The first film in the Batman universe featuring Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
The movie begins in an alley at Gotham City where two thugs are being attacked by a mysterious figure dressed up as a bat. One thug begs not to be killed, but the figure tells him that he has no intention to kill him. When he asks who he is, the figure replies that he is Batman.
In the night, the mayor makes a speech of how Gotham is corrupt by the hands of crime boss, Carl Grissom, and because of that, the cops have became corrupt as well. A man named Jack Napier is watching this with Alicia, his boss' mistress. She is worried that they'll be in trouble if Grissom found out about them being together. Napier then leaves afterwards.
A reporter named Alex Knox is trying to interview a corrupt cop named Lt. Eckhart, but fails. Just then, the latter is confronted by Napier, who reminds him that his problems are their problems. Eckhart remarks that he'll only take orders from Grissom, not to psychos. When Eckhart insults him about being an A-1 boy, Napier pushes him to a wall and has his henchman, Bob, to put him at gunpoint in order to convince him.
Meanwhile, Knox is talking with reporter Vicky Vale about Batman.
At the same time, Grissom is upset about how Harvey Dent has a connection to him with Axis Chemicals. When Napier says about going there, Grissom orders him to go to Axis Chemicals. After the meeting, Napier complains about he doesn't want to go there, and Grissom tells him that he needs someone he can trust and that, Napier is his number 1 guy. When Napier leaves, Grissom goes to the phone to call Eckhart.
In Wayne Manor, a party occurs. Vicky asks a man for Bruce Wayne, but he states that he doesn't know him. Knox is interviewing Commissioner Gordon and the mayor. The former is told by a policeman that Napier is cleaning up Axis Chemicals and that Eckhart didn't tell him about it.
Vicky and Knox go to a place to see armors. They don't know one, and a man states that he bought is from Japan and reveals that he is Bruce Wayne. Just then, his butler, Alfred, calls him about to go somewhere.
Bruce is watching the conversation between Vicky and Knox by camera and gets a conversation between Gordon and a policeman about Napier cleaning up Axis Chemicals.
In Axis Chemicals, Eckhart orders his men to find Napier and kill him. Meanwhile, Napier and his men open a safe to find no papers there. The former realizes that they've been ratted out. Just then, they were attacked by the policemen.
Gordon arrives to tell Eckhart that he is charge of the investigation, not Grissom. He orders the policemen to take Napier alive and the one who will open fire on him will be in trouble. At the same time, Batman arrives and captures one of the criminals.
Napier runs around the plant with Batman following him. He tries to kill Gordon, but Batman grabs him. However, Bob points Gordon at gunpoint in order to get Batman to release Napier. Napier points his gun at Batman, but he escapes. Just then, he finds Eckhart and kills him. Napier fires a shot at Batman, but the latter ricochets the bullet to the former's face, causing him to fall to a vat of chemicals. Batman tries to save him, but Napier falls to the chemicals. Gordon tries to get Batman, but he escapes. In the sewers, Napier's hand emerges from the waters.
Meanwhile, Bruce is having a date with Vicky. At the same time, Grissom is greeted by Napier, who is upset that he betrayed him for being with his mistress. He tries to tell him that they could have a deal, but Napier tells him to call him Joker and reveals his clown-like appearance. He kills Grissom afterwards. Bruce is kissing with Vicky at the stairway. Joker is planning to show himself to Gotham.
In the morning, Vicky leaves. Meanwhile, Alicia is greeted by Joker and is scared that she fainted.
Joker has a meeting with the crime bosses and tells them that he is charge of Grissom's empire. When Rotelli refuses to do such orders from him, Joker electrocutes him to death with his joybuzzer, and his men puts all of the crime bosses at gunpoint. Ricorso remarks that he is crazy for what he did. Joker orders the crime bosses to leave. He orders Bob to find the Batman and calls him to be his number 1 guy. Joker begins insulting Rotelli's corpse that he is glad that he's dead.
Meanwhile, Bruce is putting flowers on a floor. What he didn't know is that Vicky is following him.
At City Hall, Knox interviews about Grissom's death. Just then, Joker shows up and kills Ricorso by stabbing him in the neck with a feather. He orders the mimes to open fire. Vicky tries to warn Bruce, but he is not hurt and looks at Joker as he leaves.
Joker is watching the news and is upset of how Batman gets his presses. Bruce is shocked that Joker is still alive after the incident at Axis Chemicals and wants a profile of him.
Joker is cutting pictures at his table. Just then, Bob shows him photos of Knox and Vicky. Joker begins to fall in love with the latter and orders Bob to get a phone book for her. He dances afterwards.
In the night, Joker orders the scientists at Axis Chemicals to ship his chemical. In the news, one reporter dies after laughing too much. Just then, Joker shows a commercial of his products with the secret ingredient: Smiley. He reveals of how he those products to kill people with a smile just like what happened to the reporter.
Bruce is watching this and Alfred gives him a profile of Jack Napier. It is revealed that he begins to commit crimes as a kid and has knowledge of arts and chemistry. Meanwhile, Joker puts on his makeup and Alicia asks him where they are going. He replies about making art.
