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Batman (1989)

Months before the release of Tim Burton’s "Batman," the audiences were hanging upside down in anticipation, curious to know what the film’s appearance would be like. Would Tim Burton follow the look and comedy tone of the 1960 series or would he take a darker approach?

These questions were answered with a teaser trailer that not only gave some confidence to the fans, but also showed that the new movie would be completely different form the old series.

Plagued by a massive screenwriters strike that menaced the production being delivered on time, Tim Burton’s "Batman" was probably the most successful film to adapt the comic book’s atmosphere in film, giving it a very gloomy and realistic coating.

The heavy Gothic and dark settings used are still the best recreations in a Batman film so far. Gangsters, corrupt cops, dark allies and a magnificent retro noirish ambiance give to this version a distinctive look not followed by any other, except perhaps its sequel, "Batman Returns."

The plot begins with rumors of a supernatural-like creature haunting the criminals of Gotham City’s underworld. A violent city, Gotham also welcomes its new District Attorney Harvey Dent (Billy Dee Williams), entrusted with prosecuting organized crime bosses and specially Carl Grisson (Jack Palace) and his psychotic hitman Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson), a man with a peculiar taste for purple suits and always playing with a deck of cards.

Sent by his boss to a chemical plant, a front business for the crime syndicate, to perform the destruction of compromising documents, Napier falls into a trap, a vengeance of Grisson, and ends up diving into a vat of chemicals after a short fight with Batman. Reemerged as the Joker, Napier begins to rule the crime underworld, soon opposing Bruce Wayne/Batman (Michael Keaton).

Jack Nicholson is simply perfect as the Joker. The scene of the antagonist’s “birth” is memorable, as several other moments with Nicholson. “I make art until someone dies,” says him after trashing an entire museum. “So much to do and so little time,” declares a (very) madly in love Joker while dancing around with Vicki Vale’s (Kim Basinger) picture in hands. Interesting to know that the Joker is also a romantic type, falling in love with the same woman that Bruce Wayne does. “Another rooster in the henhouse? Take thy beak from out my heart,” sadly proclaims the crime clown when he sees Bruce Wayne at his beloved one’s house.

However one aspect of this film specially bothered some fans, the version created of the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents, but even so, it’s an adaptation and that aspect did not ruin the whole movie. You may not like it, but while watching such a brilliantly created antagonist in action, you won’t even think about it or about the actor playing Batman/Bruce Wayne.

At the time of the movie’s release, the casting of Michael Keaton as Batman unleashed outraged protests by the fans’ communities. To be honest, at some moments he really looks pretty strange under the dark knight's clout, giving the impression of a plastic action figure.

In the world of a giant bat, the Joker stands out as an amazing combination of extravagancey, madness, charm and fun. Jack Nicholson created a characterization for the Joker so perfect that it will leave an immense responsibility for the next actor interpreting the villain to fulfill; it’ll be, plagiarizing the Joker’s word, “an enema.”

Written by: Edward Olivier

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