Batman (1989, PG-13)

Rating: **1/2

This dark, Tim Burton directed movie based off of the comic book hero, Batman, is a foolish attempt at imagining the hero of Gotham City.  Jack Nicholson is Batman’s arch nemesis, the Joker, and Michael Keaton is the man of the title.

The film opens in crime-ridden Gotham City.  Batman has somewhat managed to stabilize the crime wave.  Crime boss Jack Napier, after a fierce gunbattle with the police, is thrown into a tank of green chemical, greatly altering his personality and characteristics to turn him into the Joker.  The Joker takes control of the mob, and launches a war against the Gotham Police, and it’s up to Batman to save Gotham from utter destruction.

Batman is one of those movies that messes up.  It breaks away from it should be, a true to the heart Batman comic book story, but instead it becomes a wild, cartoonish adventure.

Director Burton concentrates his efforts more so on the Joker over Wayne/Batman.  The Joker, though played very entertainingly by Nicholson, takes up more screen time then Wayne/Batman.  In turn, casting Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne was a blunder, because he simply wasn’t convincing enough, and didn’t take his role near that seriously either.  In addition, he lacks the charm of Bruce Wayne, and makes Batman look like an underpowered hero who relies on his gadgets more so then his wit.

In the film, Gotham is portrayed in a dark and grimacing, yet also in a cartoonish kind of style.  Burton is known for his dark visuals, and that is evident here. 

I think Nicholson as the Joker took the stardom of the movie, and Keaton as Wayne was pushed aside.  This started the Batman franchise effectively, but its sequels all declined in quality as the series went on.  Batman is a movie that focuses its efforts more so on its style and design over plot and character progress.