I'm Batman (Batman - Special Edition (DVD))

Member Name: tommy7

Product:	Batman - Special Edition (DVD)
Date:	18/04/01 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great to see Batman on the big screen

Disadvantages: Plays second fiddle to the Joker

I suppose everyone has a favourite superhero without really knowing why. From the release of the Batman films I think I have decided on mine!

The first movie is my favourite. I think that there are many reasons why it should be considered the best.

The first is director Tim Burton's take on the Batman character and how to show him. Some of the later films showed him as too dark a character but I think Burton got it spot on. Especially the scenes in Gotham City. The City could be any modern city and is a great set for the emergence of Batman.

The next thing is because it is the first movie we are given the background to Batman and also the story of the creation of the Joker. Burton does well to keep the story at 2 hours as the other Batman movies have the advantage of him being an established character within Gotham City.

Although Michael Keaton is far from my favourite actor I think he played the dual Batman/Bruce Wayne role perfectly. In truth it could be anyone behind the black suit there is so much of the actor covered. It is more the Bruce Wayne persona that he excels in.

This coupled with the excellent Jack Nicholson as the Joker and the gorgeous Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale sets up an impressive cast. Indeed Nicholson probably steals the show as the Joker. He has a lot of great one liners and seems to be the perfect choice to play the Joker.

On to the story, Gotham City is a troubled City. It is approaching it's 200th anniversary but the festivities have had to be put on hold due to the massive crime spree. There is a rumour of a massive bat which is attacking the underworld. These rumours have the underworld terrified as the stories of the bat man make him out to be invincible.

The crime boss is Carl Grissom (Jack Palance); his second in command is Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) who happens to be sleeping with Carl's girlfriend, Alicia (Jerry Hall). Understandably this upsets
Carl so he sets up Napier to be arrested at Axis Chemical Plant. Both Batman and the police are chasing Napier and the resultant battle ends with Napier falling into a vat of toxic chemicals. The resultant person is the imbalanced Joker. The scene inside the chemical plant is probably the most memorable and certainly the best action scene in my opinion.

The Joker takes his revenge of Grissom and then starts to control the Underworld. His attention is soon drawn to Vicki Vale who has started seeing Bruce Wayne. The story plays out predictably but I found it hugely enjoyable.

One of the things that I liked most was the reliance on the traditional Batman equipment. There was only the Bat-Wing, the Bat-mobile and the utility belt in evidence. After all people wanted to see Batman and sticking to his roots was a good move. There is one scene where the Bat-wing is silhouetted against the moon that sticks out as being especially memorable.

However, I was not keen on Wayne's urgency to reveal his alter ego to Vicki Vale. For a reclusive superhero that has spent a fortune developing his character he seems way too keen to reveal himself.

Having said that this is a great film if you take it for what it is. It is a pity that it has been given a 15 certificate on DVD release (if I remember correctly it was the first film to get a 12 certificate at the cinema) as a lot of people below that age would enjoy the movie.

It is ironic at the end of the film that Batman created the Joker and it was the Joker who created Batman. I will not elaborate on this in case you haven’t seen the movie.

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