Batman (1989)

Tim Burton has a good eye. The Batman series from the 1960s is how people tended to think of Batman pre-1989 but this engraved the words 'dark, sinister and Gothic' in the minds of audiences. The original material is respected and the characters are deep instead of campy.

Michael Keaton is the best Bruce Wayne. When he plays both Bruce Wayne and Batman you have to watch what he doesn't say and doesn't do. He's a rich, socio-phobic megalomaniac who has more money than sense. This is very different from Adam West's turtleneck playboy.

Jack Nicolson is a great Joker too. The make-up for his character is funny when you first see it but when you think about it more it's REALLY freaky. Nicolson's Joker is an evil lunatic. Nothing like Caesar Romero's campy, hop-skipping-and-jumping villain.

The design of Gotham City is very original and unique and is very much in the style of the Comic book. The smoke-blackened, cramped and claustrophobic 1920s buildings look and create a very oppressive atmosphere. This is definitely GOTHam City. Not LA like the TV series. They didn't even make any attempt. In fact the Batcave in the TV series was like the set of a mad scientists lab from a 1950s movie. But the REAL Batcave in this movie is a monstrous cavern filled with stalagmites and it actually HAS bats in it. And there's no fireman's pole leading into it.

This movie and its sequel rock big time. See it when you can. Preferably in widescreen and on a big TV.