Batman (1989)

Photographer Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) arrives in Gotham City to cover the story of the mysterious masked vigilantly know as The Bat. She also meets eccentric millionaire Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), who has begun his secret crusade against crime as Batman. Shortly thereafter, psychotic killer Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) falls into a vat of toxic chemicals, which makes him even more crazy and adopt the name Joker. The Joker starts a bizarre crime wave that only Batman can stop.

Batman is a gothic wonderland, a dream or nightmare, depending on your predilections. It is a triumph of art design, at the very top of the cinematic form. On that basis alone, it is a great film and one of the best superhero films ever made. Other attempts at Gotham have either been tacky (Schumacher) or dull (Nolan). This is beautiful and twisted. Tim Burton has a style. It doesn’t always work. Here it is perfect.

When I saw this film in 1989, it was amazing. Now, 25+ years on, it is iconic. Scene after scene have become part of pop culture: The chat with the dead man; “I’m Batman”; “Wait til they get a load of me”; “I have given a name to my pain, and it is Batman.”; “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” You cannot discuss action cinema without bringing up Batman.

Beyond the look and feel of the film, so much is done right. There’s Danny Elfman’s stirring score. There’s the rapid pace and action, but with the focus always on character. There’s the humor that never drifts into camp. There’s the finest portrayal of Alfred (Michael Gough) and a fabulously loony Joker.

And then there is Batman. When Keaton was cast, fanboys went nuts. He was wrong in everyway: too comic, too short. Well, they were wrong. Keaton nails the two sides of the character, Bruce Wayne and Batman. His Batman is dangerous, and for the first, and only time, Batman is scary beyond his violence. His is the only Batman that could frighten criminals in a fundamental way, not just because they don’t like getting beaten up. There’s something unhinged about him.

While Bat-Keaton is treading the line of psychosis, Bruce Wayne is even better. No reasonable man would choose to dress up like a bat to fight crime. Other versions of Bruce have focused on his anger, but angry men don’t get themselves rubber bat suits; they get into bar fights. Keaton’s Wayne is more substantially disturbed. Yes, he’s angry, but it is so much more. This is the only Bruce Wayne I can believe would choose to become Batman. I could believe him choosing to wear a mask made of human skin and carry a chainsaw too. As an actor, Keaton has a talent of being an every man. He’s someone you can imagine seeing at the grocery story. But at the same time, he can embody insanity, a lack of control, and a ruthless dedication. That is Batman.

I suppose I should mention flaws. Hmmmm… I could do without the Prince songs. Here and there the FX looks dated. That’s about it. This is a clever, exciting, funny, emotional, and memorable film. See it. Then see it again.

Batman was followed by Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin. The character was rebooted into Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. And he has been again rebooted into Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Batman first appeared on the big screen in a pair of 1940s serials. He returned in 1966 in Batman: The Movie.

I have ranked the eight theatrical portrayals of Batman.