne who walks, trance-like, through a hail of gunfire upon recognizing a face he once saw long ago. He is then left to ponder the Joker's favorite taunt to his doomed prey: "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Not surprisingly, the Joker's dance with a captive Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger) plays against the backdrop of a pale moon on a dark Gotham night setting up a final showdown between two comic book legends. Late production designer Anton Furst's dark art deco, 1940's vision of Gotham City brilliantly resurrects film noir. Impressively, even though "Batman" was filmed almost entirely on British soundstages, Furst's sets are amazing enough to make a viewer almost believe that Gotham City really does exist. There is no mistaking that, based upon the villains' retro wardrobe alone, that this Gotham City is supposed to be reminiscent of Prohibition-era Chicago (think "Batman Meets the Untouchables"). Wisely, the stellar "Batman: The Animated Series" subsequently lifted Furst's distinctive style giving Batman a new sense of visual continuity, as Gotham City appears as the dark, corrupt cesspool of a modern city it is supposed to be. If one can swallow a middle-aged Nicholson as the Joker and Keaton's quietly neurotic Bruce Wayne / Batman, then everything else about this movie falls into place. Yes, Kim Basinger's glamorous Vicky Vale is a Lois Lane wanna-be and a helpless damsel-in-distress where she must be startled at every turn (not remotely believable for a war zone-savvy photo-journalist). Still, Basinger's charismatic presence nicely balances the lead actors. My only criticism comes from the Joker's less-than-satisfying yet unique fate (one is left incredulously thinking: "That's the best they could do?"). It is similar to the predicament that "Star Trek Generations" had in 1994 with William Shatner's iconic Captain Kirk: there were countless better solutions available than the one filmed for the theatrical release. Please also note that not all the acting honors belong solely to Nicholson and Keaton. They receive ample support from the late Michael Gough (as Alfred); the late Pat Hingle (as Commissioner Gordon); and even Robert Wuhl's new character, wisecracking reporter Alexander Knox. Knox isn't necessary to the story, but Wuhl has solid chemistry with Basinger. Deleting Knox in favor of making wimpy Vicky Vale far stronger, as in closer to Selina "Catwoman" Kyle's equal, would have likely would have increased the movie's mass appeal for female viewers. As for the special effects, they mostly hold up well, particularly the awe-inspiring Batmobile and a surprisingly realistic rubber Batsuit. Even though the Batplane model's aerial shots look terribly fake today, it is pretty clear that all the FX money spent on this fifty-million dollar mega-production appears on-screen. Finally, with its original interpretation of the title character vs. one villain fighting for the soul of Gotham City, "Batman" 1989 is simply far superior to its three sequels that imitated but could not duplicate the first movie's success. Overall: 9/10 stars. Despite its weaknesses, this "Batman" is well worth repeat viewings. The DVD extras (including multiple documentaries and three Prince music videos) are superb, but I might add that the Prince videos are not appropriate for young viewers.

A lot of people say the Richard Donner/Christopher Reeve Superman film started off big budget Superhero films but if they started it the 1987 disaster that was Superman IV: The Quest for Peace almost killed it. THIS FILM in my opinion is what started off the modern Superhero era. The film holds a soft spot in my heart because I still remember seeing it in theaters when I was 6 years old. This is also the first time Batman is portrayed in a major motion picture without the campiness and cornball humor of the Adam West Batman. This movie is responsible for helping the mainstream public learn that Batman is far from a joke and is one of the greatest badasses in American Pop Culture. Jack Nicholson is amazing as the Joker and I'm sure everyone knows that but Michael Keaton really is great as Bruce Wayne/Batman. I know a lot of people complained because he didn't physically look the part but his performance is perfect. He's also the first person to speak with a slightly altered voice when wearing the Bat suit, even though a lot of people will try to claim Kevin Conroy who voices Batman in the awesome animated series did it first they are wrong. This film came out in 1989 and the Animated Series came out in 92. Keaton did it first. The Batmobile in this film is arguably the most badass version of the Batmobile you'll find in any form of Batman media whether its other films, comics or cartoons. This film greatly inspired the 1992 Animated Series with it's design and you can clearly see that. This is also BY FAR the best of the Burton/Schumacher Batman films. After this one they got progressively worse to the point that Batman & Robin is damn near unwatchable. Is this the greatest Batman film of all time? No way. Is this better than Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy? Not at all. Is this a fun, entertaining and exciting action/superhero film? ABSOLUTELY. The soundtrack is a bit dated and total 80's with Prince songs but I honestly think it helps add to the charm of the movie. The Danny Elfman score is ICONIC and right up there with John Williams Superman, Star Wars and Indiana Jones themes. It's shocking and mind boggling why they changed his score for Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. The only SLIGHT negative I'll say about this film is that THIS particular version of Batman kills without remorse. If you can take that with a grain of salt then you'll have no problem enjoying this film for what it is. A fun, entertaining action adventure film that helped usher in all of the modern Superhero films that fill movie theaters to this day.

