IMDB 7.6
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Jack's Rating :
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The 1989 Batman movie was influential in setting the stage for all the great super hero movies that have followed. Dark and noirish, the movie presents Batman as a superhero who is not perfect.
Gotham City is a mess with criminals running rampant in town, and then a six feet tall bat-like creature appears and starts warning the criminals to stop their activities.
Before long Batman runs in to Jack Napier, who has an accident and becomes the Joker. The movie is a little campy, talking its cue from the 1960's TV show.
Jack Nicholson plays a pretty good Joker. Perhaps he is a little too goofy to be scary, but I think he is pretty faithful to the comic book.
Michael Keaton also makes a pretty good Batman, but seems to have some trouble playing someone with a "dark" character. He also doesn't have a great physical presence outside of his costume, that would have made you believe more in his character. We do see the incident, the killing of his parents by thieves, that motivated Bruce Wayne to become the Batman.
We also see Bruce, haunted by his day dreams, coming to realize that one of the thieves was Jack Napier. The Batman created the Joker by dropping him in to the vat of chemicals, but the Joker also made Batman by killing his parents.
Gotham is a world that is dark and noirish, particularly in the pale moon light. Bruce is troubled by his past and is damaged like most noir protagonists. The Joker has some light moments for a noir villain, but he is damaged, disturbed and evil.
Gotham is a world that is dark and noirish, particularly in the pale moon light. Bruce is troubled by his past and is damaged like most noir protagonists. The Joker has some light moments for a noir villain, but he is damaged, disturbed and evil.
Overall, a very good movie, that is beautifully filmed. It won an Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration. Comic book in tone and style, the movie did begin the trend of presenting flawed, and more interesting superheroes.
Quotes:
Bruce Wayne: What?
The Joker: I always ask that of all my prey. I just... like the sound of it.
Nic: Don't kill me! Don't kill me, man! Don't kill me! Don't kill me, man!
Batman: I'm not going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
Nic: What are you?
Batman: I'm Batman.
Bruce Wayne: I know who you are. Let me tell you about this guy I know, Jack. Mean kid. Bad seed. Hurt people.
The Joker: I like him already.
Vicki Vale: A lot of people think you're as dangerous as the Joker.
Batman: He's psychotic.
Vicki Vale: Some people say the same thing about you.
Batman: What people?
Vicki Vale: Well, I mean, let's face it. You're not exactly normal, are you?
Batman: It's not exactly a normal world, is it?