Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger & Robert Wuhl

Directed by Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands) Batman sees a stunning return to the Dark Avenger that Bob Kane originally envisioned, Batman finally laid to rest once and for all the campy image that was created in the 1960’s television series that starred Adam West and Burt Ward.

Bruce Wayne (Keaton) is an extremely well to do businessman who has a dark secret : He is Batman. Spending his nights patrolling Gotham City his aim is simple, Remove the crime element from the “Crime capital of the USA” and make it safe for families to walk the street again.

Jack Napier (Nicholson) works for crime boss Carl Grisham but he aspires to be the head of the crime syndicate rather than just Grisham’s No. 1 guy. Napier, whilst doing a job for Grisham, has an accident that leaves him horribly disfigured and pushes him over the fine line that is sanity. As a result he becomes an alternate personality called : The Joker

Vicky Vale (Basinger) is a reporter who comes to Gotham in search of the mysterious Batman. unfortunately she grabs the attention of the psycotic Joker and what follows is a cat & mouse game between Batman and Joker for the affections of Ms. Vale.

When Batman was released in 1989 it smashed box office records and Jack Nicholson made a bucket LOAD of money by choosing a % of the box office rather than a salary. It’s easy to see why on all counts as Batman is a spectacularly faithful representation of ther comic book that left people spellbound.

THE EXTRAS

* Production Notes

CONCLUSION

It was an excellent direction for the film, away from the campy 60’s feel. Nicholson is the best, so this is a must for all his fans….