Batman (1989)

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The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. (imdb)

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Cast and Information

Directed By: Tim Burton

Written By: Bob Kane, Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren

Starring: Jack Palance, Michael Gough, Jack Nicholson, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Tracey Walter, Robert Wuhl, William Hootkins, Jerry Hall, Lee Wallace

Genres: Sci-fi, Crime, Action, Adventure

Franchises: Batman, Joker

Country: UK, USA

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
8	doctor7	89 _90th
Jack Nicholson's take on The Joker is absolutely amazing and although I think Christian Bale did a better Batman I thought Michael Keaton was a better and more captivating Bruce Wayne. Tim Burton's visual style worked perfectly for this movie, as it is based off a comic book. I'd have to honestly say it has aged quite well and I'd consider it as good as Batman Begins.
7	BeeDub	82 _50th
A really silly movie pretending to be "dark." Certainly watchable, but impossible to take seriously.
6	BillyShears	90 _92nd
WE NEED A GRITTY BATMAN WE NEED PRINCE.
5	TedDedon	83 _67th
Awesome visual style and iconic performances by Jack Nicholson. Easily one of the best superhero movies I've ever seen.
5	Ununnilium	71 _61st
Not bad, certainly not, but inconsistent and unfocused. It tries to blend silly and serious, but doesn't always understand how. Plus, all of the film's best elements were taken and distilled into complete awesome by Batman: The Animated Series, so it suffers in comparison. Still, a worthy use of two hours. (2023 edit: I appreciate the aesthetic and what it's doing more on a second watch, but it really does fall apart in the third act, and also whenever dudes start fighting over a girl.)
4	Chujo	80 _66th
A nightmarish fairy tale version of the Dark Knight. Burton's film is an astonishingly - even perversely - violent and macabre comedy, blessed with an insistent, thundering score by Elfman. Keaton plays Batman in the Burton hero mold - isolated, childish but with an inkling of sweetness. Kim Basinger plays Vale as a overbearing stalker of a woman one minute, a pedestal blonde the next. Nicholson is portly but terrifying as the clown prince of crime. His violence an avant garde experiment.
4	Detonathor	58 _35th
This has not aged well.
3	BattleToad	89 _85th
At the time, it was the best super hero film since Superman the Movie, and it was also a huge success. This film showed Batman as a dark and troubled character for the first time on film. Jack Nicholson was a brilliantly evil Joker, Batman's greatest villain, and Michael Keaton was a surprisingly good Batman/Bruce Wayne. As an origin story, it is left thin, but most of the film is extremely entertaining for fans of the Dark Knight. Really good!
3	Luna6ix	86 _92nd
Tim Burton's style makes the movie seem a bit nutty, considering the Joker is a nut that's a good thing. I am though unimpressed with the novelty of Burton's movie making, they seem to get old faster than you would like.
3	DesertPunk	76 _63rd
A work of German Expressionism that came about 60 years too late, but it worked out alright. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have loved a Peter Lorre Joker.
2	TheDenizen	80 _84th
Screw Batman Begins. This is still the best Batman movie.
2	Ytadel	4 _43rd
Some thirty years on I still don’t see the appeal (and I’m someone who usually likes the seasoning of some nostalgia/distance). Well, I see the appeal as a Joker movie - Nicholson is a blast. But as a Batman movie, everything feels hokey and shallow, the threat nonexistent, Gotham a soundstage, all the action scenes treated with the gravity of Darkwing Duck, Michael Keaton unconvincing and Danny Elfman’s music all sounds like overaggressive circus tunes. Shocked this was such a hit.
2	twincinema	80 _75th
This is the Jack Nicholson show, and it's worth the price of admission. Superhero films these days need a scene where the villains vandalize an art gallery. Tim Burton does such a good job in this film.
2	JooJoo	5 _80th
Batman started out dark in comics - that was the purpose of this movie, to show us that side again. One of the most creative recreations of Gotham we will ever see, as well as Keaton in a role nobody thought he could do [still my fav in the part]. I'll always love watching this.
