With The Dark Knight Rises just around the corner, I figured a comprehensive look at all the live-action Batman films would be appropriate. So, without further ado, here they are:
Batman: The Movie (1966): What an awesome movie this is. Seriously. From absurd action sequences and set pieces ("Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!"), to unreservedly cartoonish performances, the entire production simply drips with kitsch. If you have no reservations about a comical Caped Crusader, about ludicrous plot lines, about the total ridiculousness of "Anti-Shark Spray," then please see this flick. Sure, sometimes the movie's inaccessibility can make it feel boring, but who cares? Just sit back, suspend your disbelief, and laugh until it hurts. Final Grade: B
Batman (1989): I get it. I get that the audiences of 1989 were floored by this film's grit, its dark humor, and its overall inventiveness. I get all that. What I don't get, is why hordes of fans (literally hordes of them) still worship Batman like it's the friggin' epitome of comic book adaptations. Yes, it's cool to look at (Tim Burton's quirky style is anything but inconspicuous - visible in the Gotham skyline and Wayne Manner and just about everything else). Yes, Jack Nicholson's performance as The Joker is hilarious and strangely chilling. Yes, Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne is unavoidably compelling. But, I hate to say it, the movie doesn't stand the test of time. The editing is discomfited and oddly paced, resulting in soggy action scenes that seem to go on forever. The plot is thinner than the paper the script was printed on, giving only cursory glances to character motivations, subplots, and consequences. I just can't get into this movie. However, lots of people adore it, so I still suggest you check it out. Final Grade: B-
Batman Returns (1992): Once again, I'm not quite as enamored with this film as everyone else seems to be. Apart from all the cool imagery (Tim Burton returns again as director) and seeing Michael Keaton return as Bruce Wayne, this installment in the franchise is jank. All of the warped realism of Batman is abandoned, leaving behind a flat aftertaste of absurdity. This time out, there are three villains: Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), The Penguin (Danny DeVito), and Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). Pfeiffer shines in scenes only before her character transforms into a supervillain, characterizing Selina Kyle as a neurotic bundle of jangled nerves - her efforts thereafter, in which she is supposed to simmer with sensuality, ultimately feel forced. DeVito is a total flop, only succeeding in looking the part, as opposed to acting it. As usual, Walken is fairly interesting, but the character doesn't see enough screen time to be of any real merit. Like its predecessor, the plot is essentially nonexistent, which is aggravating considering how rich the Batman literary cannon is. There's a lot to talk about after seeing this thing, which is the only reason I encourage you to endure it. You can learn a lot about yourself by watching Batman Returns. Final Grade: D+
Batman Forever (1995): Okay, we're now returning to the frothy shores of camp. Follow me onto the bubblegum sand, won't you? Although most everybody detests this addition to the series, I can't help but get some kind of sick, juvenile enjoyment out of it. The plot is ludicrous, with storylines basically existing only to rationalize blowing stuff up. The acting is atrocious (both Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey, who portray Two-Face and The Riddler respectively, seem to be in competition as to who can chew the most scenery), with dialogue that resonates falsely at all the wrong times (during a particularly tense emotional scene, Bruce Wayne casually asks his potential love interest, "Tell me, doctor - have you ever been to the circus?"). So yes, this movie is a train wreck, but it's a fun train wreck. Fun - an element which is missing in the previous two films. The abundant humor doesn't quite make it more interesting than Tim Burton's 1989 debut, but it's close. I hope you like the color green, because this movie uses it to an extent that is borderline nauseating. Final Grade: C
Batman & Robin (1997): If you thought Batman Forever was campy, then wait until you get a load of this. Batman & Robin is unreservedly outrageous. It's an unparalleled disaster, a dizzying whirlwind of color and action that is just about as satisfying as a brain hemorrhage. And yet, here we are again, ladies and gentlemen - this movie is riotously funny. Falling into that "It's so bad it's good" category (a category that, you are surely learning, I'm obsessed with), the movie succeeds pretty aptly as a comedy. It's terrible, which means I can't give it a good grade, but it's deeply amusing, so here you go - Final Grade: C-
Batman Begins (2005): When it comes to this movie, I can be obnoxiously verbose. So, in the interest of brevity, I'll simply say - this film is fantastic. Director Christopher Nolan, responsible for such gems as The Prestige and Inception, takes the Batman mythology and injects an ardent reality that had been missing since Burton's Batman over a decade before. Bruce's story is once again palatable, and, thanks to a brilliant performance by Christian Bale, believable. The supporting cast of characters is equally impressive; from Michael Caine's heartfelt Alfred Pennyworth, to Gary Oldman's substantial James Gordon, to Morgan Freeman's charismatic Lucius Fox. The villains, played by Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy, are excellent - the prior humming with authority and swift deadliness, the latter buzzing with menace and skittish violence. If there's one weak link, it's Katie Holmes, who seems utterly incapable of generating even the scantest chemistry with Bale. Other than that, this movie is great. The sets are breathtaking (from the snowy mountains of Tibet to the skyline of Chicago), the pace is breakneck, and the plot is marvelously constructed. Some of the CG effects are starting to show their age, but you become so invested in the story, you hardly notice it. All in all, this movie isn't perfect, but it's only minutely off the mark. If you haven't seen this yet, please, please do. Final Grade: A-
The Dark Knight (2008): After seeing this movie for the first time in theaters on opening day, my friend Bill turned to me and said, "I think we should write a polite letter to congress, asking them to stop making movies." I was a little perplexed by this odd comment, so Bill clarified. "I mean, it's not ever going to get any better than this, so why bother?"
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is a stunning film. It's a haunting morality play, one that intrigues the intellect and tugs at the heartstrings. This one takes everything that made Batman Begins great (the realism, the ingenuity, the fun), and delivers tenfold. The movie's tone is varied, daring to escape the punch-kick-sneer mentality that tends to trap lesser films within the genre. It sometimes feels like a gritty crime drama (like The Departed or L.A. Confidential), sometimes a pusling action extravaganza (reminiscent of The Bourne Identity), and sometimes an intimate character study (which, dare I say, brings to mind such classics as Taxi Driver and The Godfather Part II). Nolan flirts with such genres as romance and horror, but doesn't dwell there for long - this is a summer blockbuster, remember, so he didn't want to alienate the audiences he intended to astound.
And truly there is a lot to be astounded by. Once again the acting is exquisite, although the two villains truly steal the show. Of course there's The Joker, as portrayed by Heath Ledger. This multifaceted performance is the film's cornerstone; it is malevolent, hilarious, and astonishingly original. Whenever The Joker is on screen you can't help but stare at him - whenever he's not on screen, you wonder when he'll be back. The character's edge, razor-sharp and colored with anarchistic vitality, is a joy to watch. HOWEVER, one mustn't forget the movie's other central villain - Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face. Aaron Eckhart plays this character with authority and heart, giving the role a Shakespearean weight. He is sympathetic from beginning to end. You'll be amazed by how much you care for him (the special effects applied to his face are grotesque and excellent, by the way).
In all sincerity, I believe this isn't just the best superhero movie to date, but also one of the best films I've ever seen. It pleases lovers of both pop-cinema and classic film, intertwining entertainment and art with deftness and richness. Final Grade: A+
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