Batman v. Joker

It was nearly 20 years ago when I giddily gathered with my closest friends to see Michael Keaton portray Batman as he fought to protect Gotham from the maniacal attentions of a certain hysterical, painted predator. Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale (where HAS Vicki gone?), and Michael Keaton. In retrospect I wonder Really? Michael Keaton? Mr. Mom? Beetlejuice? But I bought it hook, line and sinker. Loved it. Loved Prince's "Batman" song. It was all very campy and Jack Nicholson as a crazy bastard is wholly believable, right? And entertaining to the nth degree.


Up until about a year ago when I Netflixed "Batman Begins" I had been thoroughly disappointed in every iteration Hollywood had thrown at us since that 1989 version. Val Kilmer couldn't carry it. And George Clooney's is a great doctor / lawyer / suave casino criminal, but he's just NOT Batman.


But Christian Bale? He IS The Batman. And Heath Ledger as The Joker? Not merely a wacky, fun-loving, murderous crazy man. But a darkly sad, sociopathic maniac. I was skeptical going in, assuming the critics and reviews were cutting some posthumous slack to the late Heath. But he had me from his first murderous magic trick (Remember?? "Wanna see me make this pencil disappear??" - eeeek!).


Suffice it to say that it was a thoroughly entertaining movie that I watched with rapt attention, oftentimes peeking through covered eyes, with mouth agape, figuratively biting my nails to the quick. imdb.com has more than 91,000 voters giving it an average of 9.5 stars. That is the highest rating of any movie on the site.

It was pretty darn good.