The best batman movie of all

In the animated series, Batman is known as a pacifist. He does not kill, and I am not sure he has an officially-recorded canon murder; However, this Batman he is killing left and right, deliberately. I am not a fan of this version's Batman, even if he does a good job as Batman, because I am not fond of his Bruce Wayne. Regardless, it makes sense that in This Batman he kills, because it is more grounded and "realistic," as what would you expect from a 6 foot man, in a 200lbs armored suit, fist-fighting criminals, whereas in the animated series, he is a Grundy of a man and moves much faster with Much greater agility. Joker steals the show, and his performance is no laughing matter. The only problem with this film is outdated cinematography and camera angles, which is very noticeable if you are very cinematically critical, but the actual content is No Less than 5 stars: Period. The sets, the scenes, and the plot have great pacing and logical connections, versus in the animated series he just shows up, as well as scenes to let the Joker get his kicks. The runtime was appropriate, some excellent effects, and serious implications and consequences make this one of the best Batman movies to date. Overall an Excellent addition to the legend of Batman, worth watching if you are a fan of DC and especially Batman. Fool him once, shame on him. Fool him twice, shame on me. Animated Batman could take a lesson from this film.

Since this is my first review of anything Batman-related, I should share my history with this superhero since he's such a huge part of American culture. From the early 90's up until around 2000 or so, I was actually a pretty big Batman fan. I loved this Batman and Batman Returns, along with the Batman Animated Series during my years of fandom. However, after the turn of the century, my interest in Batman steadily declined as I moved on to other interests (like anime and death metal), but for the last several days, I see myself crawling back to him for reasons I'll state later. STORY In Tim Burton's Batman, the story is that Gotham City is a cesspool of filth and crime. In the shadows of Gotham, a masked, caped crusader known only as Batman stalks the streets, beating and killing the scum. The Batman catches the attention of reporters Alexander Knox and Vicky Vale, who seek out the Batman and hope to get footage of him for a juicy story. Meanwhile, after a horrendous accident in a chemical factory, a dangerous criminal named Jack Napier turns into the colorfully-depicted psychopath known as the Joker. CHARACTERS The characters, in all honesty, are a little of a mixed bag. Some are fleshed out excellently while some others feel just "meh." However, it's the two main characters, Batman (Michael Keaton) and the Joker (Jack Nicholson) that everyone focuses on, and I can certainly see why since the movie really is about these two freaks. Keaton's role as Batman/Bruce Wayne really shows his versatility as an actor since he does a great job portraying Wayne as a run-of-the-mill billionaire, but when he dons the Bat suit, he unleashes a truly intimidating feeling when he preys on Gotham City's criminals. I also commend Burton for portraying Batman as a man who has no agenda for nobility since in this movie, Wayne suffered great losses as a child and even as the years pass, the pain from that event hardly simmers, so he tries to quell his agony by purging Gotham City of its criminals. When Batman fights crime, he really does show off a sheer hatred for the criminals since in one scene at the Axis Chemical plant (prior to Napier's transformation into the Joker), Batman manages to tangle one of Napier's minions by the neck and essentially lynches him from one of the catwalks in the factory. Also, towards the beginning, when Batman confronts two criminals who robbed a rich family, he pummels one of them and tells his accomplice "I'm not going to kill you, I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me." Also, unlike Christopher Nolan's spin on the Batman franchise, Burton's Batman isn't afraid to kill his enemies, which I personally like since it gives Batman a more menacing edge, thought all together, it's Batman's complexity that's