BATMAN 1989 - Personal Reviews

[Paul (ral)]

What are your feelings towards Batman 89 now?  Are they the same as they were in 1989? Has it stood the test of time?

[shadowbat69]

For me, yes it has. It is my all time favorite movie, without a doubt. I can watch it endlessly without getting tired of it.  It transports me back to that summer when I first saw it in theatres.


There are so many things that just struck that special cord with me. I always was attracted to the darker image of Batman, which came from me growing up with the darker detective stories of the 70's comics. So the overall atmosphere of the film was just perfect to me. Also, being into art and archecture, at the time, I was mesmerized by what designs Anton Furst came up with. I cant tell you how many times I drew sketches of the Gotham Cathedral and Axis Chemicals. The music. C'mon, tell me you dont get a chill everytime the opening credits start for the film. Danny Elfman came up with the perfect mix of music for that film. Even the acting gave so much depth for each character. They gave you much more than just the words that were written in the script.

In the special edition, Peter Guber makes the comment that Batman was of its time. To me, its timeless.

[Doc Sock]

Well said Shadow, I completely agree. For me, Batman '89 just gets better with each viewing. It's not my favorite movie of all time, but it's certainly my favorite comic book/superhero film. It has definitely stood the test of time, it holds up very well. Keaton was a great Batman, Nicholson was perfect as The Joker, and Burton's visual style and direction made it that much better.

[89Batman]

I still watch this movie two or three times a year! It has definitely stood the test of time - us writing about it confirms that!!! Keaton was the best screen Batman in my mind and Burtons' visionary direction means the movie will still be being enjoyed for years to come!
As for the costume and set design- no movie, in my opinion, has ever been quite so innovative. And the weapons and gadgets WOW!!!! Oh man I think I need to go watch the movie again!!

[Gotham Knight]

my review ;

1989 was called the Year of the Bat, and not without good reason. That year, and every year since then, whenever superhero films are made, BATMAN always comes up, whether in positive or negative light. Comparisons are always made. That alone proves its poweful aura, and how it will forever be the film that made the Superhero franchise a permanent establishment, love it or hate it.

In 1978, Richard Donner's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE took audiences by storm. Backed by screen legends Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve made us believe a man could fly, and could do so without being a completely laughable experience. While it did have its moments, and in recent years it's easy to place a date on, the film proved the concept of masked and/or costumed men could be done, and done well. Of course, it also proved how quickly things could turn ugly, on and off screen. The producers, not wanting to deal with the monetary demands of Brando, cut him out of the sequel, to which all of his footage had been shot during the first film's production, and fired Donner, replacing much of the second film he had already shot. SUPERMAN II, while staying afloat as a good film, didn't carry the gravity of its predecessor. A blockbuster hit, it managed to spawn two more sequels.

SUPERMAN III and IV were disastrous to say the least, and in the late 80's a comic book film would be risky, it would be a big chance.

Remember, SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE proved it could be done.

BATMAN took the next pivotal step. It set a tone, and standard that would influence all major success (00-present) in the genre and the failures too, (Capt. America-91 The Shadow-94, and many others that failed to find an audence.)

The review: From the word go, this movie is different. It quickly breaks the formula of following the hero around and watching his every step. Instead, the viewer must see him through the eyes of those both in terror and in awe of his sinister presence in the alleys.

It has always been standard that the hero be tracked throughout the entire film in thematic action adventures, cutting back and forth to a villain, whose scheming and over the top manner garners him the bulk of the audiences desired attention. Because one becomes so desensitized to the hero, the point of thrills and chills becomes the villain who dances in and out of the picture, commanding the scenes when he is with the hero, always making a bigger and better entrance, and getting the bigger, better dialogue. BATMAN completely flips that role in many senses. In the film, you follow Jack Napier in his plight into madness, all the while cutting back to the melancholy mansion of Bruce Wayne as Vicki Vale attempts to break into the locked and withdrawn places of his mind. The viewer cannot help but be more intrigued by this obviously traumatized and imperfect man. As if in Vicki's shoes the viewer asks of him:

Who are you?

Why won't you let me in?

And most importantly:

Why are you the way you are?

Oh and did I mention, there's a six foot bat in Gotham City! Where the flip of the rols  comes to true "actiony" fruition. You never even know when or where the Batman will make a grand entrance ('Wonderful Toys' museum conclusion), completely controlling the scene once he enters, even if only for a few brief moments.. HE is the point of FEAR, enveloping the viewer in the experience.

The flipping of roles does well with the personalities of the two title characters, Bruce Wayne/Batman and The Joker. The Joker wants to be seen, and tries to take up as much screen time as possible, meanwhile The Batman represses himself, not wishing to be seen, rising up only to cast a shadow onto the heart of evil.

The film triumphs again in capturing the depression era from which the Batman was spawned, and meshes it with modern day, making it impossible to discern when or where it truly takes place, our past, or the not too distant future of an alternate reality. The 40's gangster clothes and clunky, yet human form of the Batman costume achieve a timeless journey into Gotham City.

The key to this film is that it isn't designed like a garden-variety film. Much like the distant films of the past, it commands more of you. You have to pay attention to finer details as the story progresses, unlike Batman Begins, this film won't hand you a characters personality on a silver platter, you have to watch each step a character makes, and much is left open for your mind to interpret. In the end, it's up to you who the Batman is. Is he a dangerous psychotic? Is he a hero? Is he a brutal vigilante? It is up to you.

[COMICFILMEXPERT]

Post any and all Reviews for Tim Burton's 1989 original "BATMAN."



I'll have mine later.

CFE