Batman, Tim Burton’s corrosive adaptation of the Dark Knight himself, is the franchise’s first successful cinematic swing with grittier themes and a darker tone. It follows the Gotham City-based billionaire philanthropist and titular hero Bruce Wayne/Batman (Michael Keaton) well into his career as the caped shadow, as well as the tragic robbery that led to his parents’ murder. At the same time, the classic DC villain the Joker is introduced through Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson), a second-in-command mobster who gets set up by his boss to die in a chemical plant––leading to his fall in a chemical vat that severely damages his face and mind. After Joker terrorizes Gotham City by lacing hygiene products with a deadly laughing chemical called Smylex, Batman must juggle several difficulties: he must stop the Joker, keep his identity zipped, keep his love interest, reporter Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger), safe, and confront his purpose––diving unexpectedly into the past to save the world.

The first darker Batman is a bit conceptually wonky, and thin writing is sprinkled throughout, making it pale compared to its more fine-tuned ’92 sequel and future successes. Nonetheless, Keaton plays Bruce Wayne with the most self-deprecating charm of the darker Batman actors; he switches from profoundly morose and introspective to ridiculously self-important and arrogant, making Wayne a bit of an amusement. Nicholson is spontaneous and tongue-in-cheek as the clown killer, giving a conniving silliness to an already insane character. The story is dense, the atmosphere is darkly colorful, and the characters change in unpredictable ways (at least for the ’80s). However, there are several disruptive transitions between scenes, and some trippier visual or metaphorical experiments often feel contrived. Fortunately, its consistent darker tone, shocking twists, and solid dual-character study make Batman a thought-provoking, gritty, good superhero flick.

Screens on Saturday, 12/30, 3:45pm and 9:00pm @ Brattle Theatre
Double feature with Superman II
Part of the repertory series: Warner Bros. in the ’80s: Enter the Blockbuster