Nowadays, all talk is centered around Christopher Nolan and his cinematic interpretation of the "Batman" comics. This is perhaps well-warranted; Nolan not only captures the essence of the Dark Knight as his world, he also reinterprets it for a new generation. Does the success of the Nolan films "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" mean that we should forget about this 1989 film by Tim Burton? Not at all.
This film still holds up after twenty years. There's no wonder why we still watch "The Wizard of Oz" or "Star Wars"; some films are just timeless. And while this film may start becoming outdated (in terms of special effects, etc.), it shouldn't be forgotten that when it was first released, it was simply revolutionary. Before this film's release, the general public's view of Batman was Adam West -- he's fun, he's adventures, but he's still goofy. This was a far cry from the comic books of Frank Miller and Denny O'Neal, who sought to return the Caped Crusader to his dark roots. But Tim Burton's "Batman" changed all this by introducing to the general public the idea of a Darker Knight. And boy is this film influential! This started the trend of making dark Batman films. A popular cartoon ("Batman: The Animated Series") was created because of this. This movie also introduced the all-black, rubber suit (instead of using gray and blue/black tights), something used by prospective films, and is still used today with "The Dark Knight." Burton added darkness into Batman cinema; Nolan took it a step further. Without Burton, there'd be no Batman films today.
Burton has an interesting vision of Gotham. While not as realistic as Nolan's, Burton's Gotham is still gritty. Here you have street gangs, corrupt cops, and lowly street thugs. There's even some profanity here. Adding to this is a mixture of 1980s clothing and technology with 40s/50s fashions lifestyles. The Art Deco buildings blend well with the Gothic architecture. Here you have an atmospheric feel, a dark, brooding mood, a mixture of realism and surrealism. It's like you're in a comic book brought to life...yet at the same time, you're in real-life.
Michael Keaton is still great as Batman. He has presence, capturing the brooding nature and elegant style of the Dark Knight. While I'm not a big fan of his socially awkward Bruce Wayne, Keaton truly makes you believe he's Batman. He uses two distinct voice for Batman and Bruce Wayne, and he still delivers shivers at the "I'm Batman" scene in the beginning with the quiet, raspy, and simply haunting voice of his.
Some may have complained that Batman is underdeveloped as a character in this film, and not much attention is focused on him. While this may be true, the film actually benefits from this. Batman is mysterious, lurking in the shadows, the way he should be, and the decision to limit his scenes perfectly captures this. And besides, this is supposed to be Batman's first appearance, and the mysteriosity works very well. I especially loved portrayal of Batman as a urban legend -- a great introduction indeed!
Jack Nicholson is still a great Joker. While not as frightening as Heath Ledger, Nicholson's Joker was very evil and very twisted for that time. Here's somebody who turns his assistant into a living work of art, causing her to commit suicide later on, shoots his boss fanatically while enjoying every minute of it, and tries to kills everyone is Gotham; this is something that no pre-Nicholson Joker would ever do! And boy does Jack steal the show. His tone of speaking and mannerism and a joy to watch, and he has some of the best lines in the movie -- just as delightful to listen to as Ledger's.
And who can forget that iconic score by Danny Elfman? It is simply beautiful. It was nice to listen during that scene with Batman and Vicky Vale on the Batmobile as he drives through the night, and the finale in the end is an even greater joy to listen to, with Batman perched on a rooftop with the Bat signal in the sky. That is a scene that gets stuck in your head, and there are perhaps many more in this film. Tim Burton is a master of visuals, and that is clearly shown in this film.
"Batman '89" was one of the biggest-selling films of that year, and today it's one of the most successful films of all time. It and "Superman '78" helped shaped the superhero movie genre we know today.
This film still holds up after twenty years. There's no wonder why we still watch "The Wizard of Oz" or "Star Wars"; some films are just timeless. And while this film may start becoming outdated (in terms of special effects, etc.), it shouldn't be forgotten that when it was first released, it was simply revolutionary. Before this film's release, the general public's view of Batman was Adam West -- he's fun, he's adventures, but he's still goofy. This was a far cry from the comic books of Frank Miller and Denny O'Neal, who sought to return the Caped Crusader to his dark roots. But Tim Burton's "Batman" changed all this by introducing to the general public the idea of a Darker Knight. And boy is this film influential! This started the trend of making dark Batman films. A popular cartoon ("Batman: The Animated Series") was created because of this. This movie also introduced the all-black, rubber suit (instead of using gray and blue/black tights), something used by prospective films, and is still used today with "The Dark Knight." Burton added darkness into Batman cinema; Nolan took it a step further. Without Burton, there'd be no Batman films today.
Burton has an interesting vision of Gotham. While not as realistic as Nolan's, Burton's Gotham is still gritty. Here you have street gangs, corrupt cops, and lowly street thugs. There's even some profanity here. Adding to this is a mixture of 1980s clothing and technology with 40s/50s fashions lifestyles. The Art Deco buildings blend well with the Gothic architecture. Here you have an atmospheric feel, a dark, brooding mood, a mixture of realism and surrealism. It's like you're in a comic book brought to life...yet at the same time, you're in real-life.
Michael Keaton is still great as Batman. He has presence, capturing the brooding nature and elegant style of the Dark Knight. While I'm not a big fan of his socially awkward Bruce Wayne, Keaton truly makes you believe he's Batman. He uses two distinct voice for Batman and Bruce Wayne, and he still delivers shivers at the "I'm Batman" scene in the beginning with the quiet, raspy, and simply haunting voice of his.
Some may have complained that Batman is underdeveloped as a character in this film, and not much attention is focused on him. While this may be true, the film actually benefits from this. Batman is mysterious, lurking in the shadows, the way he should be, and the decision to limit his scenes perfectly captures this. And besides, this is supposed to be Batman's first appearance, and the mysteriosity works very well. I especially loved portrayal of Batman as a urban legend -- a great introduction indeed!
Jack Nicholson is still a great Joker. While not as frightening as Heath Ledger, Nicholson's Joker was very evil and very twisted for that time. Here's somebody who turns his assistant into a living work of art, causing her to commit suicide later on, shoots his boss fanatically while enjoying every minute of it, and tries to kills everyone is Gotham; this is something that no pre-Nicholson Joker would ever do! And boy does Jack steal the show. His tone of speaking and mannerism and a joy to watch, and he has some of the best lines in the movie -- just as delightful to listen to as Ledger's.
And who can forget that iconic score by Danny Elfman? It is simply beautiful. It was nice to listen during that scene with Batman and Vicky Vale on the Batmobile as he drives through the night, and the finale in the end is an even greater joy to listen to, with Batman perched on a rooftop with the Bat signal in the sky. That is a scene that gets stuck in your head, and there are perhaps many more in this film. Tim Burton is a master of visuals, and that is clearly shown in this film.
"Batman '89" was one of the biggest-selling films of that year, and today it's one of the most successful films of all time. It and "Superman '78" helped shaped the superhero movie genre we know today.