I grew up in the 90’s, so naturally my childhood WAS Batman. The award-winning cartoon show was red hot, a series of Batman movies were rolling through the theaters, and a boy was not a boy unless they bought every single Batman action figure sold. I, of course, was caught up right in the middle of this craze, having my own collection of action figures and begging my parents to let me see every Batman film (yes, even Batman and Robin)
Then, as I grew older, the films matured along with me. Christopher Nolan directed the 21st century Batman movies more for the adult crowd than for the children, focusing less on the spectacle of Batman and more on his philosophy. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight showed a new vision of Gotham City that was grittier and more analogous to present-day America.
With all of the praise that the new Batman movies have received, it somewhat pains me that the Tim Burton style for Batman, the one that inspired the 90’s vision of the Caped Crusader, is becoming more and more obsolete. Watching the 1989 Batman again after many years made me realize how the things that I admired most about Batman originated or were showcased in that movie. The swelling orchestral score, the shadowy atmosphere of Gotham and its citizens, and the almost supernatural villain are what made Batman so impactful to pop culture and to myself.
If you were to ask me what the main difference is between the 90’s Batman movies and the newer movies, I would tell you this: The Burton/Schumacher films told the Batman story as a mythology, while the Nolan films told it as a real-life account. In Batman, everything about Batman and Gotham was grandiose. In The Dark Knight, everything is rooted in realism. This allowed Nolan to relate Batman’s dilemmas with the moral dilemmas of a modern society dealing with senseless crime and terrorism.
My biggest problem with The Dark Knight, though, is that there was just too much “talk” about Batman. Every character was ready with a speech about the nature of Batman and why we need Batman and what Batman should do and so on. In Batman, there was no need to explain the Caped Crusader. Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne was able to express the dilemmas and inner conflicts of the character through only his amazing acting skill. Also, the stylistic “Burtonesque” art design effectively communicated the industrial coldness of Gotham and the invariable drive of Bruce Wayne’s mission, both of which are virtually unknown in The Dark Knight.
Between the two Jokers, I have to admit that Heath Ledger’s Joker is the more memorable one. However, Jack Nicholson did a great job portraying a dynamic Joker, one that evolved from a normal street thug to a psychotic clown mob boss through the movie’s course. What makes the Joker one of the greatest villains in fiction is the complete delight he fails to hide whenever he does these horrible crimes. Nicholson conveys this aspect of the character effortlessly and iconically in Batman.
With so many critics now calling The Dark Knight the greatest superhero movie ever made, I urge everyone to take a second look at Tim Burton’s Batman. Sure, the plot and the characters are more over-the-top, but the 1989 movie and its thoughtful style offers a sort of timelessness to the character, whereas Nolan’s version, heavily influenced by current events, will eventually become dated. It was Burton’s vision of Batman that introduced a whole generation to this great character, and it will be Burton’s vision of Batman that I will continue to adore.
Rating: 4 Stars
(For the record, I would also rate The Dark Knight with 4 Stars, but I do like Batman a little bit better.)
Studio: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Production Company: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Running Time: 126 minutes
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