making me come back to the whole franchise. Then there's the Joker. Of course, with Jack Nicholson behind the makeup, you know he's gonna nail his role perfectly. Nicholson really makes a great Joker because his take on the character truly gives out a feeling of insanity. Joker harms people just because he thinks it's fun, and keeping true to the comics, he adds a good amount of crazy gags to his crimes that adds more depth to the feeling of insanity (he's also one of the rare villains to be menacing and funny at the same time). In a scene where the Joker sets up a meeting with Gotham City's main crime bosses, he kills one with an intense electro-shock hand buzzer and after everyone is forcefully escorted out, the Joker talks to the charred skeleton and at the end, says "I'm glad you're dead!!" and unleashes a really creepy laugh afterwards. There's also scenes where the Joker doesn't really kill or hurt anyone that show how crazy he is. The best example of this would be when he and his henchmen enter the art museum after killing everyone (except Vicky) with the Smilex gas, goes around the museum defacing a bunch of paintings while dancing to Prince. Also, I love the fact that Burton decided to flesh out the Joker more than Batman because in the context of this film, it's very fitting. The Joker wants to be known throughout while Batman wants to remain hidden from the public so he can keep doing what he does. Now supporting characters, that's a little different story. While Robert Wuhl and Kim Basinger do quite well as their roles as Knox and Vale (respectively), I felt the characters themselves felt a little hollow and stereotypical. Knox felt pretty geeky and Vale at the end of the day, feels a little too much like the typical "damsel in distress." However, despite being on the stereotypical side, they were enjoyable to have on screen. It would have been nice to have seen other characters like Harvey Dent fleshed out better as well. APPEARANCE Thanks to the vision of set designer Anton Furst, Batman is a visual feast. The gritty, Gothic, and claustrophobic vision of Gotham City is truly amazing and is a huge component to the whole Batman experience. However, unlike that Alex Proyas abomination Dark City, Burton doesn't depend entirely on visuals since he also has two of the most interesting (and entertaining) characters ever put on screen to bolster the fantastic visuals. The way Gotham City looks really does look like it's in a universe of its own since it takes place in modern times but the citizens of the city dress in a style from the 1920's-30's complete with trench-coats and fedora hats, and not to mention that the colorful characters (particularly with the Joker) add some more flare to the already amazing set designs. SOUNDTRACK Danny Elfman struck gold with Batman's soundtrack since after all, he did create the iconic Batman theme that would be a part of Batman and would even live on in the intros of the Batman animated series (if I recall correctly). Most of the scenes are powerful by themselves, but Elfman's ear-grabbing music really bolsters the emotional impact of the scenes throughout the movie. I'm not a big follower of Prince, but the scenes featuring his music feel really well-placed (especially the art museum scene featuring the song "Party Man"). ACTION SCENES Batman really has some good action scenes to bolster the movie. One of the best is when Batman saves Vicky from the Joker and when the Joker and his henchmen chase them down, Batman manages to evade the Jokers crew in the Batmobile and causes the Joker's crew to fly into a huge traffic pile up on the streets. The other has to be with the final showdown between Batman and the Joker on top of the Gotham Cathedral. It shows that Batman isn't an unstoppable titan since he takes some considerable hits from one of the Joker's henchmen (though Batman would make him fall to his death in the bell tower) and it also shows the imposing strength of Batman when compared to the Joker. FINAL WORD If you're looking for a really well-made superhero film with some interesting characters and a magnificently gritty universe that's strictly its own, then Batman should be in your collection if it isn't already.

