Batman

BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: "A Triumph. You Can't Take Your Eyes Off It!" - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone.

FILM REVIEW: My introduction to the character of Batman was the 1960's television show which was in repeats during the 80's when I was growing up. I had no idea he was originally intended to be a dark character inhabiting a dark world so when the first previews of the first big screen "Batman" film blasted its way in to cinemas prior to release, I was intrigued but also a little off put. This wasn't the same character I had been used to seeing. Suffice to say, this film really did re-establish the Batman character and returned him to his dark origins in a very successful manner, and interestingly, without his side-kick Robin.
We don't get an origin story with this film; rather it starts off as if Batman has been on the job for about a month or two and word on the street amongst crooks is that he is a ghost story... until he shows up and exacts justice (as in the pivotal first scene). We then follow Batman as he becomes entangled in the schemes of The Joker, delivered in a powerhouse performance by Jack Nicholson. This is a solidly entertaining film and although "Batman Begins" which was to come a little over 15 years later would beat this film in every department, it was still the first Batman film to finally make audiences take the character seriously again.
Director Tim Burton goes to great lengths to separate his Batman from the 60's television series. The world he portrays is dark and brooding, with Batman popping up here and there, moving between the shadows. He's a character people are afraid of, even the people he's protecting. Bruce Wayne himself (the man behind Batman and played by Michael Keaton, a rather unconventional choice) is an odd character, hiding so much of his feelings and thoughts from everyone except his trusted butler Alfred. Only Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger) tries to probe beneath the surface and discovers a fascinating secret to Wayne and the world he inhabits. Burton also manages to pack the film with some tense action sequences, including the batmobile chase, a sequence with the batwing and culminating in a spectacular cathedral rooftop scene where Batman finally dispatches the Joker.
Make no mistake about it, although this film is called "Batman", it's really stolen by one of the most memorable performances put to film by Jack Nicholson as the main villain, The Joker. He steals every scene he's in, and given that Batman is a more "in the shadows" kind of character, it was inevitable that the Joker would steal the limelight (an unfortunate consequence is that Bruce Wayne is not nearly as developed as the Joker). Nicholson is perfect in this film and you'll be pressed to look away from the screen whenever he shows up because he does such a good job of combining the insanity, violence and comedy inherent in the Joker.
The only downside, and very strange choice (perhaps they didn't know if there would be sequels), they killed the Joker off at the end of this film which wasn't really all that necessary. Also not working so well is that the Joker (or Jack Napier as he was before being transformed in to the Joker) killed Bruce Wayne's parents. I since learnt after the film that this was a major break from the origin story in the comics and as such had fans around the world protesting at least at that scene. For me personally, it just seemed all too convenient that this was the way the story panned out and smacked of a screen-writer trying to tie up loose ends.
This is a great film and the best of the Batman films in the series that followed in the 90's.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: Finally "Batman" receives the transfer it deserves on DVD after the woeful single disc release that preceeded this one. There are still some problems but overall the transfer is very good, as is the remastered audio soundtrack. The film has never looked better. You can forget that previous release ever existed, or if you own that release, you can toss it out now and replace it with this much better release.

EXTRAS REVIEW: The original release of this disc had no extras so it is a welcome surprise that this release has a very comprehensive set of extras. The backbone of the extras surround two big documentaries: "Shadows of the Bat", a mammoth, detailed documentary which chronicles the film's development, production and release (including some entertaining interviews Jack Nicholson), and "Legends of the Dark Knight", a retrospective documentary on the history of Batman in the comic books, spanning seven decades of history. These documentaries are reason enough to purchase this disc but there's also an audio commentary by director Tim Burton, several featurettes covering specific aspects of the making of the film, the music videos done by Prince, profile galleries of the heroes and villains and a storyboard sequence for an abandoned scene that was to feature Robin. Overall, this is a spectacular set of extras.

BOTTOM LINE: Worth having in the collection.

FILM RATING: 8/10 -- EXTRAS RATING: 9/10 -- OVERALL DVD RATING: 8.5/10 

Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

Let me make this perfectly clear…THIS IS WHAT A BATMAN FILM SHOULD BE!!!! Tim Burton captures the darkness of the character as well as throws in a little bit of the campiness from the old TV series and the 60s era Batman. Having said that, I’m a little biased because this is my favorite of all the Batman films.
When this film came out, along with everyone else, I was in shock when they announced Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Keaton is best known asa comedic actor, not an action star. However, after all was said and done, he stands tall as one of, if not THE best Batman to grace the screen. Personally, I think that has to do with his offbeat personality which fit Bruce Wayne’s dual life perfectly.
Kim Bassinger was one of the hottest women around when this film was released. I don’t know what she’s currently up to, but I have to commend her for making an obscure character from the Batman universe relevant. If I’m not mistaken, after this movie was released, Vickie Vale returned to the comic with a whole new look that resembled Kim, but I’m not 100% sure, but just the thought of that happening should let you know the effect she had on this character.
What can I say about Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker that hasn’t already been said. No disrespect to Heath Ledger or Cesar Romero for their takes on the character in The Dark Knight and Batman (1966) ,  respectively, but Nicholson’s take on the character is closer to what I expect the Joker to be like. Literally a psychotic clown, not a mysterious, moody guy with a white face, or an over the top prankster. Still, all 3 versions of the character work for their universe, but if you were to stack them up side by side, Nicholson gts my vote for bringing life to the dark and lighter sides of the Joker. I guess you can say his Joker is the middle ground between his predecessors.
The action in this film is awesome, highlighted by the chase from the Guggenheim and the crashing of the Batwing. Of course, this is a superhero movie after all, so action is not optional.
If there is one thing I didn’t care for in this film, it is the slight deviations from the source material and the fact that we don’t really know what happens to the Joker. I mean we see him fall to his “death”, but we also see them take something out of his pocket that seems like it could be a tape recorder of some sort. Just a thought I have everytime I watch this film.
So, I’m sure many of you out there think that The Dark Knight was God’s gift to cinema. Well, I’m here to tell you, that’s not the case. This is the better, more entertaining Batman. He doesn’t go flying off to foreign countries, possibly causing international incidents, nor does he drive around in a tank for a Batmobile, and he also doesn’t sound like he’s burping when he talks.
Speaking of the Batmobile, the version used in this film is my favorite.
Action, adventure, beautiful women, intrigue, deception, and Tim Burton directing…do you really need any more reasons to watch this film? If you haven’t been brainwashed into thinking Nolan is Jesus Christ, then give this one a look.

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