Before the monopoly of corporate superhero features, there was Tim Burton. The gothic mind behind such classics as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands
Before the monopoly of corporate superhero features, there was Tim Burton. The gothic mind behind such classics as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands delivered one of the great early expressions of contemporary comic book movies. Batman birthed an explosive four-part action series that delved into the campiness of its comic book roots.
While Michael Keaton was initially a controversial choice to play the Caped Crusader and his alter ego, Bruce Wayne, he became a beloved fixture before passing on the mantle for the final two films. This early Batman movie franchise was a far cry from the shadowy interpretations of Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves, but it is a fun ride nonetheless.
The Original ‘Batman’ Movies Are a Delightful ‘90s Romp
The first budget Hollywood Batman film series was a perfect entry for the casual movie viewer. Tim Burton’s first venture revolving around the Dark Knight introduced the key hallmarks of the billionaire who desperately needs therapy. Instead of coping with his parents’ brutal murder, he dons a bat suit and fights crime in the streets of Gotham. Batman changes some key elements of the vigilante’s backstory, like Waynes’ deaths orchestrated by the Joker (Jack Nicholson), but these movies still deliver the goods.
Batman became a pop culture touchstone that ushered the character into the contemporary age. More than that, these action hits were the definition of a good comic book movie. The series had the moody architecture of Gotham, while exhibiting the fun action sequences historically found in the comics.
Batman Returns is camp at its finest, as Burton turns some of the most eminent characters of DC Comics into eerie and almost disturbing versions of the characters. Danny DeVito became iconic as a sewer-dwelling Penguin that literally eats raw fish instead of just being a gentleman of crime. Batman Forever doubled down on the comic origins with the inclusion of the Riddler and Two-Face. The joy of these action flicks was that these versions of the characters were never attempted again in the same fashion.
Jim Carrey’s radical Riddler was far from Paul Dano’s Zodiac-inspired serial killer and more of a jokester, leaving Batman with irritating puzzles. Tommy Lee Jones also had the only comic-accurate Two-Face that fans have seen thus far. This is likely as close to Batman’s true comic origins as a film is ever likely to get, and it does it in style.
Even when Batman & Robin was at its most outlandish, it contained action scenes that were impossible to look away from. Who can forget George Clooney’s ice-skating Batman or Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pun-heavy Mr. Freeze? When these characters go head-to-head, it is a joy to watch because of the escapism that is rarely seen in cinema nowadays. Christopher Nolan’s gritty Batman starring Christian Bale eventually rebooted this idea, but there is nostalgic enjoyment in revisiting this four-part action series. It is a reminder of how straightforward and unpretentious superhero fare used to be. Fans can watch these four franchise features currently streaming on HBO Max.
Release Date
June 23, 1989
Runtime
126 minutes
Writers
Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren, Bob Kane
Producers
Jon Peters
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