Batman

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Batman

PG-13

1989

2h 6m

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

143 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime in Gotham City disguised as Batman, a costumed hero who strikes fear into the hearts of villains. But when a deformed madman who calls himself The Joker (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld, Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis ever while protecting both his identity and his love interest, reporter Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger).

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Critics Consensus

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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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Jul 25, 2023

3.5/4

The result is a film that may please adults more than youngsters, and isn't that refreshing?

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jul 25, 2023

2/4

The Gotham City created in Batman is one of the most distinctive and atmospheric places I’ve seen in the movies. It’s a shame something more memorable doesn’t happen there.

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Mike McGrady

Newsday

Jul 25, 2023

3.5/4

One of the most interesting comic-book movies ever made, a movie that vividly illustrates where most of the others have gone wrong.

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Jack E. Wilkinson

United Press International

Jun 12, 2026

The movie rolls as a high-tech action adventure, occasionally betraying its comic book origins, a million-dollar escapade with a 10-cent plot. Diverting -- and fun.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 7, 2026

3.5/4

Nicholson is so superb here that he lifts the whole enterprise into the stratosphere of summer movies. As they say, he alone is worth the price of admission.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 22, 2025

3/4

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.

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Jorge R

Oct 3, 2026

A classic! This film is silver screen legend. It set the standard for ALL the superhero movies of today and the past 40 years.

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Melvin P

Sep 24, 2026

I'd forgotten how funny the three leads are. Jack Nicholson gets all the press, but Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger both more than hold their own. Tremendous performances from all three stars, and all three of those characters are mad as a box of frogs.

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sam

Sep 20, 2026

A true classic Tim Burton a great director. The soundtrack is amazing

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Jay

Sep 20, 2026

Nothing compares to seeing this flim on the big screen

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DONOVAN H

Sep 20, 2026

My favorite Batman movie since Opening Night 37 years ago.

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Dan R.

Sep 20, 2026

I love the detail to the character, the vision of Tim Burton version of Gotham and the characters, and the performance of both Michael Keaton's Batman/Bruce Wayne and Jack Nicholson's Joker

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Tim Burton

Director

Jack Nicholson

Jack Napier

Michael Keaton

Bruce Wayne

Kim Basinger

Vicki Vale

Robert Wuhl

Alexander Knox

Pat Hingle

Commissioner Gordon

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Synopsis

Having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime in Gotham City disguised as Batman, a costumed hero who strikes fear into the hearts of villains. But when a deformed madman who calls himself The Joker (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld, Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis ever while protecting both his identity and his love interest, reporter Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger).

Director: Tim Burton
Producer: Jon Peters, Peter Guber
Screenwriter: Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Guber-Peters Company
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 23, 1989, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Aug 25, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 24, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $250.7M
Runtime: 2h 6m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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