In Gotham Art Museum, Vicky is meeting with someone, but after waiting for too long, gets a package to put on a gas mask. Just then, people are knocked out by a gas and Vicky puts on the mask for protection.
Just then, Joker and his men arrive and vandalize the museum before meeting with Vicky. After scaring her by showing Alicia's face being damaged, Joker attempts to kill her by using acid, but she escapes and throws water at his face. When Vicky tries to comfort him, Joker scares her by showing his clown-like face underneath. Just then, Batman arrives and rescues Vicky. He takes on Joker's men and takes Vicky to the Batcave where he makes her asleep.
The next morning, the news announces about what are Joker's products to stay away from. Joker is watching this and plans on having Batman killed.
Bruce goes to Vicky's apartment to tell her the reason why he didn't show up at the Gotham Art Museum. However, Joker and his men arrive. The former is upset that Vicky has run out of him and tells her that bad news: Alicia threw herself out of the window. Just then, Bruce tells Joker a story about a mean kid who is crazy and has his lights out. The latter shoots him, and leaves with his men. Vicky goes to Bruce only to find him gone and that he uses a tray to protect himself. She opens a present from Joker and faints when it shows a hand holding flowers.
Meanwhile, Bruce is looking at the news about the murder of his parents. At the same time, Joker announces of having a parade tonight. Bruce has a flashback that he, as Napier, is responsible for the death of his parents. Vicky arrives to the Batcave and now knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman.
As Batman, he goes to Axis Chemicals and destroys it. However, Joker taunts him that he misses him.
Meanwhile, Joker has drop $20,000,000 to the people and plans to kill them with his gas. However, Batman grabs the balloons and lets them fly away. Joker is complaining of how he could have a vehicle that could let him fly and kills Bob. While his men are causing trouble, Joker orders Batman to shoot him down, but misses the shot, and he shots the latter down.
When Vicky tries to look for Batman, Joker puts her at gunpoint and orders transportation from Gotham Cathedral. Batman emerges from the wrecked vehicle and follows Joker. When getting to the top of the tower, Joker has his men get Batman while he dances with Vicky.
After defeating them, Batman punches Joker and plans to have him killed. The latter states that he can't do that because he made him the way he is after the incident at Axis Chemicals. Batman fights Joker and punches him out of the tower. However, he grabs Batman and Vicky down to the ledge of the tower. Joker tries to have Batman and Vicky fall to their deaths. Just then, a helicopter came and Joker plans to leave the two there. While trying to escape, Batman uses his grapple to attach Joker's foot to a gargoyle. Because of this, Joker falls to his death. Batman saves Vicky from falling.
The police surrounds Joker's corpse and Gordon finds a laughing voice on his pocket.
Gordon gets a letter about how to use the Bat-like signal to call Batman whenever Gotham City is in danger. Vicky looks at the top of a building to find him standing there with the Bat signal activated.
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Batman |
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Batman's Cockblocking Codpiece |
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23 Years |
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For nearly a quarter century, Adam West, and Olan Soule reigned in live action and animation as Batman. They were not known as The Batman, but as Batman, or The Caped Crusader rather than The Dark Knight. With Robin, The Boy Wonder, known as The Dynamic Duo. Part of the Super Friends, hangin' out with Scooby Doo. This Batman smiled. He taught kids lessons about safety and brushing their teeth. Legend has it Adam West was actually shot out of a cannon as Batman. That might be in both his book and Burt Ward's, and in the Back to the Batcave movie.
I'll be the first to admit that Tim Burton goes right over my head. Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Ed Wood. I've seen two of those four, along with Big Fish, Planet of the Apes, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride. Talk about your view askew. I'm convinced that he looks at the world the way they filmed Adam and Burt bat-climbing. And I mean that in the nicest way possible, as a compliment. His best work has been in collaboration with Johnny Depp - probably because they have the same wicked, warped sense of...humor?
This is an awesome launch, or boot of the modern day Batman franchise.
The Good -
The Batman is awesome. Michael Keaton is a surprise, given previous comic roles in Night Shift, Gung Ho and Mr. Mom. He's an unusual choice for the role, but he fills out both the role and the costume. His Bruce Wayne is definitely weak - at least in my book - and needs work. His comic side seems to come out through Wayne, which is unfortunate. He almost pulls an Adam West at Vicki Vale's apartment with The Joker. I actually wondered if it was her "borrowed penthouse apartment".
Jack Nicholson as The Joker is another genius of casting. Just as unorthodox as Keaton, I'm thinking that Nicholson might be a little old and heavy for the role.
Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent. Holy missed opportunity.
The rest of the cast, with a couple exceptions, is great. The story and direction is great.
The score is awesome.
The Bad -
I really truly believe the Batman films have been plagued with some bad female casting. I'm not a fan of Kim Basinger. (Nicole Kidman as Chase Meridian - WTH? Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl - who was she related to anyway - Alfred? Katie Holmes in Batman Begins and Maggie Guyllenhaal - Holy Woman in the Refrigerator! - in The Dark Knight.) Watch Batman and count how many times Basinger screams at - climbing a batrope, the Batmobile, or just for the grins and giggles of it. She seems to be nothing more than wallpaper. Background come to life. That may be insulting and unfair, but really by the end of the film, she's reduced to nothing more than a damsel in distress.
