Remembering Batman '89

Thirty years ago two words were first uttered on the silver screen: “I’m BATMAN.” A phrase that seems like it’s been apart of the English language as long as the alphabet itself. Hello there my name is Nathan and I’d like to have a short discussion of Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster: BATMAN.

Before I start this review I’d like to acknowledge the change that this film brought to the cinema experience. Batman was not a very serious character at the time (apart from emerging darker comics) and this film needed some serious marketing before it could make an honest buck, and the marketing tactics that Warner Bros. used to promote this film set the standard for blockbusters to come. I’m talking billboards, I’m talking multiple trailers, I’m talking weird action figures, people.

Who could forget the Bat-Rope, cleverly stored in the lopsided utility belt?

Batman ‘89 wasn’t as political as superhero movies of the day, and focused mainly on character motives than themes representing the outside world. It’s a classic story of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego Batman (or should I say the other way around), the maniacal Jack Napier’s Joker, and the lovely Vicki Vale, throwing in some original music by Prince and a Tim Burton’s Gotham. Batman stops a bust, creates a new foe, the foe tries to kill everyone in Gotham, but doesn’t realize that nobody can take down the Bat vigilante, and suffers his respective demise, all wrapping up with a big fat bat symbol in the sky. Beautiful. This was a pure Batman story (something that its 1992 sequel lacked excessively). That being said, the script took questionable liberties with characters, making Jack Napier the murderer of Bruce’s parents, giving the Joker an origin story, as well as having an Alfred that allowed people into the caped crusader’s lair. All things people take issue with, and I understand. But I must say, Batman 89 was exactly what it needed to be.

Apart from the narrative, look at the film aesthetically. Tim Burton was the Wes Anderson of his era: an up-and-comer with a new style on cinema. Sure some of his recent efforts really tone down his natural view but hey, he had a great thing going there in the late 80’s/early 90’s. What always sold this film for me was the very basic plot and clear character motives. Pour all of that into a gothic/neo-noir of a city and you’ve got yourself one of the most iconic films of its era.

There’s a lot to be said about this film, and I’m going to say it in a planned retrospect of the entire Burton/Schumacher franchise (which will be available via blog and video format). Per contra, I couldn’t let the 30th anniversary of this film go without at least a little bit of recognition, seeing as this film was the first initial spark that 12-year-old me had, that eventually led to a career in cinema.

Go watch this film if you haven’t, and if you have, go watch it again. This is Nathan D. Gonder, signing off.