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Batman (1989) 7.6
Ratings:
7.6/10 from 183,471 users
Metascore: 66/100
Reviews: 730 user | 141 critic | 17 from Metacritic.com The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. Director:Tim Burton |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Michael Keaton | ... | ||
| Jack Nicholson | ... | ||
| Kim Basinger | ... | ||
| Robert Wuhl | ... | ||
| Pat Hingle | ... | ||
| Billy Dee Williams | ... | ||
| Michael Gough | ... | ||
| Jack Palance | ... | ||
| Jerry Hall | ... | ||
| Tracey Walter | ... | ||
 |
Lee Wallace | ... | |
| William Hootkins | ... | ||
| Richard Strange | ... | ||
|
|
Carl Chase | ... | |
|
|
Mac McDonald | ... |
Goon
(as Mac Macdonald)
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Gotham City: dark, dangerous, 'protected' only by a mostly corrupt police department. Despite the best efforts of D.A. Harvey Dent and police commissioner Jim Gordon, the city becomes increasingly unsafe...until a Dark Knight arises. We all know criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot...so his disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. He becomes a bat. Enter Vicky Vale, a prize-winning photo journalist who wants to uncover the secret of the mysterious "bat-man". And enter Jack Napier, one-time enforcer for Boss Grissom, horribly disfigured after a firefight in a chemical factory...who, devoid of the last vestiges of sanity, seizes control of Gotham's underworld as the psychotic, unpredictable Clown Prince of Crime...the Joker. Gotham's only hope, it seems, lies in this dark, brooding vigilante. And just how does billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne fit into all of this? Written by Gregory A. Sheets <m-sheets2@onu.edu>
Parents Guide:
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Details
Release Date:
23 June 1989 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Betmen See more »Box Office
Budget:
$35,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$251,188,924 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Passenger: Excuse me.
Tourist Dad: I'm sorry, this is my cab.
Passenger: Sorry.
Tourist Dad: Listen, I was here first!
[as the cab drives away]
Tourist Dad: Oh, God! Oh, taxi? Taxi!
See more »
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Even though she was a character created for the film, Alicia Hunt was based on the character of Circe (the original Black Mask's ex-girlfriend and henchgirl). He also targeted Circe and forcibly disfigured her with the chemicals in order to force her to reunite with him. Circe would ultimately kill herself, leading Black Mask to replace her with a mannequin that he talked to as if it were a real person. In this film, all those elements were incorporated in the relationship between Jack Napier/The Joker and Alicia Hunt. See more »Goofs
When the Bat-Signal is shone into the sky, the "sky" moves, revealing the sky to be a backdrop. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Passenger: Excuse me.
Tourist Dad: I'm sorry, this is my cab.
Passenger: Sorry.
Tourist Dad: Listen, I was here first!
[as the cab drives away]
Tourist Dad: Oh, God! Oh, taxi? Taxi!
See more »
Crazy Credits
The opening credits run with a 3-D Batman symbol being explored by a flying camera in extreme close-up. See more »Soundtracks
"Serenade no. 13 in G, K. 525 ('Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'), second movement"Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
See more »
In a Gotham City overrun by crime a new menace exists. In the shadows and rooftops a giant bat is terrorising the criminals who live in the night. Elsewhere crime boss Grissom's right hand man Jack Napier is trapped in a chemical factory by police. With Batman's intervention Napier is accidentally dropped into a vat of chemical. Considered dead he later turns up, scarred and twisted with a new sense of humour. Calling himself the Joker he takes over the city's gangs and begins to terrorise the city. Millionaire Bruce Wayne begins relationship with reporter Vicky Vale and finds himself personally drawn into conflict with the Joker as both himself and his alter-ego.
This was very much a huge blockbuster and had a great deal riding on it in terms of merchandising and a possible franchise. As such Burton always seemed like a risk - although his dark toned work and complex characters probably made him a great choice. The film starts promisingly, many questions are asked - is Wayne totally balanced? What drives him to become the bat? etc - and the tone of the movie is darker than a friendly blockbuster. This is continued by the investigation by reporters Vale and Knox, but starts to wane (pardon the pun) with the development of Vale as a love interest and the hamming of The Joker. At some point the film loses the character complexities and decides to become a straight up good v's evil with plenty of effects and gadgets. That said it's still very dark and the set pieces are well handled. In fact it's the best of the Batman franchise so far.
The problem is that it lacks a bite for Batman fans. I've always felt that Batman was always a few steps away from the criminals he's chasing, surely he can't be totally balanced and right in the head? Here these questions are half touched but never developed.
Keaton is an unlikely Batman, but is the best so far. He deals well with Wayne's past when it is brought up, but is an unlikely action hero. Nicholson is pure ham, but is good for it. He hogs all the best lines and is clearly enjoying himself - the only downside being that he regularly eclipses Keaton's Batman. Basinger's Vale is built up far too much and should have been cut out of the story rather than become a key part of it. The rest of the cast are good and I always like to see Tracey Walters in a big screen film!
Overall this is a good stab at the Batman legend. It's dark tone gives it the feel of the comics without the characterisation, but at the end of the day it comes down to good guy v's bad guy.