Tim Burton’s Batman Is Flawed Yet Still Packs a Punch at 35

After years of fawning over Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie and the campy Batman television series, nothing could have prepared me for Tim Burton’s dark, brooding take on the Caped Crusader. Tim Burton’s Batman ushered in the modern blockbuster, replete with a robust marketing/merchandising rollout that netted anywhere from $500-750 million worldwide, according to Far Out Magazine.

Admittedly, I had no idea what to expect. I had seen the ads, purchased the toys, hung the poster on my wall, and collected as many trading cards as possible, yet my brain expected something more like the Adam West show. Even after my mom, who saw it first to make sure it wasn’t too violent, spoiled the ending — “He tosses Joker over a ledge!” — the images in my mind were of a black-suite Batman running around in broad daylight firing shark repellent at Cesar Romero’s Joker. Give me a break. I was young.

Eagerly, I headed to the theater with the fam, sat down, and immediately knew my expectations would be tossed out the window the second the sky behind the Warner Bros. logo darkened and Elfman’s thunderous score invaded the sound system. I was hooked from start to finish. Superman’s golden optimism suddenly felt antiquated, replaced by this novel new creature of the night. I remember the audience’s reaction to Batman’s first appearance, the applause at the Batmobile, the giddy laughter when the Batwing roared into the frame, and the enthusiastic cheers during the closing credits. 

Tim Burton’s Batman was awesome.

Michael Keaton‘s Dark Knight became the icon of the modern age, supplanted only by Steven Spielberg’s dinosaurs four years later. I watched Batman at sleepovers, collected action figures for half a decade, and played the various video games that hit the market. In October of 89, my cousin and I hand-crafted Batman costumes for Halloween.

If I jot down the most influential films of my young life, I’d list Jaws, Batman, Jurassic Park, Aliens, and Superman: The Movie, likely in that order. Yeah, Batman was that great.

Even by modern standards, Batman holds up well in terms of its visual style, performances, and Elfman’s iconic score. Thematically, it’s rather empty (and easily trumped by Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy), but the spectacle and flair are enough to silence any detractors. Batman is the real deal and arguably one of the most rewatchable films ever produced.

What makes it so great? Wait till you get a load of this list!

Danny Elfman’s score

I mean, what more can you say about Danny Elfman’s iconic score? Gothic, bombastic, and ultimately thrilling, Batman is the greatest superhero score ever produced, and frankly, it’s not even close. From its opening Main Titles to its triumphant final cue, the soundtrack propels the picture from one frame to the next, embuing each action sequence with excitement and energy. I remember finally getting my hands on the full score CD album and blasting “Attack of the Batwing” loud enough to make my house shake. Elfman’s score is likely the reason for the strange ringing in my right ear. (I was never as big on Prince’s songs, but they do fit the film relatively well.)

Tim Burton’s Batman’s production design

Visually, Tim Burton’s Batman rocks thanks to Anton Furst’s impeccable, Oscar-winning Production Design. Influenced heavily by films such as Metropolis, Blade Runner, and The Third Man, Furst, Set Decorator Peter Young, and Art Director Nigel Phelps create a fascinating universe drenched largely in shadows, low-key lighting, and rain-soaked streets.

Batman’s tech-driven presence in this noir-esque environment feels almost otherworldly. His astonishingly sleek Batmobile, arguably the finest among all the films, starkly contrasts Gotham’s clunky, old-fashioned aesthetic. Meanwhile, his formidable Batwing glides through the city’s rusted buildings like a glorified creature of the night. This Batman has a distinct look that is curiously lacking in later film efforts. Everything from his gothic Bat Cave to his slick, muscle-packing costume oozes cinema.  

Merchandise Heaven

I owned every action figure and toy from this film, including the Batmobile, complete with its plastic shield, and the Batwing, whose detachable wings were an intriguing, albeit odd, feature. Everything, from the magazines featuring that sharp-looking logo to the posters with Batman standing alongside his Batmobile, was too amazing to ignore. I agree with modern critics who claim Batman is all style and no substance. But damn, what style. 

Jack Nicholson’s Joker

As the original big screen Clown Prince of Crime, Jack Nicholson damn near runs away with the picture. His Joker is insane, a mixture of wacky humor and blood-curdling menace. Burton lets the iconic star cook, resulting in one of the most memorable, even complex, film villains of all time. Heath Ledger still holds the candle for the greatest Joker, but you cannot deny Nicholson as anything less than masterful.

Michael Keaton’s Batman

Finally, second-billed Michael Keaton deserves the most praise for swooping in and proving everyone wrong. His casting led to an outcry from fans who worried that the comedic actor would steer the picture in the wrong direction. Instead, Keaton provided a quiet, restrained performance that nicely balances his co-star’s manic energy. We could quibble that his chemistry with Kim Basinger is a little flat, but I chalk that up more to the underwritten love story than the actors.

As Bruce Wayne, Keaton projects a deeply haunted soul vying for normalcy. As Batman, he embodies the toughness and strangeness needed to make the character work. It’s a shame WB mucked up his return in The Flash because, after all these years, he’s still the first person that comes to mind when I think of Batman — and that’s saying a lot!

Final thoughts on Tim Burton’s Batman

Ultimately, Batman remains an entertaining, though flawed movie. Nolan’s trilogy blows Batman and Batman Returns out of the water. Yet, I always want to watch Burton’s epic at various stages throughout the year. Call it nostalgia or merely a desire to see all those wonderful toys, but Batman is a hard film to let go of. It’s one of the defining pictures of my youth and a remarkable old-fashioned epic that paved the way for the modern blockbuster.

At the ripe age of 35, Tim Burton’s Batman still packs quite the punch.

You can stream Tim Burton’s Batman on Max.