Batman (1989)
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Bassinger
Gotham City is in turmoil. Criminals have corrupted this once great city and turned the its officials into a joke. The crime bosses of Gotham even have quite a few police officers on their payroll. Needless to say, Gotham is in desperate need of help. Recently, a masked vigilante dressed as a giant bat has been roaming the streets of Gotham clandestinely cleaning up the city. Batman (Michael Keaton) strikes fear in the hearts of the city’s criminals. As the mystery of the dark knight grows, Vicky Vale (Kim Bassinger), a photo journalist, works to uncover Batman’s secrets. Meanwhile, Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) takes over the criminal underworld of Gotham after a gunfight in a chemical factory leaves him without good looks (or mental stability for that matter). Napier ultimately becomes the Joker and Gotham’s greatest threat.
Director Tim Burton has a unique and imaginative filmmaking style that can be seen in any of his works. Just check out Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, or Alice in Wonderland to get a taste of it. His take on Batman is no different. He creates a dark world full of colorful characters haunted by a myriad of problems. Combine Tim Burton’s style with 80s pop culture and Jack Nicholson’s Joker and you have a very interesting beast altogether. There are very few movies where you’ll find Jack Nicholson dancing to music from Prince. Nonetheless, it’s the first great attempt at putting the caped crusader on the big screen.
