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Batman
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Photos (see all 74 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2)
Batman (1989) -- The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker.
Batman (1989) -- Here's a clip from the movie Batman.

Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   98,605 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 12% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Tim Burton
Writers (WGA):
Bob Kane (Batman characters)
Sam Hamm (story)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Batman on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 June 1989 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Thriller more
Plot:
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations more
User Comments:
The "serious" comic book movie more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
126 min
Country:
USA | UK
Language:
English | French
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
During filming, a young Tim Burton was having trouble shooting a scene with Jack Palance. An irritated Palance asked Burton, "I've made more than a hundred films, how many have you made?" Burton said, years later, that it was a "whiteout" experience he would never forget. more
Goofs:
Plot holes: During the final confrontation with The Joker in the bell tower Batman says "you killed my parents, you say I made you, you made first", then Joker says "I was just a kid when I killed your parents". There is some argument as to how The Joker could respond in that way, given that he doesn't know that Batman is Bruce Wayne. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Passenger: Excuse me.
Tourist Dad: I'm sorry, this is my cab.
Passenger: Sorry.
Tourist Dad: Listen, I was here first!
[as the cab drives away]
Tourist Dad: Oh, God! Oh, taxi? Taxi!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Mallrats (1995) more
Soundtrack:
There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight more

FAQ

What process occured between Bruce witnessing his parents' murder and the events of this movie?
Why did the Joker not return in other Batman movies?
What are differences between the comic books' canon and this film?
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62 out of 75 people found the following comment useful:-
The "serious" comic book movie, 23 May 2006
7/10
Author: hall895 from New Jersey

No radioactive spider bites or guys turning green or supermodels painted blue here. Campy television series aside, Batman has always seemed the most serious, the most grounded, the most real of all the comic book sagas. Our hero has no magical, mystical superpowers...he's just a guy in a suit. But where does he get those wonderful toys? In this film Tim Burton does a very good job of bringing the Dark Knight to life while also seemingly giving the dark, foreboding city of Gotham a life of its own. Gotham is dark, gloomy, and dreary...almost oppressively so. The city is almost a character unto itself in the film...dark, mysterious and somehow quite real. The brilliantly conceived, stunning visuals are the perfect backdrop for the story which will unfold.

The story follows our Caped Crusader in his quest to clean up Gotham which is in the midst of a frightening crime wave. There was much unnecessary angst when comic actor Michael Keaton landed the title role with fans feeling that was a sure sign the film would lean towards the campy style evident in the famous television series. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Batman would be a serious film (well, as serious as a comic book movie can be) and Keaton was perfect in the Bruce Wayne/Batman role. Keaton's Wayne comes across as an ordinary guy doing extraordinary things. Keaton brings all the required seriousness to the role but also can add a little comic touch when necessary. Inspired casting pays off big time.

Good as he is Keaton is actually overshadowed in the film. Who else but Jack Nicholson could cause the actor playing Batman to get second billing in a movie titled Batman? Nicholson's performance as the Joker is simply terrific. Maybe a little over the top at times but, hey, it's the Joker...he's supposed to be over the top. Nicholson livens up every scene he's in, he simply owns the screen. With two terrific actors doing outstanding work bringing our hero and villain to life the film can hardly go wrong. It's certainly entertaining enough but the film as a whole doesn't quite match the brilliance of the two lead performances. The supporting cast, led by Kim Basinger as the requisite love interest, doesn't add much. Instead of leaving well enough alone with a fantastic Danny Elfman score the whole movie comes to a screeching halt a couple of times while we're forced to listen to some inane Prince songs. And the story just seems to lack a certain zest. We want to see the conflict between Batman and the Joker, these two great characters played by two great actors. And for too much of the film that conflict simply isn't there. But all in all, Batman is certainly a worthy effort. Some top-notch acting, stunning visuals and a story that does just enough to draw you in and hold your attention throughout. To call this film great might be a stretch but one could say it is very, very good. Certainly good enough to be worth your while.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Batman (1989)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
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