Love it!! Thanks Amazon prime! Started watching on my computer. Then went to neighbors (who also has Prime) and hooked up to his TV. Nice and clear, plays perfect. I like every Batman movie going back to the original TV show with Adam West (Robin too of course, Alfred, the Aunt) and the old original comics. Brings me back to childhood, great times and also in this modern world and beyond! My cousins and I would crawl under the Brookfield, MA, Kimball street drain pipe playing secret agent and Batman. Could never get the courage to crawl through the spider, snake ridden pipe at night. One night; Faked out cousin Mike; he got mad and kicked his basketball into the pipe right before sundown. Then during the nighttime our parents found out and asked us to try to find it. I acted brave and said I will go out into the night crawl through the pipe. I chickened out. Went back onto the house and lied; said I went all the way threw the pipe in the dark and found nothing. Early next morning got up before everyone else. Ran outside and crawled through the pipe in morning light, pushed the basketball through to the end and into the brook. Then later when everyone was up, I let them think Mike kicked the ball so hard that it went right through the pipe. I always think of Mike, leader of the secret agent club, us playing, making believe we are Batman, Robin and Chief O'Hara, Gordon outside on adventures at night. Seeking experiences that are scary! Mike is stronger than I in many ways. Most men have that intense 'courage', an instinct, spiritual part built in (earned). Maybe they are here on earth to make it even stronger to be used for a new mission! Ladies too. Love the CatWoman! Sorry for lying Mike! Love ya, Cousin Mare

Released in 1989, Tim Burton's Batman holds up very well 22 years after its release and I actually prefer it over Christopher Nolan's re-entry, as interesting as his vision is. As for Joel Schumaker's stunning though at times silly vision of Batman, I try to forget about those films. Burton's first Batman is pure escapism in a sort of old fashion way. No CGI to be seen here and it works better that way. It's no surprise to me that Burton's Batman has been compared to Citizen Kane (1941) or The Maltese Falcon (1941), Burton and production designer Anton Furst take you into a dark world filled with crime and also mystery. Other films at the time such as Blade Runner (1982) and Brazil (1985) had already experimented with the classic film noir style, done in a sort of retro/futuristic way but Anton Furst's design for Gothem City truly feels like you are viewing a modern retelling of the classic noir films from the 40s. Sam Hamm's script is solid and while it has been the target for criticism, I feel that he did a nice job, his dialog is very witty at times and a little over the top but it's appropriate, particularly with Jack Napiar/ The Joker. The performances are actually quite impressive and even better then what Chris Nolan got out of his actors but that's just an opinion. Micheal Keaton, while controversial and unusual at the time, gives a really good performance, he is very shy and sensitive which is the Bruce Wayne that I respond to the most. Jack Nicholson really needs no analysis for his work here, he is just perfect that putting into words is pointless. His joker is fun and even believable, Jack is just as great of an actor as James Cagney in my mind. Kim Basinger is actually much better then she is given credit for, her and Keaton work well together. The rest of the cast really are supporting characters, some are familiar to the Batman story, some are new. One of them being Alexander Knox. Robert Wahl plays a very likable guy who the other characters have a hard time taking seriously. His eagerness to find Batman and win his Pulitzer prize is well done and is a very down to earth performance, which I guess is what the movie needed. As for Tim Burton's direction, he handles the actors very well and as for the technical work, I have mixed feelings about that. A lot of moments have really well choreographed camera work but there are a couple of zoom in shots that I felt were sloppy and a little unnecessary. There are a couple of matte painting shots that may not hold up as well today but none of this really matters, it still works. Of course, Danny Elfman's score left me speechless. He combines the fun, the adventurous and the dark side of Batman into one piece. I recommend buying the soundtrack with Elfman's score on it, it's amazing!! I think that Batman may be the best Hollywood movie of the late 80s and I still consider it a favorite from my childhood. I know that comic book purists prefer Nolan's Batman but as just a movie guy who loves old fashion Hollywood movies, this one appeals more to my taste. Batman deserves its comparison with Citizen Kane or any other Hollywood masterpiece as far as I'm concerned, even Casablanca (1942) or The Godfather (1972). Burton's 1992 sequel, Batman Returns is equally as great and even takes the series in a direction that's more complex and provoking which Joel Shumaker ignored. While Christopher Nolan's Batman films have stolen the popularity of Burton's, I would argue that his will go down in history as Hollywood classics.

