|
BatmanRating:
Release Date: 22 August, 1997 Retail Price: $19.98 OUR Price: $17.99 You SAVE: $1.99! Cast: Complete Cast (17 total) |
Batman Reviews
The Batman is AWESOME, Bruce Wayne is as dull as dishwater
Until Sam Raimi made Spider-Man, I think we all regarded Tim Burton's Batman as the best superhero movie (even though I actually don't consider Batman to be a "superhero" because he has no superpowers). Burton directed this movie, and did a great job - this movie looks like it takes place in the 1920s, except that society is a lot more technologically advanced than it really was back then.
Michael Keaton is Batman/Bruce Wayne. Needless to say, Batman is Wayne's alter ego. Keaton is magnificent at playing the character's alter ego. Keaton also does a good job playing the character when he's not in costume. Keaton's Bruce Wayne isn't as gloomy as Christian Bale's was in Batman Begins, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But I would say Bruce Wayne was a little too cheerful for my liking in the Schumacher movies. But overall, Bale's Bruce Wayne is superior to Keaton's because Bale has a much more developed character to play. HOWEVER, Keaton plays a better costumed Batman than Bale.
The problem with this movie is that the Joker (Jack Nicholson) steals the show - the whole movie revolves around him, so this isn't Batman's movie. This movie should have been called "The Joker." So if you ever wondered why Nicholson got a higher billing than Keaton, now you know. The thing is, the writers never bothered to give Bruce Wayne a personality, and they barely scratch the surface of the character's background - we know practically nothing about Wayne. You'd think the guy that's Batman wouldn't be so uninteresting, but we're bored to tears everytime Wayne's onscreen (and out of costume). But when Keaton is onscreen in the Batman costume, Batman seems so menacing and captivating that you enjoy all of his scenes. He plays an even more menacing Batman than Bale - so I say that Keaton does a better Batman than Bale, but that Bale does a better Bruce Wayne than Keaton. But Keaton didn't have anything to work with, so it's not his fault his Bruce Wayne is so weak. But one of the strengths of Keaton's performance is that if you ever met Wayne, he'd seem like the last guy in the World that could be Batman. That's something Kilmer and Clooney failed to accomplish, but thankfully Bale was able to do it.
Michael Gough is a delight as the old butler Alfred. It's hard to believe Gough was a villain in so many horror movies over the years. I assumed Michael Caine's Alfred wouldn't compare to Gough's, but I was wrong - they're both great. Pat Hingle was really good (as Commissioner Gordon) in this movie. Hingle and Gough were in all four movies of the original series, and I enjoyed them both in Batman Returns. But in Batman Forever I didn't like them nearly as much, and in Batman & Robin I found their characters annoying as hell.
Vicki Vale's (Kim Basinger) investigation into Bruce Wayne's background is completely uninteresting. But I already knew what she would find out, so maybe that's why I didn't like those scenes. I also found the Vicki character annoying, screaming in terror every three seconds she was onscreen.
There's lots of little things I love in this movie. The sight of Batman rising off the ground after the two muggers shoot him, (and the terrified expression of the gunmen) with Elfman's dramatic music blaring. The look on Napier's face when he sees the emptied safe. When the guy got fried by the Joker's joy-buzzer (one of the worst deaths I've ever seen in a movie). When the mimes close in on the press conference and unleash a surprise, and the Joker's speech right before a mob boss dies. The first Action News report of the movie. The way "URGENT" is written in messy crayon on the parcel. When Batman jumps through the skylight (accompanied by Elfman's music). The design of the Batmobile - minor changes make the car even cooler in Batman Returns. When the Batmobile speeds toward the Batcave (again, Elfman's music is awesome). The grin on the young Jack Napier. The Batmobile attacking the chemical factory. The Joker's facial expressions when he speaks in the microphone right after throwing lots of money to the crowd. When the bat signal is lit - but it's not as awesome as the first time it's lit in Batman Returns, or when it's lit at the end of Mask of the Phantasm.
And now a few complaints. This movie featured too many songs by Prince. After a while, they get unbearably annoying. There were lots of other great `80s pop songs that could have (and should have) been used in this movie. Another thing is the Joker seems completely helpless without his goons to back him up. So I found the final showdown at the bell tower a little boring. By the way, you can tell that Nicholson's make-up job would look a lot more realistic in this day and age of filmmaking. Burton's Batwing is cooler than Schumacher's Batwing (but not as cool as the one in Mask of the Phantasm). Anyway, the targeting system of Burton's Batwing seems a little screwed up - Batman has a big red target locked on the Joker, but the plane's missiles and machine guns miss their target. And the Joker didn't even try to get out of the way! Looks like Batman paid the price of designing his own weapon systems.
I always overlooked this movie's flaws (until I saw Batman Begins) for two reasons. First of all, I found Keaton's Batman to be so cool and the Joker to be so entertaining that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this movie. Second of all, the poor quality of the sequels make this movie seem a lot better than it really is. Pretty much everytime the Joker or the Batman aren't onscreen, the movie is boring. But I must say that Batman was even cooler in Batman Returns than he was in this movie - and nastier.
The best Batman movie ever
Tim Burtons Batman is the best Batman movie ever and one of the best super hero films of all time. Jack Nichlsons performance as the Joker is one of the best I have ever seen. If you have'nt seen this film you need to rent it and than youll probably want to buy it. This film is deserves to be a classic. I suggest this film to any one who loves movies filled with great acting, action, and cool gadgets. If you plan to buy this movie I highly recommend the 2-disc collectors edition. If you like this Batman I also recommend Batman Returns. Batman is not a film for younger children trust me.
More Customer Reviews (68 total)
You like Batman?
|
© 2004, 2005, 2006 DVD Booty | Don't Plunder Our Cache of Booty, Matey!
Hosting made possible by donations from Emergency Debt Relief, student loan consolidation, and Pushing For Payday
