Batman (1989)

So far as I can tell all that sustains this film is childhood nostalgia of people who saw it when it came out.

What does this have going for it? Nothing really. Keaton is unbelievably boring. Nicholson is just playing Nicholson and seems to be having too whole much fun doing so. The "atmosphere" is cheap and shallow. The pacing is horrible. For a film that tries to go for this edgy and creepy feel, it just comes off as goofy and lazy. Any legacy that this film claims to have should be entirely erased by the success of Nolan's Batmans 20 years later. This doesn't seem particularly significant in Burton's filmography as he would go on to take more artistic risks with Edward Scissorhands the following year although still unfortunately falling into commercial pitfalls. His true masterpiece would come 4 years later with the terrific Ed Wood. So reader, don't waste your time with this.