Batman (1989)
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"Lieutenant, is there a six-foot bat in Gotham City? And if so, is he on the police payroll? And if so, what's he pulling down... after taxes?"
— Alexander Knox
Batman is a 1989 American superhero film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, which tells the story of Batman's rise to fame in the City of Gotham, as well as the transformation and eventual rise to infamy of Jack Napier, better known as the Joker. Meanwhile, photojournalist Vicki Vale tries to work out the secret of Batman with reporter Alexander Knox.
This film is the first in the Batman Motion Picture Anthology. The film received positive reviews on release, with praise levied against both Keaton and Nicholson's performances, the dark aesthetic of Gotham, and Danny Elfman's now-iconic score. The film was very successful and was followed by Batman Returns in 1992.
Plot
Reporter Alexander Knox is investigating the presence of a new vigilante in the city of Gotham, taking down criminals and calling himself the "Batman". However, Knox's attempts at discovering information are hampered by the lack of cooperation from Commissioner James Gordon, District Attorney Harvey Dent, and corrupt Lieutenant Max Eckhardt. This is all occurring in the leadup to Gotham City's 200th-anniversary festival, with Mayor Borg and Dent making it their goal to eliminate crime, much to the anger of mob boss Carl Grissom. Grissom realizes the connection between Axis Chemicals and his businesses, and so he appoints his top enforcer Jack Napier to clean up the mess. However, this is an excuse for Grissom to have Napier killed, as he was having an affair with Grissom's wife, Alicia.
Meanwhile, Dent, Knox, and Gordon are attending a fundraiser for the festival at billionaire Bruce Wayne's mansion. Bruce later introduces himself to Knox and Vale, but later departs to secretly take down Napier at Axis Chemicals when he sees Gordon leave for the same reason. The police and Batman both arrive and start dealing with Napier's goons, with Gordon in awe at the sight of Batman in person. Batman gets the drop on Napier as he is about to kill Gordon, but he spares him when Napier's friend Bob threatens Gordon. However, after Napier kills Lieutenant Eckhardt, Batman returns, deflecting a bullet that pierces Napier's face and throws him off a ledge. Despite Batman's attempt to save him, Napier falls into a vat of chemicals and is assumed dead.
Still alive, Jack heads to a plastic surgeon to have his wounds healed, but the surgery is botched, resulting in a permanent grin on Jack's face. When he sees his face, he breaks down and goes insane, soon returning to Grissom's office. He confronts Grissom and reveals that while Jack may be dead, the Joker is alive and well before he kills his former employer. Joker notices a newspaper on the desk and laments about all the attention Batman gets. The next day, Joker holds a meeting with Grissom's associates and informs them he controls the businesses now. After killing one for disagreeing with him, he orders the others out before deciding to kill them all.
Joker makes his presence publically known, tainting household products to kill and disfigure their users if used in conjunction with each other. He then lures Vicki Vale to the Flugelheim Museum on the pretext of a date with Bruce Wayne. After killing the patrons of the museum and vandalizing the works of art, Joker asks Vicki to photograph his murders and destruction, as mementos of his "art". Vicki refuses, and Batman storms the museum, rescuing her. The two make their way to the Batmobile, where they head to the Batcave. Batman informs Vicki that he found out which combinations of makeup and hygiene products are lethal. He hands the file off to Vicki, who publishes it. Batman's interference makes the Joker angry; he threatens to kill the Caped Crusader. On a visit to Vicki Vale's apartment, Bruce Wayne tries to reveal his secret identity, which Vale already had suspicions about. Joker and his goons storm into Vale's apartment, and the Joker and Bruce meet face-to-face once more. After Bruce threatens him, Joker shoots him after asking him, "You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Both of them depart after that, Bruce in secret.
