Superhero Media: Batman (1989)

This is my favourite live-action Batman film, hands down, warts and all. I know fans of The Dark Knight will be raging at their keyboards right now, but I already covered that one a while back, so go check it out. Yes, Batman is flawed and more than a little camp, but keep in mind it is this version of Batman that spawned Batman the Animated Series, the very best version of the character. No, I don't care that Batman can't move his neck, he couldn't do that in Batman Begins either. No, I don't care that Jack Nicholson is fat, or that they gave The Joker an origin or any of that nit-pick stuff, Batman is brilliant and transcends just about every complaint you can level at it. Yes, I don't like that Batman kills people or that the Batwing and Batmobile have guns, or that Joker is killed in the climax, but superhero films are still making those kinds of error, so why would I hold it against a film more than 30 years old? Michael Keaton is good as both Bruce Wayne and a Batman who doesn't take himself too seriously and the soundtrack is done by Prince! Sure, you probably only remember the, passable, Danny Elfman theme, but I actually own the soundtrack CD and keep it in my car, it's that good. 

Oh man, I could do an entire "Superhero Media" on the soundtrack and the alternate version of the narrative it presents, but do yourself a favour and at least check out "Batdance"; I honestly think it may be one of Prince's most underappreciated tracks. Anyway, back to the film. Can I say that I don't mind the tying of Jack Napier/Joker into Batman's origins by having him kill Thomas and Martha Wayne? Perhaps it lacks the gravitas of the Red Hood "one bad day can turn anyone into a monster" narrative, but the "You made me" confrontation is brilliant in the climax of the film. Want to talk about the Joker? Ok. How about, instead of telling everyone that he doesn't have a plan while managing a lot of people performing intricate tasks, The Joker is so unpredictable that he gives away free money, makes art and shoots his 2IC for no real reason. I'm not saying that one portrayal is "better" than the other, merely that I really enjoy this version of The Joker, with its near-perfect blend of camp and sinister. Keaton is a solid Batman, and probably the best Bruce Wayne since Adam West, acting like a member of the idle rich more so than a 1%er d-bag with too much money. This Bruce Wayne throws fundraisers, donates to charity and doesn't go in for drinking and gambling just because he can. Class act. 

As Batman, Keaton delivers a competent and intimidating presence, but keeps close to his comic book roots by cracking jokes and tripping enemies up, rather than brooding and breaking bones. We all know where this series ended up, but I still find Batman a great watch and a film I keep going back to. Yes, it's flawed and somewhat dated (Batman uses Betamax tapes in the Batcave), but there is a genuine charm that draws me in every time, even beyond the Prince soundtrack and brilliant Joker one-liners. In a world where Batman is still composed of equal parts Arkham Knight and The Dark Knight, this version of the character is actually refreshing, with his genuine humor and more stable mental state, fighting crime out of obligation, rather than compulsion borne from trauma. Much as with the Adam West and Bruce Timm incarnations of the character, I feel like the new live action films, as well as the comics, could really learn a lot from this kind of approach. And these reasons, plus a few more I didn't have the space to get into, is why Batman is my favourite Batman live-action film.