| Review:
|
The Batman Anthology includes Batman (1989 film), Batman
Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman and Robin. The first
two films are directed by Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Corpse
Bride), the latter two by Joel Schumacher (St. Elmo’s Fire.)
Stars of the films include Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice),
Val Kilmer (Top Gun), George Clooney, Jack Nicholson (Chinatown),
Jack Palance (Shane), William Hootkins (Star Wars), Kim
Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Billy Dee Williams (Empire Strikes
Back), Danny DeVito (Matilda), Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher
Walken (The Deer Hunter), Pat Hingle (Hang ‘Em High), Michael
Gough, Tommy Lee Jones (No Country For Old Men), Nicole
Kidman (Eyes Wide Shut), Jim Carrey (Dumb and Dumber), Drew
Barrymore, Chris O’Donnell (Scent of a Woman), Uma Thurman
(Kill Bill), and Arnold Schwarzenegger (the Terminator.)
The musical scores for the first two films are composed
by Danny Elfman (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Spider-Man), and
the ones for the latter two films are composed by Eliot
Goldenthal. ***
For years, the campy sixties image of the television
Batman series tarnished the good name of the dark, atmospheric
comic book saga that had inspired it. And for years after
that, there was want for a dark Batman film that stayed
true to the character’s comic origins. After being in development
hell for nearly a decade, Tim Burton took the directorial
reins and made the film so many had strived for, for so
long. The follow-up, Batman Returns, was even darker and
more atmospheric, but still gained good feedback. *** Joel
Schumacher took over the franchise with Batman Forever,
which received more mixed reviews, but ultimately still
maintained favor with a lot of long-time fans of the Batman
franchise. Unfortunately, his second effort in the series,
Ba tman and Robin, was universally maligned. Following its
failure at the box office, the fifth movie in the series
was cancelled. It wouldn’t be until 2005 that another Batman
movie would see the light of day. This set chronicles the
rise and fall of Burton and Schumacher’s Batman series.
***
First in the set is the 1989 Batman film. Michael Keaton
stars as Batman, with his primary nemesis being the Joker,
portrayed masterfully by the legendary Jack Nicholson. The
plot involves Bruce Wayne/Batman dealing with crime in Gotham
City, and coping with tragedies of his past as he falls
for a reporter investigating, of all things, Batman. Following
a near-fatal accident, criminal Jack Napier dons the alias
of the Joker and takes over the largest local crime organization.
It’s up to Batman to put a stop to the Joker’s schemes,
which include tainted chemicals in household products and
nerve-gassing the city. This is by far the best film in
this set, with beautiful performances from the entire cast,
including an all-too-often overlooked performance from the
late Pat Hingle (may he rest in peace) as Commissioner Gordon.
This is Batman the way it was meant to be experienced –
dark and moody, but with plenty of action and just enough
of the Tim Burton touch to keep in interesting. ***
Batman Returns comes next, with Keaton reprising the
role of the Dark Knight. This time around, he is pitted
against the Penguin, a freakish human played by Danny DeVito,
who has joined forces with a local industrialist portrayed
by Christopher Walken. Batman’s reputation in Gotham isn’t
exactly a whole lot better than the foes he thrashes, and
the devious twosome sets up a plan to frame the Bat. Bruce
Wayne’s troubles are only increased by the arrival of a
third villain, Catwoman, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who
acts as a vigilante of sorts. Now the Bat has to fight a
battle on two fronts. While my opinion may be in the minority,
this is actually one of my least favorite films in the Batman
series. It’s more Burton’s film than Batman’s, and the whole
thing reeks of it from start to finish. There are some classic
scenes, but this is p roof that darker isn’t always better.
Burton had it right the first time, and this is what happens
when one man gets too much creative control on a project.
Still, it’s a pretty good film and I’m certainly not complaining.
***
Third is Batman Forever. Gone are Tim Burton (though
he was a producer here) and Michael Keaton, in come Joel
Schumacher and Val Kilmer. Two-Face, played here by Tommy
Lee Jones, is a schizophrenic terror who was once Gotham’s
valiant district attorney, and has escaped from Arkham Asylum.
He joins forces with The Riddler, a disgruntled former Wayne
Enterprises employee played by Jim Carrey. With Two-Face’s
gangs and weapons, and technology the Riddler has invented
to invade human minds and steal their knowledge, the Dark
Knight has his work cut out for him. But help comes in two
new sources – Robin, a young sidekick played by Chris O’Donnell,
whose family was killed by Two-Face, and Dr. Chase Meridian,
played by Nicole Kidman, whose psychological knowledge can
aid Batman/Bruce Wayne when dealing with two of the strangest
adversaries he has faced to date. After the dismal Batman
Returns, which was too much Burton’s movie, this was just
the return to normalcy the series needed. The action is
back, and the production values skyrocketed. It’s a great-looking
film with some of the best action scenes in the series.
Only the 1989 film bests it (in terms of films from the
Burton/Schumacher series.) ***
Closing out the set is Batman and Robin. Batman is now
played by George Clooney, and still adjusting to life with
a sidekick. Gotham can never catch a break, and this time
is no exception. Dr. Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze, played by
Arnold Schwarzenegger, is out to put Gotham City in a never-ending
winter to fulfill a more personal mission. Teaming up with
him is P oison Ivy, a mysterious woman who thinks it’s time
for plants to rule the world. With these new threats in
place, it’s up to the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder to
set things right. This film received a ton of negative reviews,
and was rightfully lambasted for being too campy compared
to the entries before. It’s got a big budget and is a great-looking
film, but there’s nothing beyond the looks here. Shallow
and campy, it’s by far the weakest link in the set. Not
as bad as people say it is, but definitely the worst thing
the Burton/Schumacher series produced. ***
All in all, you get four films here, and depending
on your personal opinion, that’s at least 2-3 that are well
worth your time. There’s a lot of entertainment to be had
here, and while these movies don’t by any means top the
recent Christopher Nolan series, they are an important part
of the Batman franchise. Any fan of the Caped Crusader would
be wise to add this set to their collection. ***
As a final note, these films are only being released
in a set – NOT separately (an increasingly-frustrating trend
for us Blu-Ray player owners.) However, an anniversary collectors
book edition of the first film will be released in May.
Additionally, all four films ARE available sold separately
as European region imports – and they will play fine in
your domestic player. ---
Image and Sound: Wow. The presentations of these films
on Blu-Ray are, in a word, INCREDIBLE. Naturally, the more
recent ones are the best-looking of the bunch. But all three
exhibit greatly-increased detail over their DVD counterparts,
with a smooth, beautiful visual transfer free of any annoying
visual defects. Equally praiseworthy is the lossless audio.
These versions of the movies will rock your speakers like
no others have before. The Burton-Schumacher Batman franchise
has never looked or sounded better – and likely never will
in our lifetime.
|
