Overview
A dark knight rises to challenge the chaos of a city plagued by crime and madness.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- eerie
- theatrical
- 1980s nostalgia night
- comic book movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as an eerie, haunting, visually striking piece of dark entertainment, though many felt the Joker overshadowed Batman.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gotham is defined by monumental architecture, darkness, theatrical lighting, and oppressive crime-ridden streets.
Bruce Wayne operates publicly as a billionaire while secretly functioning as Batman, and Vicki Vale investigates both personas.
The Joker combines elaborate public crimes, grotesque presentation, humor, and Jack Nicholson's deliberately outsized performance.
The film centers on organized crime, corruption, a vigilante investigator, a reporter, and a nocturnal cityscape.
Films like Batman, and why
The Dark Knight
dark superhero spectacle, gothic production design, vigilante justice, and a psychologically theatrical villain
Dick Tracy
stylized comic book crime drama blending urban corruption, dual identity, and heightened villainy
Batman Returns
gothic atmosphere, eccentric antagonism, brooding heroism, and Burtonesque visual fantasy
The Shadow
neo-noir crime thriller with a masked vigilante, organized crime, and heightened comic-book style
Movie Details
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Release Date
- 1989-06-21
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (8832)
Cast
- Michael Keaton
- Jack Nicholson
- Kim Basinger
- Robert Wuhl
- Pat Hingle
- Billy Dee Williams
- Michael Gough
- Jack Palance
- Jerry Hall
- Tracey Walter
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Batman about?
- In Tim Burton’s gothic reinvention, a masked vigilante confronts a flamboyant criminal mastermind whose rise transforms Gotham into a nightmare spectacle.
- What is Batman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Batman as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Batman violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Batman as moderate.
- What did critics think of Batman?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as an eerie, haunting, visually striking piece of dark entertainment, though many felt the Joker overshadowed Batman.
- Which films are like Batman?
- Films with a similar feel include The Dark Knight, Dick Tracy, Batman Returns, and The Shadow.
- How long is Batman?
- Batman runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch Batman?
- In United States, Batman streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