2	frederic_g54	6 _35th
(2nd viewing) Years since I've last seen it, the first scene lets you know you're in for a rather silly ride (guy takes family through dark alley: "I know where I'm going..."), Joker's stance on anarchy: destroying paintings (smooth man...). Keaton is the film's only redeeming quality, his portrayal of Bruce Wayne is quite likeable. Burton has made better films indeed...
2	sensei	70 _36th
Michael Keaton looks and sounds more like a reclusive, creepy dude with a neckbeard almost as large as his social anxiety issues, who loves the Batman comics than Batman himself. Danny Elfman's theme is classic, Nicholson is enjoyable playing himself, and Burton's imagining of the Batman world works fairly well. Just not a particularly compelling film.
2	INDYATMN	91 _90th
Most films would've collapsed under the amount of hyped anticipation that preceded this. MOST. Kudos 2 Burton (back when his aesthetic was fresh) 4 most of his choices here (barring the interminable Joker parade), but esp.4 insisting on Keaton. It's an original take on Bats, playing up the previously ignored social awkwardness a costumed obsessive-compulsive might display, 4 example, on a date. & it's no small feat that Keaton's never overshadowed by Nicholson's pefectly over-the-top Joker.
2	nauru	40 _33rd
Long ago I thought it was neat, but it is actually quite boring. Not much actually... happens. For 2 hours. A lot of recycled shots and canned dialog. Generally good performances by Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson but the screenplay really didn't give them a heck of a lot to work with. Nice soundtrack from Elfman. Visual style of Gotham is OK but not dramatic enough. A lot of poor lighting, trying to disguise the fact that sets were not as elaborate as they could have been.
2	Paxton	76 _81st
It will always be worth watching for Nicholson. Keaton is not an action hero, but he is very likable.
2	mattorama12	71 _64th
Ahhh, a time when Burton was a talented and visionary filmmaker. His Gotham strikes such a perfect balance of fun, campy, and comic-booky on the one hand, and scary and menacing on the other. Both Keaton and Nicholson play their characters perfectly. The only reason this movie doesn't achieve greatness is that the action sequences are really bad.
2	htiman	95 _99th
In my opinion, this is the best Batman movie ever made. It has a few flaws, but the story is great, and both Batman and Joker are played by very good actors who play their part well. To me, Keaton is the best movie Batman.
1	Spitfire	30 _4th
Tim Burton proves he knows how to butcher a character! When he said during an interview that he has never read a comic in his life, it showed with this piece of garbage. This is not Batman. The story is way off. The casting isn't great, but passable. I was so hopeful when this came out and was so let down.
1	TripleSH	86 _82nd
Tim Burton's formula of how a comic book hero movie is done should be studied by anyone planning on churning out the half dozen or so we'll see next year.
1	MartinTeller	63 _22nd
Oh, Tim Burton, what WON'T you make gothy? I really hate it when people try to present a "dark side" to comic books for kiddies. Give me the Adam West Batman, at least they understand how silly the whole thing is.
1	JoshStew06	85 _72nd
A great comic book movie, and starting chapter of the franchise. Tim Burton created a perfect vision of Batman. Micheal Keaton is still my favorite Batman, and Kim Basinger is incredibly sexy in this movie, but it's Jack Nicholson who steals the show as the Joker, simultaneously funny and creepy.
1	cellophane	78 _35th
It has not aged well, but Tim Burton's gothic Gotham and Danny Elfman's swelling score - along with Keaton as a subdued Batman - make this film worth watching.
1	TroyAnderson	64 _51st
This film has not aged well.
1	x-human	90 _94th
Not only one of the great super hero movies, Batman puts most action flix to shame. For me Jack Nicholas IS the Joker, I don't think a finer fit could ever have been made. Although being a Batman fan I feel that much more could have been done, beggars can't be choosers.
1	lachapelle	74 _46th
For a long time, this was my favorite superhero flick, right behind Superman II. But with Batman Begins out, the flaws in this movie come through. Despite that the following must be said: Michael Keaton was an excellent choice for Batman (the schizophrenic version) , but it was Jack's movie.
