Batman (1989)

About an hour ago, I finished watching the first Tim Burton version of the Batman series. It's now very easy for me to see why the new Christopher Nolan movies are seen as being so different from the originals. Batman, played by
Michael Keaton, deals with his first major foe, the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. Both did exceptionally well in their roles. Although I prefer both Val Kilmer and Christian Bale as Batman, i was impressed by the secretive veil Keaton was able to keep over his true identity the entire movie. While Kilmer had a very nonchalant attitude and Bale was cocky, Keaton allowed Bruce Wayne to blend in with the other upper class members of the society. A perfect example of this came when he told Vicki Vale he didn't know where Bruce Wayne was, simply so he could track her movements and try to find out why she was interested.

Jack Nicholson was brilliant as usual. It was very interesting to see his performance since Heath Ledger cited that performance as a huge inspiration for his own in "The Dark Knight". He gives an amazing performance and truly conveys the Joker as he was intended to be. In fact, he's so psychotic that it's scary. He's unpredictable and doesn't obey any moral or legal laws. This Scene from the movie sums it up perfectly.

This movie successfully changed the image that people had of "Batman". It went from the goofy TV series to a serious, dark version of the superhero. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has seen the two newest versions of the Batman series. You get an idea of where the inspiration for those films came from. It also helped to progress special effects in using all of Batman's gadgets and vehicles. When you watch it, pay attention to the opening shot that ultimately leads to Batman's symbol. It's extremely well done and worth noting.