After that, Bruce remembers who the man who killed his parents was; Jack Napier. He had spoken that quote to Bruce decades ago, and he subsequently swore he would have revenge on Napier. Soon after, Mayor Borg announced the postponement of the 200th anniversary festival. Soon, Joker would announce his festival, where he would give out $20 million and fight Batman. Joker's parade goes without a hitch until it's revealed his balloons are filled with his Smilex toxin. Batman soon flies through the city with his Batwing jet and cuts the balloons free from their restraints. An enraged Joker shoots and kills Bob before shooting down the Batwing. The Joker takes Vicki Vale with him to the top of the Gotham Cathedral, with Batman following behind. After fighting off some of Joker's goons, Batman confronts the Joker, revealing he killed his parents. Joker remembers the Wayne murders before he pulls Vicki and Bruce off onto a ledge, hanging on for dear life. Joker calls his helicopter, attempting to fly off. After Batman restrains one of his legs though, Joker pulls off a gargoyle from the top of the Cathedral. It weighs him down, sending him to his death.
Batman makes his presence formally known to Gordon, Knox, and Borg with a letter detailing that if crime is running rampant, he is to be called. Gordon then reveals the Batsignal. Vicki is preparing to leave Gotham when she sees Batman's butler Alfred waiting for her with champagne. High above the city streets, Batman is watching over waiting for evil to strike again.
Why It Rocks
- The movie follows the tone of what was happening in the comics very closely. Gone is the Camp of the '60s, the tone is much more grounded and serious, much like Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's The Killing Joke.
- The story is somewhat faithful to the comics, albeit putting a twist on them, with Joker's origin taking from the classic Red Hood story, but removing the Red Hood aspect.
- Director Tim Burton's approach to reviving Batman helped establish a more gothic and darker aesthetic for the Caped Crusader.
- Michael Keaton turns in a phenomenal performance as Batman, helping establish a more calm, collected, and frightening take on the Dark Knight.
- Jack Nicholson makes the role of the Joker his own, helping make the character much more believable as a mob enforcer turned insane mass murderer.
- Danny Elfman's score has been praised over the last few decades with good reason. Elfman's bombastic score elevates the mood and is just pleasing to listen to, even on its own.
- Likewise, the two Prince songs featured in the movie, Trust and Partyman, fit incredibly well with the scenes they're in, especially with the latter in the Flugelheim Museum being one of the movie's highlights.
- The Batsuit designed for Michael Keaton is bulky, muscular, and intimidating. The immobile neck works well most of the time, as it looks like less of a limitation and more of a stylistic choice to help sell Batman's power.
- The Batmobile & Batwing are very impressively designed and are brought to life by the amazing sound design of their engines.
- The film's aesthetic, while gothic and dark, also harkens back to 1930's crime thrillers, especially with the choices of weapons being mostly both Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers and Thompson SMGs.
- The heavy leather design of the police force and the Art Deco design of Gotham City are very similar to the design cues of 1930s Germany.
- Most importantly, this movie kicked off the very successful Batman Motion Picture Anthology, which would later be followed up by Batman Returns, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin.
Bad Qualities
- Thanks to studio interference, there are some issues with the movie.
- Nike wanted to use their product in the movie, so WB as a compromise, turned Batman's boots into black Nike's Air Trainers.
- Producer Jon Peters wanted Prince to do the soundtrack, and as such two of his songs were included in the movie. A third, Scandalous, was planned but cut from the final film.
- The film was revised quite a bit after the first draft, with a lot of notable changes:
- The third act was re-written during production to feature similarities to the Phantom of the Opera after Jack Nicholson and Jon Peters saw a production of it.
- Alexander Knox was initially a less comedic character, showing genuine care for Vicki Vale and dying from bullet wounds in the third act.
- Dick Grayson's Robin was intended to show up in the third act of the movie, played by Ricky Addison Reed. He was cut before production.
- The movie was initially more focused on Batman before shifting more towards Joker and Vicki Vale.
- Speaking of Batman, the movie initially dwelled more on why Bruce became Batman instead of remaining vague about it. Bruce's motivations remain unclear until the final act, where it's revealed his goal is to kill the Joker.