1	TheDiceman	55 _49th
Good film.
1	ozymandius10	73 _62nd
Looked really good back when it was made. It was campy, funny, and featured a over the top/goofy Joker. But now that we've seen what a real Batman movie looks like, it's VERY flawed. Tim Burton is not someone who's proclaimed "anyone who knows me knows I'd never read a comic book". Well Tim, it shows.
1	berniesbc	75 _51st
doesn't really hold up more than 15 years later
1	gleeb	14 _1st
A movie is not a still photograph. Things need to happen.
1	Nathan S	3 _45th
Cartoon noir. Equal parts goofy and shadowy. I really enjoy this depiction of Gotham, shaped with a creative mix of miniature, animation, and matte paintings. Nicholson is hilarious.
1	sl0wdjin	45 _15th
Keaton was good, but how much can you achieve doing comic book stuff?
1	PeaceAnarchy	72 _32nd
A decent bit of fun but it doesn't stand the test of time all that well. It's trying to balance cheesiness and self importance and the fact that it's not a horrific failure it its biggest success. The lead performances are pretty good but it's hard to get past the silliness of the world around them.
1	Stain	90 _86th
Tim Burton decides to do a Batman movie like an opera. It works like... well, like gangbusters
1	Tripwyre	66 _52nd
This was one of my favourites when I was a little kid, and I can still respect it on a technical level, especially for its time. But...there are problems. Numerous problems, made all the more glaring by Nolan's 'Begins' -- a demonstration on how this should be done. Shot during a writer strike, Burton had free reign to make creative changes to the mythos, which results in some mind-bogglingly stupid bits, and a film that's more Jack being Jack than actual Batman. Also, the Prince songs suck.
1	Big Lemons	78 _32nd
Some cool production design and Jack Nicholson can't save this movie from being really, really lame. It doesn't help that many of the special effects shots are incredibly dated, to the point where they aren't even charming in that 'Harryhausen' way, it's just "badly adjusted matte painting" here and "ludicrous armored car" there.
1	Shmendrek	4 _83rd
Really cool and dark. Great performance by Nicholson. Definitely responsible for rescuing the Batman mythos and making it into something respectable after that godawful, dreky television series.
1	Boobjuice	76 _75th
Tim Burton's aesthetic worked really well for this film; it was both dark and yet slightly comic. Keaton was a good Batman, Nicholson scared the shit outta me as The Joker, and I liked Kim Basinger as Vicky Vale. Solid... too bad the Batman films that followed sucked, for the most part.
1	Matthias99	90 _66th
One of the better Batman flicks. I'm a little more partial to Batman Returns, but Jack Nicholson plays a great Joker.
1	gtown1479	80 _70th
Good movie, but it didn't have the BAM, POW and BOOM signs in it, which hurt its score a bit. Nicholson as the Joker was classic. Now this is a Nicholson role. Not those stupid As Good As it Gets roles.
1	muzicaddict	60 _25th
Worth checking out, but it is really dated and not terribly exciting.
1	Vandelay1	86 _95th
Very Nice
1	muzak66	93 _94th
Michael Keaton is my Batman
1	NadiH	74 _28th
Holds up today better than any of the other pre-Nolan batman movie (I do not include the gloriously cheesy TV show) but is fairly weak. It is interesting how the story is approached predominantly from the Kim Basinger character's point of view. But it lacks in what passes for acceptable action today, acceptable character depth, and it doesn't really commit to its story. just okay.
1	tathiel	87 _90th
I like the Batman versions of Tim Burton best.
1	Neonman	70 _38th
Looks very derivative of Blade Runner, but Jack Nicholson is loads of fun as The Joker and Michael Keaton does the duel performance of Batman and Bruce Wayne really well.
1	Suisai13	100 _99th
This is my favorite movie of all time. Probably not even the best Batman movie, but definitely my favorite. Never mind the summer blockbuster release and endless quotables...the more I watched it, the more i appreciated how it stood on its own as a unique and dark studio classic.
1	ewp805	80 _72nd
Most points going to Nicholson here, he's fantastic.
1	FunkyAstro	80 _80th
