FanUnity B(uzz)log

"Batman" rides on the shoulders of great acting by Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. Keaton was an unexpected choice to play the Caped Crusader at the time he was cast, but he brought an brooding everyman quality to Bruce Wayne that made him at once accessible and distant. Nicholson's best work in the film comes while the character is Jack Napier, but remains a lesser strength after the transformation into the Joker.

"Batman" soars until the final act, with the big showdown between Batman and the Joker. Nicholson's scene chewing goes a bit over the top for me here, though Keaton's portrayal remains rock-solid. Compared to the human drama earlier in the film, the over-the-top goofiness from the Joker in the climax doesn't carry the same meat to it as the bitterness that character showed earlier.

Visually "Batman" was unique for its time, putting the Goth in Gotham to be sure. Keep in mind that before this, the most distinct live action depiction of the Caped Crusader was the goofy Adam West show. "Batman" became a defining film of the action movie genre, and its repuation only increased with the failures that were "Batman Returns", "Batman Forever" and the insipid "Batman & Robin."

3.5/5 Stars.