Before Christopher Nolan took the story of a man that dressed up as a bat to fight bad guys and turned it into a philosophical crime drama, Tim Burton was at the helm of the first serious attempt at a theatrical Batman film. This is the first in a series of four films that lasted all the way to 1997. This is simply titled: Batman.
Batman is by all accounts a comic book superhero movie. It’s not an overly serious crime drama (albeit there are some noir-esque elements in it). It’s a fun, enjoyable and well made comic book film. It stars Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jack Nicholson as the Joker, and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale. Bruce Wayne’s billionaire parents were killed when he was a child, and when he grew up, he used his company’s riches to make all sorts of gear and tech to become a vigilante who dresses like a bat to fight crime. But during one of his nightly crime-stopping missions, a crime boss gets horribly disfigured in a vat of chemicals. His skin turns white, his hair green, and his lips red, and has a permanent smile on his face. He takes the name of ‘the Joker’, and takes control of all Gotham City’s crime organizations to change the city into his ideal image. It’s sort of the same basic story of Batman that’s remained true for decades. What makes this film so enjoyable is its visual style and execution.
Firstly… Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. I’ve read that fans were initially furious about this casting choice… much like people these days were/still are outraged by Ben Affleck being casted as the same character. This review was written before Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was released, so whether or not he actually DID do a good job as Batman, we will all have to see for ourselves. But with Michael Keaton, people were so sure that he wasn’t going to pull it off. But to everyone’s surprise, he did a great job! I don’t think I’d ever consider him to be the Batman, but for what he was in this film, he did a damn good job. As Bruce Wayne, he’s so casual and natural looking. You’d never expect a guy like that to have any deep and dark secrets, let alone be a bat-themed vigilante. And his Batman voice is not like Christian Bale’s at all. He still sounds human.
Secondly… the villain. This movie features the Joker as Batman’s first real arch-nemesis (which, of course, he accidentally created). Out of all the iterations of the Joker to have appeared on the big screen so far, Jack Nicholson is the most fun to watch. He’s more of a mobster/noir-style gangster than simply an insane man running around making bad puns. This man absolutely stole the show. He’s got so much energy, and his delivery is spot-on! Every scene he’s in is so entertaining, and his laugh is contagious! I can’t love this character any more than I already do.
The truly impressive part about this movie is the set design and visual style. It looks and feels like a live action comic book. Gotham City itself has a lot of depth to it, and each shot has a lot of genuine atmosphere to it. The lighting is something I don’t really comment on in movies when I review them, but this movie has very nicely and skillfully done lighting. It’s dark and gritty, but in a stylized way. And the Batman costume is pretty cool as well. The Batmobile is all sorts of awesome itself. I wish it was in the movie more, but I guess Batman loses the whole ‘stealth’ thing when he’s driving around in a bat-styled, military grade armored car.
The special effects, while not at the highest caliber of the time, are still very good. There are some things that look obviously fake, and there are things that I’m genuinely curious as to how the filmmakers accomplished them. Let’s also not forget the score by Danny Elfman! It is one of the best parts about the whole movie. I can still hear the main theme in my head from time to time!
The majority of Batman is pretty darn good. Nothing groundbreaking, really, but it’s definitely worth something. There are a few things that I thought were a little bit off-putting, though. Like the out of place Prince songs, for instance. I have no idea why they were necessary, and they make the movie seem very dated. Also, the movie has a lot more emphasis on the Joker instead of Batman. I can’t complain that much, since I do love the Joker. Other than that, and a couple of smaller nitpicks, everything else is fine!
Batman is a very fun, very enjoyable movie. There may be a few flaws, but I wouldn’t say they ruin the experience. It’s a great film that’s sure to entertain!
FINAL RATING: 42 / 50
STORY: 3 / 5
ACTING: 4 / 5
CHARACTERS: 4 / 5
SPECIAL EFFECTS: 3 / 5
ACTION: 4 / 5
SOUNDTRACK: 5 / 5
TONE: 4 / 5
ENJOYABILITY: 5 / 5
REWATCH VALUE: 5 / 5
OWNING VALUE: 5 / 5
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