Batman
BY Ryan LaMarca / 2009-06-15
In the summer of 1989, director Tim Burton unleashed a startling vision of Batman onto the silver screen. It was a grim, gritty, and dark version of the popular comic book character, one completely contrasting with the image of the property audiences had seen for years. Ever since the 1966 television series, the Batman character had been viewed largely as a joke, existing only to be a parody of itself. But by making a movie that returned the character to its roots in crime drama and film noir, "Batman" not only became a hit, but also the highest grossing movie of the year.
Gotham City is a town of crime and corruption. In its day to day struggle against crime, the Gotham City Police Department is largely ineffective against the stranglehold of organized mob bosses, even under the direction of Commissioner James Gordon (Pat Hingle). From the streets emerges a protector for the city, Batman (Michael Keaton). By day, he is millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne, but when the sun goes down, he is Gotham's Dark Knight, a man avenging the deaths of his parents who were gunned down by a thug in his very presence.
After stopping a break in at the Axis Chemical Plant, Batman meets mob enforcer Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) who promptly falls into a vat of acid amidst the confusion. Assumed to be dead, Napier emerges as the Joker, his skin bleached white, his hair turned green, and now certifiably insane. And he's on a mission to take down Batman and assume control of Gotham City by poisoning its citizens and wreaking havoc.
The case with the Batman the character over the years has always been the idea that the rogues gallery of villains are sometimes more engaging than the Dark Knight himself. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the Joker is amazing because he covers all the necessary bases of making the character whole. He's psychotic and deadly, but he's also playful and funny. He finds the perfect balance between comedy and drama that makes the Joker the fascinating character he has always been. And to have a legendary actor such as Mr. Nicholson playing the iconic character only helps to elevate the movie to new heights.
In that regard, the Joker at times outshines Batman as the lead character in his own film. In fact, Michael Keaton is given second billing after Jack Nicholson for "Batman." But with that in mind, Michael Keaton is the right choice for the character. He has presence as both Bruce Wayne and Batman and fits both roles equally, unlike many of his successors. Val Kilmer made for a good Batman, but didn't quite feel right as Bruce Wayne. The reverse was true of George Clooney. Christian Bale found that balance later on in "Batman Begins," but in terms of overall performance, Mr. Keaton has the advantage, personifying both men in a fashion more akin to direct dual personas.
Mr. Keaton plays Bruce Wayne correctly because he puts on an emotionally distant persona. He is a man of few words and lives his life in the shadows. In other words, he makes Bruce Wayne awkward, which is exactly how the character should act when guised as the millionaire playboy. The movie, as well, constantly plays the angle that Bruce Wayne is the disguise while Batman is the true identity furthering the lonely nature of the character.
Generally speaking, the story in "Batman" is rather simplistic as far as Joker stories go. He really only wants to take over the city or destroy it or kill its inhabitants, possibly all three. That's classic Joker material, and he has a blast while doing it. "Batman," as well, sidesteps the tedious origin story that has been told time and again in the past, and as a result, becomes much more effective. Because of this, the movie is able to begin in a time where the Dark Knight is already an experienced crime fighter.
Going back to the days of Batman's inception, Gotham City has the look and feel of a metropolis of the 1940s, but also brandishes a touch of the new. The character of Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl), a newsman, visually personifies the perennial over-anxious reporter classic to film noirs and movies of that time. Knox is a character created new for the movie to match wits with Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger), Bruce Wayne's love interest. Vicki Vale serves also as a damsel in distress for plot purposes at times, but is also shown to be quite capable on her own.
Adding to that, "Batman" has a few other noteworthy elements. The score by Danny Elfman hits a high mark in the movie by creating a beautiful Batman theme, one that was later carried over to "Batman: The Animated Series." Even the Prince songs, as odd as they may seem in the movie, earn their keep. Likewise, "Batman" features some keen special effects that hold up twenty years later and showcases some exciting action sequences featuring an array of gadgets, the Batmobile, and even the Batplane. Furthermore, the entire execution and direction of the movie feel inviting and enticing.
Over the years, the directorial chair for the Batman franchise has changed many times. Batman has been seen in live-action and in animation, and all adaptations of the character are true to form in one way or another, and trying to compare one set of films to another is only an exercise in futility. As time goes by, the characters of the Batman comics experience metamorphosis as they change from writer to writer and artist to artist. By capitalizing on a very distinct version of the character from a point early on in its existence, Tim Burton was able to craft his masterpiece by returning Batman to the world of serious drama.
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