BATMAN
A film review by Jeff Meyer
Copyright 1989 Jeff Meyer
[Spoilers in final section]
Between all the hype and anticipation surrounding this movie, I've heard a good deal of discussion about whether the new film will be "true" to the Batman character. That was not one of my concerns when entering the theater. Over the last 50 years, Batman's gone through any number of conceptual revisions: he's been the grim spooky loner created by Bob Kane; the gimmicky detective with the boy sidekick; the TV camp buffoon; and the obsessed, driven vigilante who is probably over the edge of sanity. My feeling was this: Tim Burton could do damn near whatever he wanted to do with the character, as long as he made the film work.
With that said, this film is a mess. A visual treat of a mess, but still a mess. If it was meant to lean towards satire/spoof, it's not nearly funny enough. If it's meant to hold together as drama/action, the characters are cardboard, and the plot is pockmarked with holes towards the end. In any case, the script and dialogue (with the frequent (but not continual) exception of Jack Nicholson's Joker) isn't exceptional to entertain on it's own; it usually keeps moving (the major exceptions are the scenes which seem tailor-made to be used for the Prince MTV video for BATMAN), but it's all over the place. The conclusion suffers through Siskel & Ebert's "handy stupidity" theory, where people act ridiculous to keep the plot moving. And there were so many sequences that seemed either unclear or muddled that I wondered if a lot of the film had been cut down from the original length, or that some of the footage just didn't come out, and they had to make do with what they had.
As to the acting, Michael Keaton looks *damned* uncomfortable. I still think he could have made a decent Batman, because he has shown the ability to throw out a lot of intensity in his previous roles. Here, though, it's monotone -- a stoic obsession that barely filters through his costume. He's given a few opportunities to escape this as Bruce Wayne, but it's almost as if he were still playing it in costume. Jack Nicholson is fun to watch here, and he is definitely given the lion's share of good lines in the film, but this is not the "exceptional performance" I've been reading about in film magazines. It's over the top, and he's definitely having fun with it, but it's on the same par as John Lithgow's Dr. Emilio Lizardo. Kim Bassinger plays her usual damsel-in-distress character; she ends up looking almost as strange as Batman and the Joker. The other characters (outside of Alfred) aren't given much room to move in; Billy Dee Williams, as DA Harvey Dent, is the only law enforcement official who appears to have his act together. (And, if there's a sequel and he follows the comic book scenario, he won't be working for the DA's office for long. :-) ) Jerre (sp?) Hall walks in and out, and Jack Palance can still hiss like a sunuvagun. My favorite bit character was Bob, the Joker's chief henchman, who played the repo yard mechanic in REPO MAN. Oh, well.
The visuals in this film, though, are gorgeous, and almost make up for the rest of the film. Gotham City is a dingy fantasyland, Wayne Manor is a moribund crypt of vengeance, and the Batcave is lovely. This is not a surprise; visuals and miniatures have always been Burton's strong suit, with his background in animation. There's a scene with the Batmobile approaching the Batcave which is very well orchestrated between camera, music and visuals. The music by Danny Elfman is somewhat tinny at times -- almost like BEETLEJUICE over again. I can't stand Prince, but even if he was Peter Gabriel, the backdrop of the Joker's music video escapades wouldn't have helped.
So, what's the verdict? Some of my disappointment could be put down to over-advanced hype, but I think most of it has to be laid at Burton and Hamm's door. I'd put this on a par with INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM: a roller-coaster ride (but with better effects, and a tolerable, over-blown ironic/tragic air). No depth whatever. If you like a visual movie well enough, go see it (and see it in 70MM for that reason); otherwise, go find SAY ANYTHING or FIELD OF DREAMS at your local repertory theater.
SPOILER COMMENTS FOLLOW:
Overall, I thought the first half of the film was slow, but held together; the last half faster, but started to fall apart early on. On the good side, the introduction of Batman on the roof I liked; and the drive with Vale to the Batcave was great. And the visuals of the Batplane over the city were a pleasure to see -- the entire art direction kept the brooding feel glued on.
A few complaints/comments (I'm more amused than anything by this stuff):
Query #1: Where exactly *are* the Gotham City Police during the Joker's balloon/money hoo-haa? As far as I see, these guys only appear after they're all holed up in the church.
Query #2: Why does Vale try to drive off without letting her reporter friend in the car? Never figured that out. (Not to mention why he throws himself on the hood of the car -- I'd put that down to "stupidity providing plot opportunity".)
Query #3: It's just barely explained that the Joker is trying to make people believe that his white-face is makeup -- why is this? Is the flesh-makeup his "secret identity."?
Character Concept Problem: OK, I can buy Batman with guns, but firing missiles into a crowded street? Attempting to murder the Joker in cold blood? (Punching him over the edge of the cathedral.) Blowing up the gangsters headquarters with them still in it? I guess this is a Batman whose first interest is definitely vengeance, over justice or protecting the innocent. Judge Dredd in a Batman costume... Perhaps it was Burton's intention, but I felt that Batman, while not portrayed as a villain like the Joker, is portrayed as a fairly negative character. Fine -- but that doesn't jell with him posing for his legendary shot in the final scene of the movie.
More on Nicholson: Yes, there were some funny lines, but some of it (like the TV commercials) became tedious fairly quickly. Like Keaton, I thought he could have done a better job with a better script. I'll be curious to hear how much this film deviated from the early revisions of the script by various netters who read it.
The Ending: So, Vicki Vale gives up her award-winning career as a hostage, err, I mean a photographer, to be the Batman's lover? (Licking her lips in the back of the limo.... I guess Alfred's kind of immune to odd behavior by then.) Well, she does have a thing about bats.... (I did like the bit between them about "trying to love one another" -- had a certain sadness that the movie could have used more of. Made me wonder if the ending had been changed to make for a "happy" conclusion.) Also, the police are awfully quick to turn over to Batman's side at the end; but then, they were basically straw men throughout.
There are probably more glitches if I thought about it, but I'll leave it at that. Overall, I wished they'd cut much of the background hooplah that went on during Prince's songs, and spent the time filling in some of the gaps in the film.
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
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