Batman (1989)

Gotham City is home to criminals and a corrupt police department. There is effort from Harvey Dent and Commissioner Jim Gordon, but there is only one person who can stop the criminals: the Batman. The police are out looking for the masked figure. Prize winning photographer Vicky Vale is hired to uncover the identity of Batman. Jack Napier is an enforcer to Gotham's underword boss Grishom. After a freak accident at the acid factory, Napier takes on a new persona: the Joker. The Joker soon takes over the underworld and performs villainous crimes, and it is up to Batman to stop him. Tim Burton created a dark and gritty atmosphere with Batman; it wasn't like the Adam West 1960's Batman, which was silly. There is a dark and stylized Gotham in this film, and it is great to look at. 

The performances in this film are great. Michael Keaton is Bruce Wayne, the playboy billionaire who lost his parents when he was young, and he was taken in by Alfred, his butler. He does a great job both as Wayne and as Batman, the crime fighting vigilante. The show-stealer, however, is Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Nicholson puts on a dark comical spin on the villain, and is excellent in the role.

The score by Danny Elfman is fantastic in the film, and has a very memorable theme that goes well with the feel of the film. However, the score seems to be ruined by countless Prince songs going over the score. The Prince soundtrack didn't work for me with the feel of the film.

The action scenes are great and very well stylized for the 80's decade. It is one of the original superhero films, and one of the darker ones. It is a great popcorn film, nothing really that special of a film though.

Overall, Nicholson and Keaton delivered two great performances in a well made film by Tim Burton, and a great score by Danny Elfman. Batman is definitely worth checking out if you are a comic book fan or an action fan in general.

4/5