Review by Ben Dover:

Batman (1989) – 4.5 Brooding Batarangs

Well, holy cinematic renaissance, Batman! Just when I thought superhero movies were deader than my first wife’s meatloaf, along comes Tim Burton’s “Batman” to prove that a man dressed as a flying rodent can indeed be taken seriously.

Michael Keaton plays Bruce Wayne/Batman, and let me tell you, this ain’t your daddy’s Adam West. Keaton’s Batman is broodier than a teenager who’s been grounded from their smartphone. He skulks around Gotham like he’s perpetually constipated, but damn if he doesn’t make it work.

Then there’s Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Sweet suffering succotash, this man chews more scenery than a termite on steroids. He prances, he dances, he kills people with novelty items – it’s like watching a homicidal Walmart greeter on acid. And I loved every minute of it.

Gotham City looks like what would happen if H.R. Giger designed a metropolitan area after a three-day bender. It’s all gothic spires and art deco nightmares – you half expect Dracula to pop up and ask for directions to the nearest blood bank.

The plot? It’s more twisted than my arthritis-riddled fingers, but who cares? We’re here for the spectacle, baby! We’ve got bat-planes, bat-mobiles, and more bat-gadgets than you can shake a utility belt at. It’s like watching James Bond in a Halloween costume.

Danny Elfman’s score hits you harder than Batman’s fist to a henchman’s face. It’s grand, it’s gothic, it’s got more brass than a Salvation Army band. You’ll be humming it for weeks, much to the annoyance of everyone around you.

Now, let’s talk about those action scenes. They’re more over-the-top than a Cirque du Soleil performance, but with 100% more explosions and leather. The final showdown atop the cathedral had me on the edge of my seat, and I haven’t been that excited since I found a quarter in my couch cushions.

Is “Batman” perfect? Nah. Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. And some of the effects are dated enough to collect social security. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. This flick’s got more style than a Milan fashion show and twice the substance.

So, if you want to see where modern superhero movies got their dark, gritty roots, give Burton’s “Batman” a watch. It’s the kind of film that grabs you by the cape, dangles you off a gargoyle, and says, “Welcome to Gotham, chump. Enjoy the ride.”

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go brood in my basement and practice saying “I’m Batman” in a gravelly voice. It’s cheaper than therapy and way more fun.

Michael Keaton will always be Batman to me as he plays the haunted and lost Bruce Wayne so fantastically well that I doubt it will ever be bettered. Jack Nicholson was born to play the joker, the score is epic, the set design is wonderful.

Notes:

Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hours 06 minutes
Gross worldwide: $411,569,241
Budget: $35,000,000 (estimated)

Jack Nicholson received a percentage of the gross on the film, and due to its massive box-office take, he took home around $60 million. When adjusting for inflation, this equals roughly $152 million in 2022.

Michael Keaton came up with the famous “I’m Batman” line. The line in the script was “I am the night”.

Robin Williams was offered the role of Joker when Jack Nicholson hesitated. He had even accepted the role, when producers approached Nicholson again and told him Williams would take the part if he did not. Nicholson took the role, and Williams was released. Williams resented being used as bait, and not only refused to play Riddler in Batman Forever (1995) but also refused to be involved in any Warner Bros. productions until the studio apologized. His next project with the studio would be Fathers’ Day (1997).

Tim Burton explained, “the whole film and mythology of the character is a complete duel of the freaks. It’s a fight between two disturbed people”, adding, “The Joker is such a great character because there’s a complete freedom to him. Any character who operates on the outside of society and is deemed a freak and an outcast then has the freedom to do what they want… They are the darker sides of freedom. Insanity is in some scary way the most freedom you can have, because you’re not bound by the laws of society”.

Batman creator Bob Kane drew and signed the “Batman” sketch used by reporters to tease Knox

Tim Burton has a cameo at around 1h 1 min in as one of the Joker’s goons in the museum scene.

Quotes:

The Joker: Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Bruce Wayne: What?
The Joker: I always ask that of all my prey. I just… like the sound of it.

Batman: I’m Batman.

Bruce Wayne: LIGHTS OUT! Now you wanna get nuts? Come on! Let’s get nuts.

The Joker: Never rub another man’s rhubarb.

The Joker: Now comes the part where I relieve you, the little people, of the burden of your failed and useless lives. But, as my plastic surgeon always said: if you gotta go, go with a smile.

Vicki Vale: You’re insane!
Joker: I thought I was a Pisces!

The Joker: “Winged freak terrorizes”? Wait till they get a load of me!

[Joker reaches for a pair of glasses in his pocket and puts them on]
The Joker: You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses on, would you? Huh?
[Batman punches him]

The Joker: Shall we dance?

Alexander Knox: Maybe it should be Bruce Vain!

Critics Consensus:

Critics 77% Audience 84% Rotten Tomatoes

An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson’s Joker too often overshadows the title character

Trailer:

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The film has an ensemble cast consisting of Jack Nicholson (in a dual role), Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Pam Grier, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Lisa Marie, and Sylvia Sidney in her final film role.

Review by Ben Dover: Mars Attacks!: Tim Burton’s Schlocky, Campy Assault on Good Taste

When you have a director known for his macabre, offbeat sensibilities take on an apocalyptic alien invasion premise, the results are bound to be…interesting. And by “interesting,” I mean a dizzying, nonsensical assault on the senses that somehow became a cult classic. Welcome to the world of Mars Attacks!, Tim Burton’s unapologetically schlocky and deliriously campy foray into sci-fi satire.

From the opening moments, it’s clear this will be no ordinary alien invasion flick. Cackling Martian invaders with massive craniums and comically high-pitched voices descend upon Earth, engaging in wanton destruction and obliterating everything in their path with nary a shred of logic or restraint. It’s as if Burton distilled every cheap 1950s B-movie trope imaginable and cranked it up to an 11 on the camp meter.

The all-star cast, including the likes of Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, and Annette Bening, seems to operate under the impression that subtlety is a four-letter word. Every line is delivered with a heavy wink and nudge, as if the actors are in on the joke that this entire endeavor is utterly ridiculous. It’s a constant barrage of overacting and scenery chewing that would make even the most ham-handed thespian blush.

And the visuals! My god, the visuals. Burton’s signature warped, gothic sensibilities clash mightily with the cringe-inducing silliness of the Martian invaders, resulting in a tone that swings wildly between unsettling and downright ludicrous. Severed human limbs, exploding heads, and mass destruction all set to a groovy, campy score. It’s enough to make one’s head spin.

The most baffling aspect, however, is how Mars Attacks! managed to cultivate a devoted cult following over the years. In an era where most films of this ilk would be quickly forgotten, this brain-melting sci-fi satire has endured, with fans reveling in its sheer audacity and refusal to take itself seriously. Perhaps therein lies its genius – it’s an unapologetic middle finger to conventional filmmaking that dares the audience to come along for the ride.

But for the rest of us with a modicum of good taste, Mars Attacks! remains a garish, over-the-top disaster – a chaotic cinematic car crash that just can’t be looked away from, even as we question the sanity of those who find it entertaining. It’s a testament to the power of unbridled weirdness, for better or worse.

Critics Consensus

Tim Burton’s alien invasion spoof faithfully recreates the wooden characters and schlocky story of cheesy ’50s sci-fi and Ed Wood movies — perhaps a little too faithfully for audiences. Read critic reviews

Trailer:

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