Definitely Keaton's Bruce Wayne. His Wayne seems a bit silly, goofy - McGoo.
From the high camp of '60's to ham in the '90's. The ham is kinda cool in a fanboy sense. The Batsignal on top of Police Headquarters is cool.
The musical score at the end is a bit over the top; and Prince's songs just seem less than inspired give the film a dated rather than timeless feel. Okay, maybe I'm not a Prince fan. I just don't think of Prince when I think of Batman. I think of more Classic Rock, or Heavy Metal.
The Ugly -
The Flashback. If you've seen the movie, hope you know what I mean, 'cuz I ain't spoilin' it. But it sucks big-time.
Eckhart. He should have been Bullock. And somebody should have caught that he had a beard, then didn't have a beard, then did again in when Nicholson offed him.
Knox. Holy killer comic relief!
Overall this was a great way to finally close the book on the Adam West-Olan Soule Batman era, and make the Kevin Conroy era possible.
I found this on affordable Blu-Ray and enjoyed it all over again. I haven't really explored the special features as yet, but the Burton-Keaton-Nicholson Batman on Blu-Ray can not be beat!
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A story about vengence and the night... and some dude in rubber |
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The Best Film of the 80's |
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Celebration ! |
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Welcome ladies and gents this is my 100th review here on Comic Vine.Ever since I first made my account back in July the first thing I loved about this website was the review section because im the kind of guy that wants his opinion to be know and all the reviews I did were my,except this one.Now some of you might wonder want I will review but you problably already saw the title so im reviewing Batman '89.
The first time I saw this movie back in November.Yeah you read that right.The main reason is because I already had the Dark Knight and the 90's cartoon so seeing the thing that gave mainstream viewers the dark Batman semed rater pointless to me.So back in November I asked my friend who has the dvds lent them to me and I watched it.
The Story: We all know this one.Batman is the protector of Gotham City and is dealing with being pursued by GPD and meets a criminal Jack Napier who falls into a vent of chemicals and becomes crazier and becomes the Joker.
The Good: Michael Keaton looks really good in the Batman costume and in my opinion it looks the best on film in all of the live action Batman adaptation's,the exception to this rule is of course the cartoon's.The acting all around is good but I do have some problems for a few of them.I did watch a bunch of Batman '89 reviews for a time and sometimes a complaint I heard was that Jack Nicholson just played crazy Nicholson and not really a Joker esqu character,now I haven't seen a lot of his movies so I can't really say anything more on.The cinematography was really good and the Batmobile looks really cool.
The Bad: Batman is a killer,in the factory a bunch of criminals around were around the Batmobile,so Batman decides to set a bomb and we see no criminals going out of the factory so all im left to assume is that Batmna killed them.Batman doesn't kill and I don't want any BS about how Batman killed in the beginning,first off that is Earth 2 and second off when a character first appears he never is the same when he finally comes into form.Also I don't know if it's the writer or Tim Burton but they did not understand what the point to Bruce Wayne is,in the movie he is a locked away rich guy because of his parents died and the city people don't know anything about him and wonder about what he does and in the comics he is what Bats uses to trick people into beliving Bruce Wayne isn't Batman(with what Morrison recently did with Bats some people might put the puzzle pieces together).I don't care about Vicky Vale in this,she was annoying and couldn't stop yelling and served no real purpose to the plot.I find that Joker killing Bruce's aprents annoying,I don't hate the idea since this a movie and it needed to make the heroe hate the villain so im fine but it just annoyed by it.The Joker doesn't really do anything scary in the movie,the only thing he did to show he was crazy was him and his goons defacing some paintings in the Gotham Museum while the Dark Knight we had the Joker orchastrating a whole operation to rob a bank and to be the only one to get out of it alive and don't forget the scene with the kidnapped guy who was saying what the Joker's demands were before plumiting from the sky.Also how in the name of Bullseye did Batman miss the Joker with the Batplanes turrets and then got shot down by Joker's comically large pistol ?
The Verdict: Yeah as you can tell I am not a fan of this movie,the performances while good don't make sense at some places,Batman doesn't follow the code of ethics he usually has and the Joker is not frightening.This is a good movie to watch if you want to know if you like Batman but for those that have alreadyt watched the 90's cartoon or the Nolan films you dont have watch this.This is skippable.
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Doesn't portray every aspect of Batman, but still satisfying. |
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| Movie Name: | Batman |
| Rating: | PG 13 |
| Runtime: | 126 mins |
| Release Date: | 06/23/1989 |
| Director: | Tim Burton |
| Writer(s): | Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren |
| Producer(s): | Peter Guber, Jon Peters |
| Studio(s): | Warner Bros. Pictures, Guber-Peters Company, The, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment |
| Distributor: | Warner Bros. |
| Budget: | $35,000,000 |
| Box Office Rev: | $251,185,407 |
| Total Gross Rev: | $0 |