Batman (1989)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 64
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 19
An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson's Joker too often overshadows the title character.
Average Rating: 5.4/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 5
An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson's Joker too often overshadows the title character.
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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 901,114
Movie Info
Jack Nicholson is the Joker, who emerged from a horrible accident as a maniacal criminal. Michael Keaton is the Caped Crusader, who emerged from a childhood trauma to become a masked crimefighter. Kim Basinger is Vicki Vale, the talented photojournalist desired by both men. And Batman is the movie, the all-out spectacular directed by Tim Burton, set to songs by Prince and a music score by Danny Elfman, and an Academy AwardO winner* for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anton Furst and Peter
Jun 23, 1989 Wide
Mar 25, 1997
Warner Bros. Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Michael Keaton
Batman/Bruce Wayne -
Jack Nicholson
Joker/Jack Napier -
Kim Basinger
Vicki Vale -
Robert Wuhl
Alexander Knox -
Pat Hingle
Commissioner Gordon -
Billy Dee Williams
District Attorney Ha... -
Michael Gough
Alfred Pennyworth -
Jack Palance
Carl Grissom -
Jerry Hall
Alicia -
Lee Wallace
Mayor -
Tracey Walter
Bob the Goon -
Michael Balfour
Scientist -
David Baxt
Dr. Wayne -
Paul Birchard
Another Reporter -
Lachelle Carl
TV Technician -
Carl Chase
Goon -
Edwin Craig
Ratelli -
John Dair
Ricorso -
Keith Edwards
Reporter -
-
Garick Hagon
Dad -
Kate Harper
Anchorwoman -
William Hootkins
Eckhards -
Amir M. Korangy
Wine Steward -
Dennis Lili
Bob the Cartoonist -
Mac McDonald
Goon -
Bruce McGuire
Anchorman -
Steve Plytas
Doctor -
Liz Ross
Mom -
George Roth
Eddie -
Richard Strange
Goon -
Philip Tan
Goon -
Rocky Taylor
Napier Hood -
Vincent Wong
Crimelord 1 -
-
Sam Douglas
Lawyer -
Joel Cutrara
Crimelord 2 -
Leon Herbert
Reporter -
Kit Hollerbach
Becky -
Jazzer Jeyes
Napier Hood -
John Sterland
Accountant -
-
Del Baker
Napier Hood -
Wayne Michaels
Napier Hood -
Elliott Stein
Man in Crowd -
Richard Durden
TV Director -
Philip O'Brien
Maitre d'
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Batman Trailer & Photos
All Critics (65) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (19) | DVD (20)
It's an unforgivably flat ending for a movie of such astonishing contours. But its first two-thirds -- which should be called The Joker's Big Misadventure -- is probably the best film of the year.
Top CriticThe storytelling has weaknesses, but the characters are fascinating.
The idea of doing a dark, neurotic, highly stylized and highly claustrophobic superproduction is an audacious and appealing one, but director Tim Burton has only made it halfway there.
Is it interesting? Fitfully. Is it fun? Not much, Gotham City fans, not much.
Director Tim Burton effectively echoes the visual style of the original Bob Kane comics while conjuring up a nightmarish world of his own.
The conceptual side of the movie--two rather sick two-sided antagonists having it out in a black and sordid context -- lingers.
Highly recommended even for fans who think Batman begins and ends with Nolan's trilogy.
[Nicholson] has never been more commanding. Not only because he does an outstanding job, but also because so much of the movie's creative energy is devoted to making the Joker one of the most startling movie characters in recent memory.
As Robin might have said of this semi-boondoggle: "Holy overkill!"
Michael Keaton makes a credible hero, and Jack Nicholson is downright manic as his nemesis.
Even though its standing has diminished in the wake of the countless superhero flicks that emerged in the new millennium, the pros still outweigh the cons.
Only minor Burton, with hindsight on our side, and its chief merits and flaws are as one of the formative texts of superhero cinema.
While Keaton and Nicholson are dazzling in their roles, Burton never quite finds much to explore with Bruce Wayne, and that's wasted potential.
Stylish, violent, and often dull Batman adventure.
A dark and refreshing interpretation of one of comic kingdom's most beloved characters, Batman successfully wiped away the memory of the camp 1960s television show and proved that comic book movies can be highly entertaining viewing.
The element of surprise appears in every frame of this motion picture, creating a rich sense of joy and mystery that seems to befuddle Burton and his primitive instincts.
...Batman hasn't gone totally stale.
Visually arresting but dramatically undernourished, the film suffers from bland characterization (particularly by Basinger's Vicki and the other "good" crime fighters) and is ultimately saved by Jack Nicholson's bravura turn as the diabolical Joker.
A void of underdeveloped style and halfhearted execution.
Supposedly a superhero movie for grown-ups, this is actually a pretentious farrago.
It was, however, easily the biggest box-office hit of 1989, and one of the highest grossing films in history, a testament more to its massive marketing campaign than to its quality.
Audience Reviews for Batman
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Movies Like Batman
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- Batman/Bruce Wayne: You're a really nice girl, and I like you a lot, but for now, shut up.
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- Joker/Jack Napier: Nice Outfit
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- Alfred Pennyworth: Mr. Wayne told me to tell you that he might be a little late.
- Vicki Vale: I'm not a bit surprised.
-
- Goon: Don't kill me, man! Don't kill me! Don't kill me, man!
- Batman/Bruce Wayne: I'm not going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
- Goon: What are you?
- Batman/Bruce Wayne: I'm Batman.
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- Batman/Bruce Wayne: Look, sometimes I don't even know what to think about this. It's just something I have to do.
- Vicki Vale: Why?
- Batman/Bruce Wayne: Because nobody else can.
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- Batman/Bruce Wayne: You killed my parents.
- Joker/Jack Napier: What? Hahaha. What are you talking about?
- Batman/Bruce Wayne: I made you, you made me first.
- Joker/Jack Napier: Hey, give me a break, bat brains. I mean, I was a kid when I killed your parents. I made you, you made me. I mean, how childish can you get? You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses on, would you? (Batman punches him anyway).
Discussion Forum
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|---|---|---|
| This is so bad | 3 months ago | 5 |
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