Batman is the ultimate example of a movie I desperately wanted to like, but could not do so. The set's and designs are amazing, and they have proved to be very influential on countless films since this was made. That is the only really redeeming feature of this movie.
The script is flat out awful. Some of the worst dialog in a major motion picture you will ever see. The Vicky Vale/ Bruce Wayne scenes at his manor are downright wretched. The entire "Dancing by the pale moonlight" stuff is pathetic, and the frankly weird need to try to tie Batman and the Joker together by making him be the one to kill Bruce Waynes parents, thereby "Creating" Batman is not needed, and severely strains the credibility of the movie.
The casting, which some have praised, is even worse than the script. From the top on down, every single role is wrong. Keaton doesn't have either the menace or physical presence to play Batman, or the light devil may care attitude that is the face he is supposed to put on as Bruce Wayne. Nicholson was already too old to be playing the spry and limber Joker (Again not physically right for the role.) Jack had already played the same character at the end of The Shining, except with less makeup. Kim Bassinger is wasted as the slight love interest. Most annoying of all, this is right in the middle of the film career of Robert Wuhl, one of the most annoying, untalented actors to ever grace the silver screen. In this film he portrays himself, a fast talking smart ass who always seems out of place in every scene he is in.
I guess its the best of the four Batman movies, but that is faint praise indeed. When compared to Superman, Spiderman or even the X-Men movies, Batman comes up far short of what a comic book movie can be. Hopefully the upcoming batman movie with Christian Bale will begin a move towards a Batman that fans of the comic books and the movies can all appreciate together.
The script is flat out awful. Some of the worst dialog in a major motion picture you will ever see. The Vicky Vale/ Bruce Wayne scenes at his manor are downright wretched. The entire "Dancing by the pale moonlight" stuff is pathetic, and the frankly weird need to try to tie Batman and the Joker together by making him be the one to kill Bruce Waynes parents, thereby "Creating" Batman is not needed, and severely strains the credibility of the movie.
The casting, which some have praised, is even worse than the script. From the top on down, every single role is wrong. Keaton doesn't have either the menace or physical presence to play Batman, or the light devil may care attitude that is the face he is supposed to put on as Bruce Wayne. Nicholson was already too old to be playing the spry and limber Joker (Again not physically right for the role.) Jack had already played the same character at the end of The Shining, except with less makeup. Kim Bassinger is wasted as the slight love interest. Most annoying of all, this is right in the middle of the film career of Robert Wuhl, one of the most annoying, untalented actors to ever grace the silver screen. In this film he portrays himself, a fast talking smart ass who always seems out of place in every scene he is in.
I guess its the best of the four Batman movies, but that is faint praise indeed. When compared to Superman, Spiderman or even the X-Men movies, Batman comes up far short of what a comic book movie can be. Hopefully the upcoming batman movie with Christian Bale will begin a move towards a Batman that fans of the comic books and the movies can all appreciate together.