Batman (1989) Review

Disclaimer: Contains Spoilers!

Plot Summary: Batman emerges in Gotham City to fight crime in the best way he knows: telling everyone "I'm Batman."

Review: As a contrast to "The Dark Knight Rises," I thought I'd review the original "Batman." What can I say, it's a great movie. It has that near-perfect balance of comic book-feel and attempting to present us that dark atmosphere Batman fans love. The music is iconic and one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard. Michael Keaton is great as Bruce Wayne despite what many naysayers said then and now; his scatterbrain take on the character is actually kind of clever as you get the idea Bruce is constantly distracted by Batman issues while trying to keep up appearances. I did like the Nolan trilogy's approach with Bruce pretending to be busy, but I prefer that we actually see how preoccupied Bruce's thoughts actually are. Kim Basinger is a goddess here and easily blows away the likes of Katie Holmes. The Vicky Vale character isn't all that complex, but Ms. Basinger knew how to play it up. Jack Nicholson as the Joker is also an incredible take on the character; he balances the insanity with the lame jokes nicely to pull off one of the more memorable roles in his illustrious career. I would say the Joker is probably the highlight of the film as Nicholson easily steals the show. The action is well balanced, even if there could have been slightly better fight choreography, and the climax is highly satisfying. Incredibly quotable, immensely entertaining, and enhanced by that weird, Burton-esque vibe, you have a classic on your hands. It isn't entirely perfect as some moments fall flat as does some 80s references (way too much Prince), but it's as good as a comic book movie can get. Definitely give this one a watch and make sure to watch the original films before the Nolan films to truly see the transitions of the character.

Notable Moment: I've always really loved the flashback to the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. The music is so haunting and Keaton pulls off so much depth by just a longing stare. You can almost see that Bruce hates to remember what caused him to become Batman. Unlike the Nolan films, we don't have to have it all spelled out for us especially considering we all know the origin of Batman.

Final Rating: 8.5/10