Returns 4/4. Burton’s best film is a dark, haunted and brooding masterpiece of psychological deformities amidst a Christmas card from hell. Seen on the big screen it finally is able to not look like video. IMHO the final moment of Bruce in the snow is arguably the greatest moment in all the Bat-films.

Tied is Mask of the Phantasm which I still remember seeing in the big old style thx auditorium practically empty as a child. Timm and co. so understood and revered the character that they made the definitive adaptation and should do so again. The only issue is that MotP can’t overcome that it was intended for video originally and the storyline is heavily compressed thus making it rather obvious. But even in spite of this, you get that feeling deep down in your chest that Batman is real for the runtime. The
Emotional arc is as good as a classical noir. Conroy as Batman and Mark Hammill as Joker are on the level of the great Shakespearians. 4/4.

Batman '89. The flaw here is that the film fights itself. It deviates continually between being a batman adaptation and being a 80’s corporate pleaser. Burton’s vision does start to shine through though and best of all is the massive story subtext throughout that gives the impression of a larger scope and world just as in the comics. It may not be perfect but it is a classic of its kind and indefinitely quotable. My only dislikes are the Joker being the killer of the Waynes as it is merely too convenient, killing off Joker, that Jack is essentially playing himself, the Prince songs poorly shoved in and Kim Basinger but she can’t really be at fault as she was a last minute substitution and they kept tweaking the script during production. 3.5/4.
Forever. Had it not been for WB nearly ruining the film just before release by having idiots stupidly restructure the entire opening third and excising over 25 minutes containing all subplots, no one would hate it like they do. Had it been released as intended it would be a great comic book film with some issues like 89 was. Kilmer is excellent but again you’re only seeing a fraction of his character arc. The big issues are the villains: one miscast and one at his box office peak. They use the same technique as Joker’s plan and arc in 89, and it gets really tiring. The darker Burton proposed B3 would have had a better Riddler in Robin Williams, but Carrey is not bad. It’s just that he’s playing his shtick on top of doing Frank Gorshin’s Riddler from the TV series.
I stick up for this film all the time because no one really gives it a fair shake. I think it is similar to Superman II in that it is forever compromised by the production meddling and damaging the original intent. Reading the original script and novelization shows it was a far better film as originally intended.
3/4.
Batman: the Movie
Basically the ultimate super episode of the tv series. All the regular villains united with an expanded production budget. It has charm, wit and is for the most part just like the then current comics of the 60’s with a slightly tongue in cheek approach. 3/4.
Batman Begins. I was shocked at how well this worked when it came out but in hindsight it is a bit short on story due to needing to cover the origin and the stylistic approach. But once you read the novelization by legend Dennis O’Neal you see how much better it could have been.
Movie: 3/4. Novelization: at least 3.5/4.
Batman and Robin
Terrible because the studio rushed the production and made everyone work around the merchandisers. Because the script wasn’t worked out they had to go at it sporadically and pump up all the comic aspects in desperation. It is quite bad and hard to sit through because it is so groan inducing and frankly boring. But I prefer to endure this than the next two entries. 1.5/4.
TDK
It feels like a strange hybrid of The Long Halloween and HEAT. The latter was the primary inspiration and when you base a film around one which is already fundamentally broken you are setting yourself up for failure. The film’s logic is frequently in question and to be honest it wears out its welcome far too early. I think it’s too problematic for its own good. It tried to take too many great elements from Batman comic arcs and shove them into a “super dark and ultra serious” narrative. It just doesn’t work.
1.5/4.
TDKR
The primary reason for this being last is that it magnifies all my problems with TDK, but also that it is far too long, shamelessly and poorly rips off Knightfall and No Man’s Land, is completely ridiculous…but most of all has an ending that tried to completely undo the whole meaning of the character!!! There is no winning, there is no happy ending, there is no solace for Bruce…EVER!!! What in the name of all that is conceivable WERE THEY THINKING???
And it didn’t help that the 65mm IMAX wasn’t worth much.
1/2/4. The more you think about it the angrier you get.

ALL of them need new and accurate transfers. All have bad and outdated ones and poor remixes sound on the older films. Get with it WB!! The Superman films have a similar fate despite the remastered BDs. Fox totally outdid you with their HD release of the 66 film!