Batman is so close to being under the 100 mark it can smell it but just and only just it remains in the three figure reviews. I feel the need to explain that I have for many years been a Spiderman fan from the comics to the cartoons and then the movies (which I know was after this movie). I did like Batman comics and Judge Dredd comics also as they were dark and moody and they didn’t take no shit. Then we hear Batman is being made and it is going to be darker than the sixties Ker-pow, wham and splatting across the screen. So we waited with bated breath for this 1989 version of the caped crusader. And before you say it, yes this is another eighties movie. The budget for this was set at $30m dollars but this rose to $48m when writer’s strikes and many other aspects affected the production. It may not of mattered too much as it had a return of $411.6m at the box-office which is huge for the time. Directed by Tim Burton which means it has to be Danny Elfman with the musical score and I am sure Prince chipped in with a song for the soundtrack as well. It had a list of stars which included Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough and Jack Palance. Onto the plot? I don’t see why not…
Set in the fictional city of Gotham, Harvey Dent (District Attorney) and Police Commissioner Gordon are asked by the Mayor to clean up the town for its Bicentennial. A reporter Alex Knox and photographer Vicki Vale are investigating rumours of a Bat like man who appears to taking a vigilante role in Gotham handing over criminals to the Police who always arrive too late to actually stop any crimes themselves. Enter into this a mob boss called Carl Grissom and his second in command Jack Napier who the boss sends to raid Axis Chemicals which is just a set up to get Jack off his books because he slept with his woman. Death or prison either result would be good for Carl. It all appears to be perfect as Jack falls into a large vat of Chemicals due to Batman arriving on the scene. The chemicals turn Jack’s face while and fixes a permanent smile on his face. Inflating his evil characteristics Jack is fully replaced by the new even move evil Joker personality who is not very happy. He instantly goes after Carl for revenge and then Batman for causing the accident in the first place. The Joker is intent on taking over Gotham and if that means killing all the residents then so be it. Who is going to stop this madman and save the city, well if you can’t work that one out then what chance do I have.
This is my final 81% movie and means that scoreboard won’t be affected as I like this more than either of the other lot with a 7.5 from 10, from IMDb and even less from Rotten Tomatoes with a 71%. The reason I liked this movie is it took Batman back. It reclaimed the shadows which is where he would prowl. It was darker and more sinister with a villain who was bright green and purple which made this a bit of a change. The Joker was played with a slight nod to the sixties version with a large than life version. If you compare it with the sixties version this is chalk and cheese, added to that this is no where near as dark as the other Batman movies to follow and I am not talking about those in this franchise as the second was the only one to hold water with the third and fourth movies just returning back to a cartoon version of uninteresting but colourful theme’s. This movie was grittier than its past and it also manages to bring the person together against evil but fighting on his terms without bowing down to anyone. Final two points are that this is not the best Batman movie out there as I personally think the newer movies are excellent and better than this version and definitely more enjoyable as well. The second and most important point would the other Batman movies of been made without the success of this movie is something I would doubt very much as this black, dark vigilante of hero does it without the desire of recognition of fame but just for the satisfaction of helping someone who needed it. Anyway time to move onto the final three figure number in the list as after that one we are double digits for the next 90 movies!
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