By Michael Doran, & Newsrama Staff
posted: 26 November 2008 01:03 pm ET
9. Batman (1989)
Studio: Warner Bros. Director: Tim Burton. Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger.
What Makes It Great:
Almost lost in the wash between the triumph of Christopher Nolan's latest two Batman epics (more on those later) and the stink of the two near franchise-killing Joel Schumacher entries is the fact that Tim Burton's
first effort in '89 is a darn good movie and was
the box office phenomena of its time.
Though now dated slightly by the back-lot exterior sets, the by-now way too familiar Danny Elfman score, and the heavy-handed inclusion of Prince songs (what the hell was that about?), Michael Keaton's Batman was a surprising but highly credible one, and Jack Nicholson's the Joker was a sensation.
And the film had a high bar to clear in its day. True-blue comic book fans were still newly basking in the glow of the original publication of perhaps
the two definitive contemporary Batman stories, Frank Miller's "
The Dark Knight Returns" (1986) and Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" (1988).
Stand-Out Scene:
Nicholson's presumably improvisational moment of making peculiar random noises to no one in particular before cracking up in the character's famous maniacal cackle.
3.) The Dark Knight (2008)
Studio: Warner Bros. Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart.
What Makes It Great:
Perhaps one of the best reviewed comic book movies of all time, and certainly the most financially successful, a strong argument could be made to place "Dark Knight" in the top spot. But the reasons for its third place standing have more to do with the strengths of the Top 2 entries than any weakness on its own part.
It goes almost without saying Heath Ledger's final, transformative performance as the Joker is "The Dark Knight's" calling card. Nicholson's Joker was still very much Nicholson. Ledger disappeared into the role and completely made the 70 year-old character entirely his own.
The super-solid story, direction, and performances of the original mostly simply carry over here, although special mention also goes to Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon. While a small handful of actors in Nolan's two efforts received higher billing than the veteran character actor, he's the glue that holds them together.
Stand-Out Scene: With all due respect to Bale, Cain, Eckhart, et al, pretty much any scene Ledger is in, including the inventive bank robbery opening sequence.
1.) Batman Begins (2005)
Studio: Warner Bros. Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes.
What Makes It the Best Comic Book Based Movie of All Time:
Okay, so why "Batman Begins" over "The Dark Knight", when the latter has all the Academy buzz and box office clout? By re-invoking the "groundbreaking" rule one last time (a decision we can maybe revisit if "Dark Knight" takes home some of those Oscars). And what ground did "Batman Begins" break? It was the first comic book
superhero movie that didn't play like a comic book superhero movie.
Executed almost entirely without even a trace of camp, "Begins" runs over an hour before a costumed Batman makes a first appearance, yet even the most hardcore comic book fan couldn't complain. Almost more "Bourne" than Batman, "Begins" opened the comic book-superhero genre to not necessarily a bigger audience, but definitely a broader one.
Need proof?
Consider "Batman Begins" made $205 million in its theatrical life, compared with "Dark Knight's" $530 million. While
some of the sequel's strikingly superior box office performance can be attributed to the aforementioned Ledger-factor, much of the credit should also go to the then Bat-weary audience "Begins" actually drew to the franchise over the three years in-between on DVD, Pay-Per-View, and cable - a home video audience so enthralled they were motivated to go see the sequel at the theater.
Ledger or not, "The Dark Knight" was always poised to be a monster hit because of "Batman Begins" post-box office trailblazing.
Stand-Out Scene:
Christian Bale claiming the Batman role as wholly his own with his growling, high-wire interrogation of Flass, or the artfully directed Batmobile car chase, one of best put on film since the car chase heyday of the 70's.
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