This Tim Burton movie is about the darkest superhero movie that had been created to date. Despite deconstructing the hero and making him a bit of a dangerous loony, the film exudes quality throughout. The sets are incredible with their detail and darkness, the acting is top-notch and the script is generally great, except when they diverge into irrelevant flashback scenes that do NOTHING to improve the story.

Bruce Wayne is a complicated guy. Yes, he's rich and fights crime, but he's on the edge. Vicki Vale is a hot reporter who is apparently not mentally ill but also has no real purpose in the movie but to get saved by Batman. The Joker is a total nut-case--but a fun to watch nut-case, as he struts and preens while he dispenses evil.

He is by far the best character in the film, as Jack Nicholson seems to have a lot of fun. Some of the most awfully violent but amusing images were the Joker's joy buzzer as well as the effects of Joker Brand cosmetics on its victims (two dead ladies make postmortem appearances in one of the Joker's ads on TV endorsing the products!). In addition, I loved the scene where the Joker and his men trash an art museum--spray painting and smashing artwork with abandon. That is until they get to the painting "The Scream"--Joker tells his men to leave that one alone--"Now that I like".

Aside from the dumb back story, I liked all of the movie--even the violent things Joker did that I listed above. HOWEVER, I was appalled that the movie was marketed so strongly to kids, as this was NOT a kids' film. My wife and I saw a guy in the theater with his two year-old! The kid, naturally, screamed through much of the movie!! For adults, it's a wonderful film--but for kids under 12 or so, no way--it's just too dark and violent.

Am I the only person who doesn't like this movie? I mean, everywhere I look I see undeniably positive reviews of this film. That not to say I didn't like it at all, as Tim Burton is a skilled director who always puts a lot of style into his movies which makes them watchable. But I'd much rather sit through X-MEN again than watch this over-the-top, overlong supposedly "epic" movie which is ruined by the dreadful spectacle of Jack Nicholson going way over the top, so far so that he actually ends up completely embarrassing as the Joker. I mean, sure he looks the part but damn, he doesn't know when to call it a day. Any scene with him in ends up being silly or cheesy in a bad way, and only Burton's pleasantly dark set design and concentration on the gloomier, more disturbing parts of the mythos make it possible to sit through this movie.

Sure, there are good points. The big budget for one. This means that many of the special effects are impressive, there are lots of cool stunts and action. Burton has also assembled a large cast for his first major movie. Michael Keaton essays the role of Batman and is good as the eccentric hero. Kim Basinger is the love interest who fails to make much of an impact and just ends up being another female-in-peril. Also appearing in minor roles are Jack Palance, Billy Dee Williams, Jerry Hall and, of course, Michael Gough as the butler, Alfred. Genre fans of course will know Gough from his starring roles as usually a mad scientist in many low budget '60s/'70s British shockers, and again his character is a great one (shame he's underused like most of the cast).

Another thing I don't care for about this movie is the running time - it seems to go on forever, with a number of drawn-out climaxes at the end so you think it's never going to be over. I don't know... maybe the sight of a man in a bat costume just doesn't do it for me. I've never been a fan of comic books either. I much prefer the camp delights of the original Batman movie over this one, no matter how cheesy it may be (and at least Cesar Romero was actually FUNNY as the Joker). I guess I'll just have to admit that this film is one of my "blind spots".

The only reason why I didn't give this a 10, was that the film itself is a bit too long. But putting that discrepancy aside, this is still a solid and sophisticated film, that is undoubtedly one of Tim Burton's better film efforts along with Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride.

The cinematography was spellbinding. The view of Gotham City from the air was brilliantly shot and very well realised. The music by Danny Elfman perfectly matched the cinematography, as that was outstanding. I also liked the mixture of darkness and tragedy wrought into the characters, as is so typical of Burton.

As for the acting, that was equally outstanding. I couldn't think of a better cast for this type of film. Michael Keaten was suitably brooding as Batman, and Kim Basinger matched him wonderfully in an innocent but sophisticated role as Vicki Vale. However, it is Jack Nicolson's mind-blowing performance as the rather sadistic joker that holds this film together. If I have to decide who was better as the joker between Jack Nicolson and Heath Ledger, it would be an extremely close call, but Jack Nicolson for me. He was both scary and comical, which reminded me of Tim Curry's(who was 2nd choice for the role of the Joker) Pennywise in It.

The direction by Burton was tight, and he assured us that the high-tension of this film rarely slipped. In conclusion, a must-see if you love sophisticated and dark films, with a touch of edge, because this film has plenty of that. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox