Batman (1989) (PG-13)

Stylish, violent, and often dull Batman adventure.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
3
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Directed By: Tim Burton
  • Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson
  • Running Time: 126 minutes
  • Release Date: 06/23/1989
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 08/22/1997
  • Genre: Action/adventure
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: Parental Guidance

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that kids watching this movie will see the murder of parents before their own kids, disfigurement, a quill pen jabbed in a man's throat and another electrocuted to death, along with numerous shoot-outs, wild chases, and vigilantism portrayed in a favorable light.

Families can talk about vigilantism. When Batman decides to punish or kill criminals himself, instead of handing them over to the police, is he doing the right thing? For younger kids, you might discuss whether Batman acts like a good guy when he dangles people over city streets or kills criminals. Older kids might be interested in discussing real life instances of vigilatism and contrasting that with what happens in the movie.

Message

Social Behavior:

Although he's ostensibly the good guy, Batman is played here as he was originally conceived, a dark and troubled vigilante. He's never as grotesque as the Joker, but Batman's behavior is often as violent. He tends to kill the criminals he pursues.

Consumerism:

Part of a series of movies that spun off numerous licensed products aimed at kids, including toys, clothing and fast food tie-ins.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Numerous shootouts, killings, chases, and fight scenes. In a flashback, Bruce Wayne remembers witnessing his parents' killing; the film's first scene parallels this with a present-day child seeing his father killed by a mugger. The Joker kills one victim with a quill-pen in the throat, and electrocutes another. Batman and Vicki nearly meet their fate at the movie's end while hanging from a ledge.

Sex

Implied sex between Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Vicki Vale.

Language

Double entendres, frequent mild obscenities.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Ed Grant

After witnessing his parents' murder by a criminal as a child, millionaire Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) grows up to track and apprehend criminals in the guise of Batman. When crime lord Grissom decides to dispose of a troublesome henchman, Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson), by sending him on a fool's errand to a chemical factory, Napier battles Batman and winds up falling into a vat of toxic chemicals. Napier lives, but the fixed grin he has acquired as a result of the chemicals leads him to call himself The Joker. The Joker kills Grissom, and then sets his sights on courting Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger), a photographer currently dating Wayne. The rest of the movie rotates around the Joker's plan to poison the city's cosmetics supply and his abduction of Vicki.

Is it any good?

3
Director Tim Burton is skilled at depicting the whimsical, the demented, even the nightmarish. If this movie is any indication, however, he has little talent for creating "normal" people or telling a logical story. BATMAN does have its virtues: eye-catching production design, and Nicholson's joyfully hammy turn as The Joker. Nicholson holds viewers' attention during the movie's first quarter, before the Batman/Joker conflict kicks in.

Keaton, however, sleep walks through his performance as the Caped Crusader. While the armor-covered Batman is nearly always in motion, Bruce Wayne barely puts out any emotional energy. Though he improved a bit in the superior -- but darker -- sequel Batman Returns, Keaton's casting as the muscular Bruce Wayne remains one of the most wrongheaded decisions in movie history. The talented supporting cast can't overcome the stiff dialogue, and so it's up to Nicholson to steal the show by quipping, shrieking with laughter, and boogying down to several catchy Prince tunes.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 10 reviews.

Age 9+
5


Posted on 11/10/08 by xmasterxofxmyxdomainx39@yahoo.com Adult contributor

a classic batman movie that every batman fan should watch

acting- 4/5 cinematography- 4/5 art direction- 4.5/5 direction- 4.5/5 musical score- 4.5/5 a great batman movie that set the tone for all the other serious comic book movies, because before this there was alan moore's the killing joke, some other dark comics and adam west's batman, so this really set the tone for was what to come
3


Posted on 07/25/08 by ferraris_rock Kid contributor, age 14

3


Posted on 07/23/08 by bubbleboy Kid contributor, age 12

It's pretty good

I just saw this film for the second time a few days ago, liking it less than the first time (probably because I was nine when I first saw it and I just saw The Dark Knight). Still, it was a pretty well-made film with a dark atmosphere and a knockout villain (although not even touching Heath Ledger's variation on the character.) The thing I really admire about the old Batman films is that they have no sense of realism, so they're sort of just campy fun, this one being no different. Though it is campy, it is also very violent, ruling out a majority of the 7-9 set, though it didn't affect me when I was nine (I've always been strong-stomached). The scene that i found to be the most disturbing was the one where the joker stabs a pen into a man's neck, showing that indeed the pen is mightier than the sword. So, back on subject, pretty good movie, nowhere near "The Dark Knight" or "Batman Begins" though.
5


Posted on 06/15/08 by <flyboy> Kid contributor, age 14

Often Dull? This Movie Rocks!

This is the best superhero movie ever because it was directed by Tim Burton and starred Jack Nicholson as a very creepy Joker.
Age 13+
4


Posted on 03/05/08 by Timbeaux Adult contributor

Way too dark for a kids film.

The violence is too dark and edgy to be taken as a fun-filled Batman story. Plus, the language isn't for kids. When seeing a PG-13 Batman movie, I expect a few "D**n"s and "hell"s maybe even the use of "ass" a few times, but in this movie the Penguin shouts "Oh, sh*t!" and uses the word "p*ssy" in a scene. It's not some I'd want to watch with my son unless is at least 14 or older.
Age 13+
4

Posted on 06/05/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

i laughed!

5


Posted on 04/28/07 by schuymarch1 Kid contributor, age 13

Action Packed!

In this movie a criminal falls into a vat of chemicals and becomes Joker. Now, he tries to defeat Batman. A few times it seems like Batman's going to lose, but he wins. At the end, Joker faces his demise.
5


Posted on 12/13/06 by spongebobfan557 Kid contributor, age 12

4


Posted on 04/22/06 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 13

The Second Best Batman Movie

Tim Burton's original Batman is a stylish, fun, and interesting superhero movie. Jack Nicholson is fantastic, funny, and creepy as the Joker, but Batman himself is somewhat boring. Batman Begins was a better movie, but I thought this wasn't too far off. An enjoyable movie.
4


Posted on 09/17/05 by TnMovieFan2 Kid contributor, age 13

See all 10 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

Age 9+
5


Posted on 11/10/08 by xmasterxofxmyxdomainx39@yahoo.com Adult contributor

a classic batman movie that every batman fan should watch

acting- 4/5 cinematography- 4/5 art direction- 4.5/5 direction- 4.5/5 musical score- 4.5/5 a great batman movie that set the tone for all the other serious comic book movies, because before this there was alan moore's the killing joke, some other dark comics and adam west's batman, so this really set the tone for was what to come
Age 13+
4


Posted on 03/05/08 by Timbeaux Adult contributor

Way too dark for a kids film.

The violence is too dark and edgy to be taken as a fun-filled Batman story. Plus, the language isn't for kids. When seeing a PG-13 Batman movie, I expect a few "D**n"s and "hell"s maybe even the use of "ass" a few times, but in this movie the Penguin shouts "Oh, sh*t!" and uses the word "p*ssy" in a scene. It's not some I'd want to watch with my son unless is at least 14 or older.
Age 13+
4

Posted on 06/05/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

i laughed!

Kids Reviews

There are 7 reviews.

3


Posted on 07/25/08 by ferraris_rock Kid contributor, age 14

3


Posted on 07/23/08 by bubbleboy Kid contributor, age 12

It's pretty good

I just saw this film for the second time a few days ago, liking it less than the first time (probably because I was nine when I first saw it and I just saw The Dark Knight). Still, it was a pretty well-made film with a dark atmosphere and a knockout villain (although not even touching Heath Ledger's variation on the character.) The thing I really admire about the old Batman films is that they have no sense of realism, so they're sort of just campy fun, this one being no different. Though it is campy, it is also very violent, ruling out a majority of the 7-9 set, though it didn't affect me when I was nine (I've always been strong-stomached). The scene that i found to be the most disturbing was the one where the joker stabs a pen into a man's neck, showing that indeed the pen is mightier than the sword. So, back on subject, pretty good movie, nowhere near "The Dark Knight" or "Batman Begins" though.
5


Posted on 06/15/08 by <flyboy> Kid contributor, age 14

Often Dull? This Movie Rocks!

This is the best superhero movie ever because it was directed by Tim Burton and starred Jack Nicholson as a very creepy Joker.
5


Posted on 04/28/07 by schuymarch1 Kid contributor, age 13

Action Packed!

In this movie a criminal falls into a vat of chemicals and becomes Joker. Now, he tries to defeat Batman. A few times it seems like Batman's going to lose, but he wins. At the end, Joker faces his demise.
5


Posted on 12/13/06 by spongebobfan557 Kid contributor, age 12

4


Posted on 04/22/06 by bubbo Kid contributor, age 13

The Second Best Batman Movie

Tim Burton's original Batman is a stylish, fun, and interesting superhero movie. Jack Nicholson is fantastic, funny, and creepy as the Joker, but Batman himself is somewhat boring. Batman Begins was a better movie, but I thought this wasn't too far off. An enjoyable movie.
4


Posted on 09/17/05 by TnMovieFan2 Kid contributor, age 13

See all 7 kids reviews >
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