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Batman

Tim Burton found himself in an odd position when filming on “Batman” began in late 1988. On one hand, the filmmaker was working on a movie depicting the adventures of one of the most beloved superheroes in comic book history; expectations were high for him to get it right. Conversely, the last major film about the caped crusader, “Batman: The Movie” in 1966, was best remembered for being a hammy cult classic in the same vein as the ‘60s TV series which inspired it; in terms of film precedent, expectations for Burton were quite low.

Luckily, when Burton’s “Batman” premiered in 1989, it was clear the eccentric British director met both sets of expectations, handling the hero with respect and giving the storyline sufficient depth while even retaining some of the camp elements from the ‘60s TV show and film. Even with the advent of Christopher Nolan’s two acclaimed Batman films, “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Burton’s 1989 opus still stands up as a unique vision of the caped crusader.

One of the best things Burton does with the titular character is present him as more of a force than an actual person, capitalizing on the anonymity Bruce Wayne, played by Michael Keaton, favors when he dons his alter ego’s mask. The first time Batman appears on-screen, he is in the background of a scene, outlined by the minimal light in the shadows of an alleyway, about to swoop down on two unsuspecting muggers. Burton repeats this technique several times, each to great effect, demonstrating how Batman uses fear and psychological warfare to combat his enemies as much as he uses his fists.

Keaton’s strong-but-silent Batman/Wayne almost always plays a supporting role to Jack Nicholson’s performance as the Joker, a hideously mutilated former mob lieutenant whose maniacal genius throws Gotham City into chaos. In many respects, this “Batman” is the Joker’s story. The early portion of the movie shows how a botched heist transforms criminal Jack Napier into a scarred psycho. The film then shows the Joker’s rise to power, murdering other mafia bosses to seize power, often in comical fashion, and poisoning Gotham’s cosmetics supplies to terrorize the populace.

The central conflict between Batman and the Joker fills the film with suspense, mirroring the two famous characters’ psychologies as much as their physical confrontations. Batman is the superego to Wayne’s ego, while the Joker is a nearly unstoppable id. Burton’s presentation of the series of clashes between hero and villain successfully raises the tension each time, building the stakes in every battle between Batman and the Joker.

As much as the battle of wits and fists between protagonist and antagonist successfully occupies center-stage of “Batman,” superfluous elements detract from the film’s focus. It’s interesting that Burton’s vision of Batman was considered dark and edgy at the time of its release, because Nolan’s latest version of the Dark Knight saga is much more complex and about a thousand times darker. Burton creates a good balance between camp and drama, but the former elements occasionally overwhelm the proceedings, especially in the setup for the final confrontation between Batman and the Joker.

The performances of the two leads are uniformly strong, with Keaton delivering a great deal of psychological depth to both Wayne and Batman with a minimum of emoting or dialogue. Nicholson’s Joker is the exact opposite. The Joker gets all of the best lines, and can go from startling to buffoonish in the space of a punchline. However, the supporting actors range from solid to subliminal. Horror film actor Michael Gough is excellent as Wayne’s wise, resourceful butler Alfred, but love interest Vicki Vale, played by Kim Basinger, has a minimum of chemistry with Keaton’s Wayne; many of the romantic interludes between the two fall flat. Robert Wuhl’s role as hard-nosed reporter Knox is obnoxious and, as his quests to unearth more about Wayne come to nothing throughout the film, unnecessary, occupying screen time that could have better spent on the cutting-room floor.

Perhaps the worst, weirdest stylistic choice throughout “Batman,” though, is the inclusion of several songs by bizarre singer-songwriter Prince. For a film supposed to thrive on darkness and complexity, a tune by the man behind “Kiss” and “Darling Nikki” couldn’t be a more unwelcome intrusion into a precisely crafted gothic atmosphere.

Flaws aside, though, the film’s focus is exactly where it needs to be: the battle between Batman and the Joker. Whenever either of the leads is on-screen, problems with the acting or style tend to evaporate, which is a testament to Keaton and Nicholson’s performances as well as Burton’s sense of vision as a fine filmmaker.

Written by: Adam Rowan

Reviewers Rating: 7.5
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