No live-action movie about Batman has ever eased us into the world as gracefully as Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster “Batman.” The opening credits sequence alone is enough to get anyone ready for the adventure about to unfold — Danny Elfman’s dark, moody, and thrilling score sweeps you up, out of your chair, and carries you away to Gotham City on bat wings.
We then get our first shot at the city, and it is a marvelous, chaotic nightmare. There are glimpses to its former glory, but it’s taken over by filth and grime. As a family tries to navigate these dangerous streets, we think we’re about to witness the origin of Batman, but a shadowy figure watching from above shows us just how wrong we are.
Aside from the incredible music, the reveal of Batman is gripping. He is a creature of the shadows that punishes criminals as much as he terrifies them. He moves with an inhuman demeanor, using the dim lighting to his advantage. Then, the moment that brings it all home is when Bats looks the criminal in his desperate face and declares with a whisper, “I’m Batman.”
With the delivery of that line, you know everything you need to in order to enjoy the rest of the movie.