Burton puts the best of Batman on the screen. (Batman - Special Edition (DVD))

Member Name: RussellC

Product:	Batman - Special Edition (DVD)
Date:	21/08/00 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks great, Batman is a brooding hero as he should be.

Disadvantages: Plot is a bit predictable.

I probably fall into the hardest to please category of viewers when it comes to films based on comic book heroes. Having been a fan of a wide range of comics for many years and having enjoyed Batman comics amongst those, there are certain thngs I want to see when one of my comic book heroes makes it to the screen. Fortunately Burton was the perfect choice for directing the Batman film, we don't get a recreation of the TV series, but instead we get the Batman from the darkest of his comic books. This is the Batman from the "Arkham Asylum" graphic novel, or from "The Killing Joke".

Michael Keaton plays Bruce Wayne, the billionaire resident of Gotham City who is Batman by night. Bruce is haunted by the murder of his parents when he was a child. As with much of the this films plot the events are lifted straight from the comic book pages. Driven by the death Bruce becomes a brroding crime fighter using his vast wealth to develop 'toys' to use in his fight against crime. The film starts when Batman has just appeared on the Gotham Crime scene when the police are unsure of who he is and seek to arrest him along with the criminals. Responding to a break in at a chemical factory Batman rushes there to encounter a gangster, Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson). Whilst fighting, Jack falls into a vat of chemicals and apparently drowns. However these chemicals dye his skin and hair giving him the appearnace of a clown. Driven insane by the events and his new appearance Jack become the Joker, a hmoicidal maniac intent on causing as much harm as possible for his own amusement.

The film then folows the sparrings of Batman and the Joker as each is obsessed with the destruction of the other. In between this is Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) the love interest for each of the men. The joker produces a plan, marketing a number of cosmetics which in certain combinations kill their users. Batman foils this and goes on to confront the Joker when he arra
nges a street party, with the specific aim of gassing all the people there. Everything culminates in a show down between the two up the spire of a gothic cathedral.

Everything about the film has just the right tone for Batman. The atmosphere is gothic and brooding, Gotham is a dismal city ravaged by crime and Batman is a hero that reflects the nature of the city. Character background is largely accurate to the comics, which is always a plus for those of us who've read them. Jack Nicholson is a superb psychotic Joker, half clown, half murderer. Keaton ensures that Batman is the disturbed individual he should be, willing to strike back at criminals on the same level as them. The effects and sets are fantastic, the comic is really brought to life. If anything this film set a new level fr all subsequent comic book adaptations to reach up to. It's a shame that some of the sequels did harm to this.

Ignoring the comic book connection this is an enjoyable movie with all the touches and attention to detail I expect from Tim Burton. As usual he produces a visually wonderful exerience, and matches it with an excellent Danny Elfman score. If you are a fan of Batman from the comic books there's nothing to be disappointed with here. If you've never read any Batman before it's a great introduction to a dark hero with a strong human streak.

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