Batman (1989)

The two Tim Burton Batman films were being shown at the cinema and I thought that there was no better way of spending a Sunday afternoon. I have always felt that these were worthy of being in the discussion for the best Batman movies alongside the Christopher Nolan films. This is the one that reset the Batman movies after the camp 1960’s offerings. 

It always strikes me as funny that Jack Nicholson got his credit BEFORE Michael Keaton, you know the actor playing the lead character. There is no way that would have happened today but I suppose because Nicholson was the more famous actor it would make sense (sort of) to lead with him. Jack Nicholson is very good as the Joker. I know that Heath Ledger leads the way as the best Joker but for a long time it was impossible to think that anyone could be better than Nicholson because he walked that fine line of being menacing and yet over the top in that 80’s kind of way. I think that it's a great performance from Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. Having just watched the Christian Bale trilogy, it's weird to see Bruce Wayne in such a way that makes him quite likeable instead of the rich playboy that we are supposed to dislike in future films. Keaton does go a bit Beetlejuice at one point which must have been an accident but was quite amusing.

I do miss this era of comic book films where the villain would be your normal villain and then something would happen to turn them into the villain. With this film, Jack Napier is set up by Grissom (Jack Palance) because he is having an affair with Grissom’s girlfriend Alicia played by Jerry Hall and after encountering Batman falls into an acid bath and becomes The Joker. It’s a great set up and something that needs to be brought back. Nicholson is one of those actors that can always be relied upon to give a great performance and despite being the villain he does it again.

There are a couple of effects shots that do stand out but overall the production value from a film in the late 80s is still pretty good. There are lots of model shots which still look amazing and something that also needs to be brought back in today's films because when done right they wont age badly whereas CGI that is overused will be dated within 10 years. Overall this is a great Batman movie. There are very many indicators that Tim Burton directed this film but it's the least Tim Burton film that Tim Burton ever directed. The story is really good, the performances are above what you would expect from this type of film in the 1980’s and we don't have the silliness that would come with the Joel Schumacher films and as a result you don't appreciate how good this version of Gotham City is. Ok Keaton isn't the best Batman but for this film he is the Bryce Wayne that works. Even the Prince tunes don't ruin this although it does date it.