Batman (1989)
One of the few Tim Burton movies I actually like,
and the first film adaptation of Batman to take the dark and gritty feel of the
comic books rather than the kooky Adam West TV version. Until the Dark Knight
Trilogy came out this was the gold standard for which Batman movies should be
compared, and in my eyes, all super-hero movies.
As with the Dark Knight, this film focused on The
Joker. Jack Nicholas gives one my favorite performances of all time as the
Joker wondering where Batman gets all those wonderful toys. Unlike the Dark Knight, the arch of Keaton’s
Batman is less about his personal struggles with being the caped crusader, and
focuses more on his dealing with tracking down and stopping the Joker.
What people seem to miss when comparing the various
Batman Movies is that being the BAT is not the hard part, we’re always going to
root for the Caped Crusader. It’s the portrayal of Bruce Wayne that is the crux
of any Batman movie, and in this one Keaton nails it better than any of his
successors (including Bale). It’s this subtle, calm, confident and collected
Bruce that gives us an emotional attachment to him. Unlike Clooney or Kilmer,
who seem to just be going through the steps until they get to be Batman again,
Keaton’s Bruce Wayne is a character of his own which adds a much needed
dimension as we are rooting for Batman because we also see Bruce Wayne, not
just because he’s the Batman.
While Nicholson, Keaton, and Burton are often the
one’s heralded for this Batman installment, the unsung heroes in this movie is
definitely Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox, reporter for the Gotham Globe. He
provides a great comedic relief and serves as the voice of the Gotham citizens,
I just love his character.
Overall, I loved this Batman. It’s slightly dated,
especially after the Nolan versions came out, but it’s still an enjoyable ride,
but leaves you with one question and one of my favorite movie quotes….”Have you
ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light?”
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