Saturday 9 April 2011

Batman (1989) Review

When you consider that the Gotham City universe is absolutely absurd, this isn't a bad movie.  It was made at a time when we were just on the verge of superior effects and makeup.  I must say it does a good job with the makeup.  But back to the absurdity.  Gotham is just that.  It's a campy and ridiculous setting for a super hero.  That's why picking Tim Burton to direct this was just what it needed.  While I am not intimately familiar with the comic books, I do know enough of the setting.  I believe Burton did a good job staying true to the old school comics which is basically all this movie had to go on.  The Batman of today is a much darker and more human-like character.  But this is a true comic book movie.

The acting from Nicholson is brilliant.  Never mind the Dark Knight's Joker.  Nicholson and Ledger were really playing two different roles.  Nicholson's was a much more fun psychopath with less of a grip on reality.  He really makes the character fun and, considering who he is, is a perfect man for the role.  The rest of the acting ranges from OK to pretty bad.  But that isn't a huge deal because the movie really focuses on the Joker.  Speaking of which, I could have really used more Batman and less Bruce Wayne.  After all, I watch these kinds of movies to see the cool action stuff.

Bottom line, it really is a "see" due to the performance by Nicholson.

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