Tim Burton's Batman: Critical Analysis

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Tim Burton’s Batman received a wide variety of reviews from critics and fans, alike. The majority of viewers enjoyed Burton’s take on the classic tale, while others did not appreciate the slight modifications on the original plot. A major difference Burton incorporated in the film was the overall dark tone, contrasting previous superhero movies. Unfortunately, this decision also brought Burton a lot of criticism; while many fans welcomed his new ideas, some did not like seeing Batman, a comic book hero, as the obscure man in a costume. Nevertheless, the film attracted millions of viewers because everyone was eager to see their childhood superhero in a movie that would surely become a blockbuster. After over 20 years since the last Batman movie, many fans had reached the target age of Burton’s film after growing up reading the Batman comics. Though some would be disappointed by certain music choices or the weak plot, popular opinion deemed Batman a success; Jack Nicholson’s performance along with the film’s production design blew viewers away, creating one of Burton’s many unforgettable movies.
The plot seemed to be an issue for Burton. When later asked about the final production, Burton remarked, “the whole movie is mainly boring to [him],” as it “was more of a cultural phenomenon” than a great piece of art (“Batman (1989 film)”). Burton has proven to be one “who cares very little about script and very much about visual expressionism” because he is able to convey his own vision more through art and design than through dialogue (Rickey). Also, unlike most movies, Burton already had a storyboard to create his movie due to the existing plot of Batman from the comic books. His own recognition of the hackneyed, slow-paced plot demons...

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...“Batman (1989 film)”). Directing a movie based off of a child’s comic book for adult audiences would be a very difficult task and Burton chooses to tackle this challenge by making the hero a shadowy figure instead of the fake, childhood superhuman. Given the numerous positive and groundbreaking aspects of Batman, audiences generally agree on the movie’s success, regarding his work as “probably the best film of the year” (Rickey).

Bibliography
“Batman (1989 film).” Wikipedia. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Nov. 2013.
Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

“Batman in film.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Nov. 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Hinson, Hal. “’Batman.’” Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 23 June
1989. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

Rickey, Carrie. “’Batman’ Takes Good Vs. Evil Under Its Wings.” Philly. The Inquirer,
23 June 1989. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

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