Rating of
3/4
Stylish... But Needs Substance
Franz Patrick - wrote on 08/22/08
Batman is my favourite superhero but I must admit that I did not like this film the first time I saw it. The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson, is supposed to be 75% crazy mixed with complete menace and 25% funny in a twisted manner. Instead, Nicholson played The Joker as more even between the two extremes. I guess my main problem is the first half; the second half picked up the pace because that’s when all the action happened. As the film went along, The Joker became scarier due to his methods of killing and his darkly amusing one-liners. As for Batman, played by Michael Keaton, I thought he was a bit weak and I wanted to get to know him better. Although we got a taste of his past, he spent too much of his time brooding in his Batcave. Most people claim that this is the best “Batman” film to date. I cannot disagree more because this is highly uneven. Yes, it’s extremely stylish (excellent use of shadows!) but it’s hard to care for the characters. If I were to pick the best “Batman” films, it would be among “Batman Begins,” “Batman Returns,” and “The Dark Knight.” In “Batman Begins,” Batman is the center of the story and no villain took the spotlight from him. It’s the most realized Batman film overall. In “Batman Returns,” we get to sympathize with the villains (Penguin and Catwoman), which is rare in superhero adaptations. This first “Batman” film is a good start but non-hardcore fans might be a bit put off. Still, I’m recommending it for sheer style.