I like Burton / Batman and this movie did have some memorable moments.
1	wetwillies	90 _80th
Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
1	netmonk	40 _3rd
I dug this when it came out, but saw it again recently in a cinema and boy has it dated. It just seems daft. Nicholson's joker is just ridiculous and the movie is stupid, overstylized (but not in a sin city, 300 way), juvenile, full of holes etc. Best thing is MAJESTIC score by Elfman - the main theme is AMAZING. But skip the movie...
1	Talvitie	100 _98th
Best super hero movie ever. 100% from the comic books without fooling around. Michael Keaton works well as Batman and Jack Nicholson is awesome as the Joker. The movie have touch of mafia movies and that makes it even better. The music supports the dramatic pictures and will stay in mind. It's Batman straight from the comic book.
1	misterlizard	75 _79th
First film I saw in a movie theatre and it still holds up well. Burton's style of tongue-in-cheek gothic works beautifully as a mix of the campy 60s Batman and the darker origins of the character. Keaton is great in the lead, but this show belongs to Nicholson's Joker who turns hamming into an artform. Could have done without the Prince songs, which were bad even at the time.
1	snallygaster	16 _5th
Failed attempt at fusing the cartoonishness of the comics & old TV series with a darker, grittier look. Burton just seems to throw random stuff he likes together and assume that it will mesh, because he's Burton. I like the idea of casting Keaton as Batman, but his acting is too wooden (even for Batman) to pull it off. Nicholson's good, but the waltz-synchronized final fight scene was the only part I really liked.
1	CMonster	88 _87th
The Batman films in order of greatness: This, the Nolan films, all the rest. That is not an opinion. That is a fact.
1	dmbbearcat	85 _74th
It isn't as good as Nolan's Batman, in my opinion, but Keaten was a very good Batman and the movie itself was good. And no, Jack's Joker will never be as good as Ledger's Joker. Good flick though.
1	actlikealady	84 _72nd
lurvley
1	Matija D	76 _64th
Surely not as high as Nolan's stuff, but this movie has its own good style and Keaton is surely one of the better interpretations of The Dark Knight throughout history, maybe even better than Bale - but that really is close call. Nicholson as Joker is really high class as well.
1	Yiannos	73 _77th
Essentially a collection of brilliant set pieces tied together by a rickety plot, Batman relies greatly on its considerable star power, magnificent set design and Elfman's bombastic score to paper over the cracks, which are more apparent now than they were in 1989. What it lacks is a sense of aesthetic and thematic unity that Burton was able to provide in the next installment when he was given total control over the creative direction of the franchise.
1	philamental	83 _87th
A childhood favourite that still holds up today. Burton's dark gothic production design was magnificent at the time and the score is so legendary it's still being called back fondly by modern franchise entries. But it's all about Jack here isn't it? While I prefer Ledger's take, Jack's Joker was the first cinematic glimpse of the dark insanity of the character which made him into the pop culture icon he is today.
1	boesball	55 _44th
This film was okay. It certainly didn't wow me.
1	vv238	73 _78th
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Jack Nicholson is a little too good at playing crazy people.
1	offlineoz	65 _51st
Under Quarantine Film Reviews #49: Tim Burton manages to not only add his signature gothic charm to the film but also manages to instill some of the campiness of the original show. Jack Nicholson is the standout and legitimately reveling in playing the Joker, albeit a bastardized version of the character. AND THE PRINCE SOUNDTRACK!!!
1	morphinapg	70 _49th
This movie did not hold up as well as I thought it would. The story is really thin. Joker doesn't seem to have any real motivations or goals, and we don't get much character development with any other characters either. It just feels like action for the sake of action. Decent visual look, and Nicholson/Keaton are fun, but the movie as a whole feels lacking.
1	Vaudevillian	100 _93rd
MY FAVORITE MOVIE! I will not be objective!

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Average Percentile 54.93% from 11960 Ratings