Batman (1989)

Genre

Action | Fantasy

Director

Tim Burton

Country

USA | UK

Cast

Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, Jack Palance, Jerry Hall, Tracey Walter, Lee Wallace, William Hootkins, Hugo E. Blick, Charles Roskilly, David Baxt, Sharon Holm, Garrick Hagon, Liza Ross, Adrian Meyers

Storyline

When Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) is transformed into the evil, Joker, he promises to take over Gotham City it is up to Batman (Michael Keaton) to stop him in his tracks before it is too late.

Opinion

After going through some tough weeks with the Superman franchise, I've made it to the first Batman film, the only DC Comics superhero they seem to be able to bring justice to - okay, forget about Joel Schumacher's films.

Dark, broody and charming, "Batman" is a spectacular achievement for superhero flicks and the credits goes to Tim Burton and a spectacular leading duo.

Tim Burton leaves behind the parodistic Batman TV series of the 60s and presents us a dark, terrifying yet fascinating Gotham City that is almost a character unto itself, and a human Bruce Wayne/Batman, sparing us the typical opening with Wayne's parents being killed - even thought it's shown later in the film - because after all this is not an origin film.

The story, concerning Batman as he faces his arch enemy, the Joker, is more than solid and it's elevated by top class storytelling, and is just a tiny part of a brilliant script that also features great dialogue, authentic comic style, and wonderful characters, Bruce Wayne/Batman, like I mentioned before, and the Joker.

Michael Keaton's Batman is a mysterious, enigmatic, threatening but at the same time fragile man, and he, before all, has managed to give the character that credibility that is often missing in superheroes. Then there's the Joker, Jack Nicholson's Joker. And I'm actually going to complain here, because he is so tremendous, he too often overshadows Batman. He arguably is the perfect cast to play the Joker, and brings to the character cruelty, mercilessness, still he manages to be gloomy and poetic.

Let me see what's left... the action! Though action isn't exactly what comes to your mind when you think of Tim Burton, he did an admirably job here. The action scenes are impressing but measured. Burton, as the great director he is, knows how not to overdo.

A suggestion? See this movie, it truly is a gem.

9 comments :

  1. Era davvero un altro modo di concepire il cine-comic. C'era tutta la magia di Burton, l'assurdità di Joker e il mistero di Batman. Davvero qualcosa di eccezionale!

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    1. Incredibile che film così non riescano a farli più al giorno d'oggi.

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  2. A gem, it is. Your big complaint about it is the same as mine. This is more Nicholson's film than it is Keaton. However, that tends to be the case whenever The Joker is involved.

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    1. True, the same happened with Heath Ledger's Joker.

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  3. I was not enamoured with this film. I actually felt Jack Nicholson over acted. Now having seen the film with Heath Ledger as the Joker, I can't go back. You haven't seen the first Batman film with Adam West and Burt Ward with Lee Merriweather as Catwoman.

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    1. Film? I didn't know West made a film too. I've seen a couple of episodes of the TV series though.

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  4. Bellissimo questo film, io sono una fan del grande Tim Burton!❤

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  5. I haven't seen this since it's release. Will definitely revisit. I can't remember it leaving an impression, but I'll find interesting to see what I think now.

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