Batman (1989)

Buy This Item Batman (1989) by Warner Home Video  Available from Amazon  $19.98  on 11-15-2008     Thanks to the ambitious vision of director Tim Burton, the blockbuster hit of 1989 delivers the goods despite an occasionally spotty script, giving the caped crusader a thorough overhaul in keeping with the crime fighter's evolution in DC Comics. Michael Keaton strikes just the right mood as the brooding "Dark Knight" of Gotham City; Kim Basinger plays Gotham's intrepid reporter Vicki Vale; and Jack Nicholson goes wild as the maniacal and scene-stealing Joker, who plots a takeover of the city with his lethal Smilex gas. Triumphant Oscar-winning production design by the late Anton Furst turns <i>Batman</i> into a visual feast, and Burton brilliantly establishes a darkly mythic approach to Batman's legacy. Danny Elfman's now-classic score propels the action with bold, muscular verve. <i>--Jeff Shannon</i> Reader Reviews This is a solid film. Not my favorite Batman film - I like Batman Begins more - but solid. The thing is, without one key player it wouldn't be as good. Yes, Tim Burton's directing is excellent, the visuals are respectable, and I like Prince's soundtrack a good deal more than I probably should (favorite songs: "Partyman", "Scandalous" and "Trust"). Visually, the film is a marvel - I especially like the portrayals of the Batmobie, the Batcave, and the Batplane. This enough to make it a good, 3.5 to 4-star movie. But here's what brings it over the edge: The Joker. Jack Nicholson outdoes himself from his first appearance as the full-blown villain (a murder set to carnival music), pumping out a flurry of puns and one-liners, equipped with many memorable props, including a boxing glove on a spring, a gloved hand that pops out of a gift box, a hand buzzer with a sick twist, and a REALLY big gun. Just when you think he can't get any better or funnier, he does. It all peaks in the unforgettable clock tower scene, where he delivers one my favorite line in the movie. I won't spoil it for you, but it's brilliant. The only real problem with the film is that all of the other major players step back and let Nicholson run away with the show. Michael Keaton's Batman is bland, lacking in the mystique that the role requires, though he makes for a good Bruce Wayne. His girlfriend Vicki Vale (Kim Bassinger) pretty much spends the entire film shrieking, a check in the "minus" column for her likability. Alfred (Michael Gough) is decent, but I prefer the dry-humored treatment he gets in Batman Begins. I like Robert Wuhl as the uppity reporter Alexander Knox, but sadly there's not enough of him. This is a good film, but I think Batman Begins does a better job with Batman.

Batman (1989) Available from Amazon Price: $19.98 Updated on 11-15-2008.

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