BATMAN
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 1996 David N. Butterworth/The Summer Pennsylvanian
Directed by Tim Burton Rating: *** (Maltin scale)
For those of you who were smitten by Pennsylvania Lottery fever earlier last month and avowed never to stand in line again, you might want to think twice.
BATMAN has arrived.
Hot on the heels of all the hype and the hoopla and the hullabaloo, the movie itself finally makes an appearance, overshadowed, in part, by the furious fervor that preceded it, a marketing blitz the likes of which Hollywood has rarely seen.
But put away the bat memorabilia for a moment and ask yourself the one question which surely must be on everybody's lips: was it worth the wait?
Actually, yes.
One cannot begin to talk about BATMAN--the phenomenon--and not use superlatives. It's certainly the biggest, boldest, most-publicized, most eagerly awaited film of the summer. BATMAN--the movie--doesn't quite live up to its own high standards or expectations--how could it?--but you won't leave the theater feeling cheated or ripped off. BATMAN delivers all right, every high-tech, high-brow minute of it.
For those of you who have been in a coma for the last six months, BATMAN is the latest depiction of the two-dimensional character created by comic book artist Bob Kane. It's the story about the millionaire-by-day/daring-do-gooder-by-night who rids Gotham City of its criminally undesirable.
Although the film is thoroughly entertaining, it does contain some serious production flaws. Fortunately, these are offset by a refreshingly original look which helps keep the film on track.
For instance, Michael Keaton's woeful miscasting as Batman proves to be a major liability. Bruce Wayne is portrayed as a sensitive introvert, an interesting digression from the campy, tights-clad Adam West of the 1960s television serial. But Keaton walks through the movie with a puzzled look on his face as if he's misplaced the keys to the batmobile. His scenes with photographer-turned-love-interest Vicki Vale (played by Kim Basinger) are awkward and unconvincing and his cherubic looks invariably do him in.
But once Keaton puts on that batsuit - well, it could be Pee Wee Herman under that cowl for all we care. It's a transformation; Keaton IS Batman ... though does anyone ever remember Batman, the character, referring to himself as such?
Another limitation is the fact that there is virtually no plot to speak of. In some movies this would be a drawback but in BATMAN it seems to matter little that the storyline is relegated to second place. Overwhelming it is Anton Furst's impressive production design, which borrows intelligently from the likes of Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS and H.R. Geiger's metallic constructions for ALIEN. Gotham City has never looked more architecturally imposing.
And we don't learn much more about the man behind the mask. Who dug the bat cave? Where did Bruce get all his money? Who actually makes the bat gadgets? He's already up and running when the film opens, so we never learn how he got started in the crime-fighting business, though we are told why (his parents were callously gunned down by a pair of aspiring hoodlums on Gotham's violent streets). Since the film is reputed to be closer to the original comic book character, the writers should have dug a little deeper and unearthed some of this dirt.
Last but not least, supporting characters are wasted. Jack Palance (as Carl Grissom) is severely under utilized, and you often wonder why he, or Billy Dee Williams, who plays political candidate Harvey Dent, was ever in the picture to begin with. On a related note, has anyone else noticed that the mayor of Gotham City bears more than a passing resemblance to Ed Koch? What, does this film have a biting, satirical edge to it too?
But the film's trump card is Jack Nicholson. If you thought Nicholson's part as the Devil in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK was the ultimate showcase for his talents, wait until you get a load of him here. As the Joker, the role he was born to play, Nicholson is at his roguish, flambuoyant best--and absolutely astonishing!
No other actor could have pulled off this role without leaning towards self-parody. But Nicholson plays the villainous reincarnation of Jack Napier straight down the middle and, as a result, flabbergasts the audience with his rendition of the maniacally wide-eyed, white-faced jester. The climactic face off between the Joker and Batman requires the viewer to suspend considerable belief--and by that time you'll be rooting for Keaton's caped crusader--but it's Nicholson's movie every step of the way.
BATMAN will no doubt become not only the summer's top grossing movie, but quite possibly the most profitable film ever made. If you do go to see the film, and chances are you will, go see it for Nicholson. Director Tim Burton pulled off the casting coup of the decade when he signed Nicholson to play the Joker, a role for which Nicholson was reportedly paid $11 million. No wonder he's smiling throughout!
-- David N. Butterworth
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