Now near 25 years removed from its production, Tim Burton's original Batman has slowly lost faded into the background of the modern superhero film landscape. As newer - and admittedly wonderful - superhero movies such as The Dark Knight and The Avengers continue to dazzle and amaze audiences with spectacular special effects and genre-bending writing, the more people seem to forget the much more modest and serene Batman film. Which, I believe, is a grave mistake. For while it may not have had the technological advancements at the time to provide stunning effects and epic storytelling, Tim Burton's directorial effort in Batman is, without question, one of most talented and intelligent efforts ever made in film itself - let alone in the superhero genre. I'll forgo any plot description as I'm sure it's quite well known by this point and more importantly because the plot acts merely as a sandbox for much more brilliant achievements in acting, directing and cinematography. The first I'll touch upon is the cinematography. The beautifully rendered gothic landscape that Anton Furst creates in the sets and scenery of Batman is immediately evident upon first viewing of the film. But what is probably much less evident to most viewers, is just how much Burton and his production team borrowed from German Expressionism and the silent filmmaking of first three decades of the 20th century. As someone who's seen a fair share of silent films - and more importantly - films from that small window in the 1930s were sound was a new and somewhat mysterious concept for filmmakers, it's slowly become apparent to me that advent of sound has led to a deterioration of visual storytelling and acting. In short, sound has made today's filmmakers lazy. Instead of having to show their story, the subtleties of their dramas and characters, they can simply say it, and depends with a lot of visual setup and style. It is that silent film element that really makes Burton's Batman exceptional, and really unlike any other film made since the silent era. With Batman, Burton opens up the playbooks of Fritz Lang and Todd Browning and FW Mernau and instead of telling his story through dialogue or explicitly stated plot points, instead hones in on a myriad of visual elements to express the true nature and grandeur of Batman as a character. The first way in which he does this is to always show Batman from an outsider's perspective (generally, Vicki's perspective). This creates and element of mystery and darkness to Batman that harkens back more to characters like Dracula and the Phantom of the opera than it does Superman or Spider-Man. Again, taking a page not just from Batman's own roots as a creature of gothic horror, but also from the early cinematic works of Dracula and the Phantom. Burton even uses lighting to highlight and display Batman's subtle eye or facial movements - a trick derived quite directly from 1931's Dracula. The second method derives directly from Michael Keaton's own performance. Few seem to realize it upon first viewing, but Keaton turns in probably the most subtle and brilliant acting performances of any comic book movie before or since. In compliment to Burton's visual storytelling, Keaton mirrors the silent style of filmmaking by conveying the majority of his character's emotions through both facial expressions and emoting through the eyes. He rarely says much in the film - and his version of Bruce Wayne is characterized as an aloof and somehow emotionally immature man who is often overshadowed by the bombastic nature of Jack Nicholson's inspired performance as the Joker. But upon closer inspection, it's really Keaton who steals the show in Batman by portraying the character as both wholly sympathetic and always latently psychotic. This juxtaposition of emotional reliability and psychosis is metaphorical tightrope that is near-impossible traverse - in fact, even in the original source materials, most writers struggle to convey a proper amount of emotional resonance in their characterization of Wayne. Yet, astonishingly, Keaton manages to blend these to aspects together with incredible ease; he wears the persona of Bruce Wayne like a second skin, and purely through whispers and off glances both makes the viewer feel for Bruce Wayne, and remain ever terrified of Batman. Outside of these two most notable aspects, Burton (and Keaton, as through the happenstance of a writers' strike, ended up rewriting much of the script and dialogue with Burton on-set) weaves in numerous subtle character arcs and story beats that seem simple - and perhaps even poorly done at first glance - but through subsequent viewings can be deemed extremely intricate and expertly executed exposition. From Bruce Wayne's reclusive and awkward demeanor reflecting Burton's own thoughts on genius, obsession, and emotional pain - to the simply brilliant relationship built between Michael Gough's Alfred and Bruce - Burton continuously weaves a simple narrative bursting with psychological meaning and emotion. I'm certain most would call it absurd to refer to Burton's Batman as one of the best films ever made - and in truth, it does indeed lack some of the emotional or dramatic punch that a lot of the other great films of history do have - but when analyzed with a keen and disconcerting eye, the amount of intelligence and detail weaved into the execution of Batman far exceeds most of the directorial efforts in the history of American film. And, without question, Batman should be seen at least a few times by anyone interested in the classic silent and European methods of the early days of filmmaking, and - along with Blade Runner and Burton's followup, Batman Returns - should be considered one of the best tributes to that sophisticated and timeless style.