This movie was why i hated Jack Nicholson growing up, because he was so annoying and creepy as the Joker. Now that i have grown up and usually enjoy comic book films i decided to rewatch this: i was greatly disappointed. There was so little character development for Wayne/Batman and so little chemistry between him and the reporter (whom i was confusing with the Joker’s love interest at first, the two women look so much alike). This movie’s costuming has a chaotic clash of time periods, too, with the gangsters looking like they stepped out of Dick Tracy or a film noir, while many of the hairdos and extras’ outfits were straight out of the 80’s. The special effects were quite good, but not very believable, and the dialogue was absolutely horrible. The cops are corrupt and inept, the new D.A. doesn’t even get to go to court (poor Williams didn’t have much of a part here), and the reporter is nowhere near likeable or capable of winning a Pulitzer (he just is so annoying and rude and can’t even get a quote).

It had been a very long time since i had seen this, but i hate this movie now just as much as the first time i watched it as a kid, only now i have studied movies and have the terms to voice why. i know lots of people love Batman, but he’s just not appealing to me: i want the actor underneath the suit to actually have muscles and a personality so i can care about him. i’m probably opening myself up to flaming, but that’s just the way i feel.

I’ve watched this several times since it originally came out way back when. But today was a special treat. Me and my 4 year old were at my parents when he discovered the VHS that’s been there since when ever that was released. With all the recent batman stuff on TV lately he decided he wanted to watch it. Of course the none action scenes bored him and he still doesn’t under stand secret identities, but I’m pretty sure he is a fan now, he even got a Batman lunch box :)