Batman (1989) - Probably should have been called ‘Joker’ (but never mind)

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine the Batman franchise without Christopher Bale and co, let alone with someone other than Heath Ledger as ‘the Joker.’ However, many years before Bale donned the famous black cowl, Michael Keaton was the ‘Dark Knight.’ And, believe it or not, he didn’t do a bad job (at the time).

Although, despite Keaton being reasonably well-known, top billing – naturally – went to Jack Nicholson as the Joker.  And for a good reason – he steals every scene.  Until Ledger’s final performance as the psychotic clown, no one could really see anyone else as the Batman’s most infamous nemesis.  Perhaps the only downside was that Jack Nicholson was given so much screen time and so many of the best lines, it’s hard to see Batman as anything but a secondary character who just pops up every now and again to thwart whatever the Joker happened to be doing at the time.  Despite the fact that Batman – technically – has wings, his character doesn’t get much of an opportunity to fly.  Even the fact that Bruce Wayne had a ‘love interest’ in the form of Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale didn’t give Batman too much extra time on screen.  Plus Basinger was little more than a ‘damsel in distress,’ screaming and gasping in bewilderment and fear almost as much as she spoke.

The 1989 vision of Batman was a smash hit, but not without its detractors.  A lot of comic book fans resented the choice of director (Tim Burton) and his casting of Keaton in the titular role.  Tim Burton confessed that he had never actually read a comic book (and some said it showed).  However, his vision of the Dark Knight may not have been completely in keeping with its comic book roots, but it was pretty impressive.  He certainly got the tone right, bringing Batman away from his ‘campy’ TV roots and portraying him as something much darker.  Most described the outing as a ‘twisted fairytale’ which, although didn’t reflect the source material, was a pretty accurate description.

It’s safe to say that now, after Nolan’s Batman trilogy, that most people consider his to be the ‘definitive’ Batman.  However, Burton’s outing/outings shouldn’t be written off as anything but good.  If you don’t mind the villain being given more screen time than the hero, it’s worth a watch alone for Nicholson’s performance.  Heath Ledger may be the Joker of today, but Nicholson will always be the Joker of my childhood, therefore, I give him the last laugh.

9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather