Batman (1989)

[JDFP]

Here's a new addition for a good Batman villain: Michael Ironside. He can play any villain he wants, I don't care. He could just be in the movie staring as "Mick Ironside" or something -- a washed up actor who decides he diabolically wants to take over Gotham. Doesn't matter, the man is a national treasure to all bad guys in the world. Right up there with the great Rutger Hauer. (On a side note, I should probably get out more often ). j.p.

[SymphonicX]

Carried over the WWZ thread that degenerated into anything but WWZ... Last night I watched "Batman" (the only real Batman movie, 1989 version) and really enjoyed it. I hadn't watched it in quite some time. Just a fun-filled flick even with all the "Yeah, that wouldn't happen" moments all the same. I guess when we were all 8-12 years old watching the film for the first time watching this none of this stuff really stands out to you so much ("Wow, Joker is throwing out 20 million in money and there aren't any cops around and man, where'd he get and store those massive balloons and get the gas into them?"). It's just a fun movie though, as comic book films (IMO) should be -- not so serious, bleak, depressing, etc. Nolan did these things (bleak, depressing, serious) extremely well and the two new flicks are great but it's just not my idea of a comic movie really. Anyway, I was dancing along to Prince along with Jack Nicholson as they are on the balloon float going through the Gotham street and he's throwing money everywhere. Man, you can tell he had a hell of a good time in that role and making that film. He really got into it and was able to get all of us into it as well (and I had to re-wind it a few times perfecting the dance with him in the restaurant and the float). EDIT: Any film with Billy Dee Williams gets a major thumbs up for me too, even though he seemed woefully miscast as Harvey Dent. What exactly was his purpose in this film again? Were they originally wanting to use him to greater purpose? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it just seemed kind of like: "Hey, we need a minority actor with all these other white people in here, let's cast Billy Dee!". Not like that ever took place in Star Wars either... j.p. Hmm, Billy Dee looks too much like David Early to me... (IF YOU LIKE BATMAN MOVIES DO NOT READ ON!) I can't stand the original batman movies - I mean, I really don't get them. I hate the Tim Burton feel to it, I really intensely dislike Nicholson's Joker - and I really, really get offended by Micheal Keaton as Batman - whoever thought of putting the world's most uninspiring face into a suit like that has me beat, I can't figure the reasoning for it. He is so bland, so boring, so UGH.... And the thing that always makes me uncomfortable about these movies - Batman can't move his neck. It just looks awkward and silly and you'd think anyone really in a suit like that would get the shit pounded out of them by a thug just out of his peripheral vision. The Batmobile does NOTHING in those movies either, it's just eye candy - as is the, deep breath, Batplane. I just hated it, I think I'd go as far as to say it's one of the worst films I can think of, outright - I just don't get it. Now I've paid the orignal some lip service, let me move onto the sequels. Batman returns is fucking awful. Michelle Pfieffer is fucking terrible as Catbitch, her annoying, always open mouth and eyes pierce through my brain like a fucking greased up harpoon. Devito is creepy as The Penguin - but wtf is that character meant to be anyway? It's ridiculous. It was stupid in the comics but as a real life character, it's nothing short of pathetic. The whole underground lairs, over-the-top set pieces and playing for tricks actions scenes are awkward, boring and tiresome. And did I mention the story sucks too? Now the other two movies are beyond pathetic that they don't really deserve a mention other than to absolutely lambast Clooney and Kilmer's wooden portrayals of what's meant to be a tortured vigilante. Jim Carey as The Riddler perfectly places Carey's comedy style into the category which it is most deserving of: shit. Poison Ivy ala Uma Thurman is embarassing, these so called characters are as one dimensional as anything else that's come from hollywood. Two Face Tommy Lee Jones? No thanks. And Chris O'Donell is still recovering from these movies - although the ONE saving grace from him was the following line: "Holy rusted metal batman!" "what?" "this metal, it's rusted, and has holes in it" Other than that I hate, hate, HATE the style of these films. They're meant to be fun but it comes off as nothing more than a live action version of Nightmare Before Christmas except none of technical abilities which made a movie like that possible. Sorry if that offended anyone, I really needed to get that off my chest!!!! *calms down*

[bassman]

And the thing that always makes me uncomfortable about these movies - Batman can't move his neck. It just looks awkward and silly and you'd think anyone really in a suit like that would get the shit pounded out of them by a thug just out of his peripheral vision. The infamous Bat-Turn. This wasn't remedied until 2008 in TDK. You would think over the course of 20 years they could solve that problem a bit sooner... Devito is creepy as The Penguin - but wtf is that character meant to be anyway? It's ridiculous. It was stupid in the comics but as a real life character, it's nothing short of pathetic. The Penguin in Batman Returns is NOT the Penguin from the comics. The character in Returns is nothing more than a bullshit idea from the mind of Burton. Same with Catwoman. After the first film was a success, the studio let Burton make it...well....more Burton-like. The comic character of the penguin is nothing like the bullshit sewer-dwelling, cold-blooded, black goo-spitting abomination Burton put on film. The comic penguin is a realistic character with ties to the mob. And yes....Returns is shit. Worse than Forever, imo. I can watch Forever for a fun ride, but Returns is just dreadful.

[JDFP]

Eh, while I agree all the Batman sequals to Batman ('89) are pure crap, I'll forever defend Batman ('89) as being a fun movie which I put on the equal grouping with BB and TDK as Nicholson/Keaton being incredible in it for their roles. To each their own. j.p.

[bassman]

[Danny]

batman and robin aint bad, neither is forever really, but robin gets a bad rep, it was a 90's comic book flick and tommy lee jones and the riddler where good for the time, i still think a serious nolan universe villain could be done by either of them.

[bassman]

batman and robin aint bad, neither is forever really, but robin gets a bad rep, it was a 90's comic book flick and tommy lee jones and the riddler where good for the time, i still think a serious nolan universe villain could be done by either of them. Batman & Robin aint bad? Or it's so bad its entertaining? I can't imagine anyone thinking B&R is actually a good film... As for Robin, I always kinda liked Chris Odonnell in the role. If given a better approach to the material, he would have been a great Robin. He was good for what he had to work with, anyway... I've always wondered what it would've been like if they had stuck with Billy Dee Williams as Two Face. I think he says on the Batman documentary that when he was bought out of his contract for Batman Forever, he was actually paid more than he received for his on screen role in the first film. They really wanted Tommy Lee Jones....

[Legion2213]

Here's a new addition for a good Batman villain: Michael Ironside. He can play any villain he wants, I don't care. He could just be in the movie staring as "Mick Ironside" or something -- a washed up actor who decides he diabolically wants to take over Gotham. Doesn't matter, the man is a national treasure to all bad guys in the world. Right up there with the great Rutger Hauer. (On a side note, I should probably get out more often ). j.p. In the words of Plato "fuck yes!" Michael Ironside rules.

[Danny]

Batman & Robin aint bad? Or it's so bad its entertaining? bit of both, the whole mind reading bollox was, well, it was bollox, but the acting was entertaining in an over the top way- i mean its jim carrey being 90's jim carrey. i wouldnt go out of my way to watch it, but if it was on once in a blue moon i wouldnt change the channel because i disliked it so much yknow?

[bassman]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh.

[Danny]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh. wait. so which was the piece of shit with batgirl in then?

[bassman]

wait. so which was the piece of shit with batgirl in then? Batman & Robin. In order they were: Batman(Joker) Batman Returns(Penguin, Catwoman) Batman Forever(Two Face, Riddler) Batman & Robin(Freeze, Ivy, and as you said....batgirl) It can get confusing with the generic titles they used....

[Danny]

Batman & Robin. In order they were: Batman(Joker) Batman Returns(Penguin, Catwoman) Batman Forever(Two Face, Riddler) Batman & Robin(Freeze, Ivy, and as you said....batgirl) It can get confusing with the generic titles they used.... oh, then forevers the one i like. bit more than returns actually. but i cant take a film with cree-sto-fa-wa-ken as a villain seriously.

[bassman]

but i cant take a film with cree-sto-fa-wa-ken as a villain seriously. You're a cantelope.

[Mr.G]

ah...you mean Batman Forever. Forever is the one with the Riddler, Batman & Robin is the one with Mr Freeze. I like Forever too, but I thought you were saying you like Batman & Robin. I just can't see anything redeeming in that heap. Well...except for a laugh. Someone cue Seal's Kiss from a Rose...