Justice is always Darkest before the Dawn.

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, Jack Palance

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Batman... Batman... Can somebody tell me what kind of a world we live in, where a man dressed up as a bat gets all of my press? This town needs an enema!" - The Joker

Why watch this? This is the OG Batman. Keaton. Nicholson. "I'm Batman". It's all here.

Plot Summary: Set in Gotham City, the story centers on billionaire Bruce Wayne secretly operating as the masked vigilante Batman, combating rising crime. He confronts a dangerous criminal who transforms into the clownishly maniacal Joker, posing a major threat to the city. Batman must face this new nemesis while dealing with his own past and protecting a persistent reporter, Vicki Vale.

Dad's Preview: After the success of the Superman films, audiences had high expectations for Tim Burton's Batman. I was leery when comedian Michael Keaton was cast in the lead (and I am normally a Keaton fan). Regardless, I took a half day off and saw the film on its opening day. I must say I enjoyed it! It is dark and brooding, which is true to Gotham's hero in comics. Keaton is fine as Bruce Wayne, but it's Jack Nicholson who steals every scene as the insane, unpredictable Joker. This same cast would return for an above average sequel, Batman Returns (1992).

Warner Bros, Guber-Peters Company, PolyGram Pictures; Warner Bros.