Batman

Name: Batman
Genre: Thriller, Crime
Released: June 23, 1989
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton

1989

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 930 Ratings

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Batman

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: June 23, 1989 | PG-13

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton

Summary: Tim Burton's 1989 Blockbuster introduces us to the origins of Gotham City's fearless crimestopper Batman (Keaton) and his arch-enemy The Joker (Nicholson).

Director: Tim Burton

Genre(s): Thriller, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 126 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Ron Pennington

This Batman is a stunning achievement, especially through the incredible and unique visualization of director Tim Burton. The film may be disappointing to those expecting a campy cartoon, however, although the more dramatic stylization of this version is its strongest asset. Read full review

100

Mick LaSalle

It's a rare, beautifully made movie that offers you another world. [23 June 1989, Daily Datebook, p.E1]

Hal Lipper

Batman is perfect summertime fare. Its secret is levity hidden in a dark and troubled soul.. [23 June 1989, p.6]

Dave Kehr

Burton's direction rises to a Wagnerian hysteria (an impression backed by Danny Elfman`s roaring orchestral score) as the two mortal enemies fight it out on the brink of a zillion-foot drop. Burton achieves a genuine majesty at that moment-though he would need one or two more like it to make Batman a genuinely memorable film. Read full review

Stanley Kauffmann

It's relatively easy to convey the claustral in interior scenes, but [designer] Furst and the director Tim Burton do it even when the setting is a great flight of steps before the municipal building or the huge square where Batman and the joker confront each other. [31 July 1989, p.24]

David Sterritt

It would be a lot better if it didn't lean exclusively on bone-crunching action for its climactic thrills, and the story continues long after its ideas have started to sag. [29 June 1989, Arts, p.10]

Sheila Benson

Nicholson's Joker will be the pivotal point for many. It's his energy, spurting like an artery, that keeps the picture alive; it's certainly not the special effects, the editing, which has no discernible rhythm, or the flaccid screenplay. Read full review

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User Reviews

MovieLonely94

Oct 30, 2010

best Michael Keaton movie ever!

26 of 28 users found this helpful262

Ascended333

Oct 26, 2021

Batman is a perfect summertime fare. Its secret is levity hidden in a dark and troubled

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

grandpajoe6191

Sep 18, 2011

What makes "Batman" impressive is the unpredictable creativity and live art director Tim Burton mixes in with the original idea. Very impressive and well made.

10 of 11 users found this helpful101

SAV

Jul 13, 2015

Batman, uscito nel lontano 1989 e diretto dal talentuoso Tim Burton, è un ottimo film che ricrea perfettamente le gotiche atmosfere della famosa opera a fumetti che vede il plurimiliardario Bruce Wayne combattere il crimine di Gotham City nei panni del suo oscuro alter ego. BellissimaBatman, uscito nel lontano 1989 e diretto dal talentuoso Tim Burton, è un ottimo film che ricrea perfettamente le gotiche atmosfere della famosa opera a fumetti che vede il plurimiliardario Bruce Wayne combattere il crimine di Gotham City nei panni del suo oscuro alter ego. Bellissima scenografia e grande recitazione, con Michael Keaton nei panni di Batman e lo straordinario Jack Nicholson nei panni del Joker. Un film che visto oggi sembra un po ridicolo in confronto alla monumentale trilogia di Nolan, ma che ai tempi della sua uscita era il massimo.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DarkwingSchmuck

Mar 3, 2022

With rock solid performances, stellar art direction, a genuine sense of fun, and an iconic score by Danny Elfman, Tim Burton's classic still holds up today as terrific pop entertainment.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Jan 2, 2017

Une vision très personnelle que ce Batman de Tim Burton qui oscille souvent comme un pendule détraqué entre le loufoque et la folie, entre une sorte de dessin animé caricatural et le kitsch voire le bizarre le plus échevelé. Comme une bande dessinée en somme qui peut se permettre toutes lesUne vision très personnelle que ce Batman de Tim Burton qui oscille souvent comme un pendule détraqué entre le loufoque et la folie, entre une sorte de dessin animé caricatural et le kitsch voire le bizarre le plus échevelé. Comme une bande dessinée en somme qui peut se permettre toutes les facéties qui lui passent par la tête... ou presque.

Il en résulte quelque chose de déconcertant mais de résolument original, car Gotham est une ville issue de l'imagination et à nulle autre semblable : architecture gothique, mélange d'ambiance entre années 80 et années 50 et bien entendu l'homme-chauve-souris dont l'avatar Bruce Wayne est étrangement à côté de la plaque, brillamment interprété par Michael Keaton. Un héros donc bien plus humain que les tentatives trop aseptisées de Christopher Nolan.

Quant au Joker, il se taille la part du lion et Jack Nicholson lui donne une épaisseur incomparable faite d'ironie, de drôlerie et de méchanceté gratuite... un cabotin irrécupérable, un "artiste"... et un vrai dingue !

Bien sûr, le personnage de Vicky Vale est important pour l'histoire et une plastique avantageuse est une qualité non négligeable mais Kim Basinger ne cesse de nous navrer d'un bout à l'autre et du début à la fin : cette nana, c'est une souffrance.

Heureusement, la musique tonitruante de Danny Elfman se plie avec un brio stupéfiant au délire ambiant, caricaturant juste ce qu'il faut ses nombreux accents héroïco-héroïques et suit les deux névropathes de près, alternant ironie et romance.

Les répliques d'une manière générale semblent tout droit sorties d'une série B (ou Z ?) comme si elles se parodiaient elles-mêmes : il faut entendre par exemple le couplet que sort le grand Jack Palance à l'autre Jack ou les interventions "télévisées" du Joker...

Malgré sa durée raisonnable, le film souffre encore d'un manque de rythme ici et là et son côté BD est finalement autant un atout qu'un boulet à traîner, car rien n'est vraiment "sérieux" ou réaliste. Un Batman pas croyable mais auquel on adhère pour tous ses excès, loin du balai dans le fion de nombre de super-héros.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

papa_miguel

Jan 22, 2012

What do people see in this movie? I saw it when it came out when I was a little kid and hated it. Now that I'm an adult, I thought that perhaps I didn't have the ability to appreciate whatever it was that people loved about this movie, so I watched it again. And I still hate it, LOL. I don'tWhat do people see in this movie? I saw it when it came out when I was a little kid and hated it. Now that I'm an adult, I thought that perhaps I didn't have the ability to appreciate whatever it was that people loved about this movie, so I watched it again. And I still hate it, LOL. I don't know where to begin, frankly, because every aspect of this movie, from the completely unfaithful representation of the comic book characters to the cringingly awkward dialogue and perplexing moment to moment decisions to the stiff and contrived flow of action, made this one of the biggest wastes of time I've spent in a while. I just finished watching the scene where Bruce Wayne confronts the joker in Vicki Vale's apartment. Oh yeah, you fanboys know what I'm talking about and every one of you knows when you saw that scene even your reaction was, "And Bruce Wayne did that because....?". That reaction pretty much sums up my sentiments for almost every character in every scene in the entire movie. Don't waste your time with this movie. The new Chris Nolan ones are at least compelling and rational, even if they aren't completely adherent to the comic book themes. Stick with them and may this movie be buried for eternity at the bottom of the $5 DVD bin at your local Walmart!… Expand

2 of 28 users found this helpful226

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