Batman 1989 – Film Review
Overview
Batman (1989) is a comic book come to life, a tour de force of style, action and character, and is a by-the-numbers Hollywood classic. The colors of the film that director Tim Burton uses stay within the lines of these parameters, almost to a fault. The result is a film that is nearly flawless in accomplishing what it sets out to do. Whether or not you buy into the concept itself, however, is another matter. But either way, it is undeniable that Batman (1989) is a film by which all future installments of the franchise will be compared. And speaking of comparisons, with The Dark Knight set to be released, it only makes sense to take a close look at the character of The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson.
Review & Analysis
When Batman was released in 1989, it was instantly a smash hit, grossing more than $250M. By way of comparison, Batman Begins, grossed just over $200M – sixteen years later (figures are from boxofficemojo.com). It’s important to remember that, despite the current hype surrounding The Dark Knight, the success of the original Batman film was simply at a much higher level. My intent with this review, as well as the forthcoming review on The Dark Knight, is to strip away the hype and buzz and examine each film based on its merits, as well as its detriments, with a primary focus on each movie’s main villain: The Joker.
The original Batman was an origin story only insofar as it pertained to The Joker. When the film begins, Batman has already appeared on the scene and what we see is how the city of Gotham reacts and responds to this dark knight who terrorizes the city’s criminal underground. This is a far cry from Batman Begins which makes its primary focus the psychological and emotional motivations of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. It’s the fundamental difference between the two films (style notwithstanding) and likely a big reason why many fans prefer the story of Begins. The Dark Knight, however, is a much closer relative to the original Batman in the sense that both films begin with Batman already on the scene … with the Joker about to gain prominence.
In Batman, the Joker was once Jack Napier, a ruthless lieutenant of the powerful crime boss Carl Grissom. The Joker emerges following a nighttime raid on a chemicals plant in which Napier is dropped into a vat of chemicals by Batman. This is meant to explain the Joker’s bizarre appearance, and his maniacal personality is brought to the fore because of the experience. In truth, what really makes The Joker is the performance of Jack Nicholson. I’ve never been a huge fan of Nicholson, but there’s no denying the power and gusto he instills into The Joker. He literally steals every scene he is in and is such a force that his character is by far the worthiest on-screen villain for a Batman film up to The Dark Knight, including Batman Begins. If you’re looking for a reason to watch this movie, see it for Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker. It’s worth the time and effort.
The rest of the film falls into the typical Hollywood approach. There is the bumbling police force, Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger) as the bombshell blonde in distress and love interest for Bruce Wayne, and the all-round good-guy who isn’t cool enough to get the girl in news reporter Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl). By now, so many of these conventions have become cliché that people rightly look for a different approach (they found it with Batman Begins). But this formula was already cliché in 1989. What set the movie apart, and why it is rightly considered a masterful film, is in the skill and craft with which Batman was made.
Director Tim Burton created a world for Batman that was something akin to recreating the mood you feel on Halloween night – you know, when everything is just a little spookier and scarier than normal, but you know it’s all in good fun anyway. Gotham is designed as an overcrowded, overbearing city. It’s so stylized that it does run the risk of turning a few viewers away from the film, however, it is done well enough and plausibly enough within the film to create a plausibly cartoonish feel – perfect for the performances from Nicholson and Keaton. And speaking of Michael Keaton, his Bruce Wayne/Batman is a wonderfully enjoyable performance. If you can get past the notion that the diminutive Keaton could possibly be capable of the physicality that Batman conveys, the character can really come alive. That being said, a great many people will prefer Christian Bale’s performance – and with good enough reason.
Overall Grade: B+
Batman 1989 is a classic film in almost every possible sense. And yet, it is a stylized film and, whether or not you buy into the film will depend greatly on whether or not you buy into the style. The sheer success of the film is a testament to the fact that the style is not prohibitive and, indeed, goes a long way toward making the film truly memorable. But without a doubt, what makes the film truly memorably, truly successful, is the portrayal of The Joker by Jack Nicholson. It’s a seminal performance that truly establishes a standard by which Heath Ledger will necessarily (and posthumously) be judged. My advice would be to watch this film again, either before or after seeing The Dark Knight, and decide for yourself which performance you prefer. I’ll share my own thoughts in my review for The Dark Knight.
Loading …Topics: Film Review
Filed under: Batman
Related Articles:
