Beneath the bat-cape - he's all man!
Batman: The Movie is a 1966 superhero comedy film directed by Leslie H. Martinson, written by Lorenzo Semple Jr., produced by William Dozier Productions and Greenlawn Productions, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film is based on various Batman comics by Bill Finger and Bob Kane. It stars Adam West and Burt Ward. It was not nominated for any Academy Awards. This is the first film in the Batman franchise as well as a continuation of the Batman TV series. It was followed by Batman.
"Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb!" - Batman
Plot
When the Penguin assembles a dangerous alliance with the Joker, the Riddler, and Catwoman, Batman and Robin must face the ultimate test and save the world from the vile villains.
The Best Part of Batman: The Movie
What I enjoy about this movie is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It is a continuation of the classic Adam West TV series. In a world where we are about to get a version of Batman that looks extremely dark and gritty, this take on the caped crusader is fun and campy. It isn't really true to the comics or the character, but it works on its own. Batman Forever and Batman & Robin are both cheesy, but in a bad way. This film is cheesy in a good way. It has the 60s charm. It has fun villains and situations. And I enjoy it for what it is.
The Worst Part of Batman: The Movie
While I praise the campiness of the film, it also won't work for some people. It doesn't completely work for me either. I appreciate that it's funny and silly. But I like dark Batman a lot more than funny Batman. This is a character whose parents were murdered in front of his eyes as a child. He's not really meant for stuff like this. I forgive this film for being campy, because it is a continuation of the TV show which maintains that tone, but in a franchise that has The Dark Knight and The Batman, this feels out of place. It feels like a TV movie. And it kind of is.
Why I Sit Right in the Middle for Batman: The Movie
Like I said: this film is not like other Batman adaptations. It isn't dark. It's isn't brooding. It's slapstick. It's cheesy. And that's a good thing. But it's also a bad thing. That makes it balance out, so I feel pretty mixed on the film overall. Of course, it's an entertaining movie. I think that the villains are fun. You don't really ever see Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman share the screen, but they do here. I actually very much appreciate that we get a villainous version of Catwoman here, which we barely ever get. So there's stuff to like. But the cheese feels dated when you think of stuff like Batman Returns and The Dark Knight.
Final Score
I'm so dead in the middle on this film. I don't like it. I don't dislike it. I have no feeling towards it. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. But I am really indifferent to it. I don't really think of it when I think of Batman or Batman movies. The best of Batman is nowhere near this point. So, yeah. Those are my thoughts.
I'll go Savory here, though. Age range is 4+.
SWEET N' SOUR SCALE
Sweet (Great) Savory (Good)
Sour (Bad)
Moldy (Terrible)
"Batman: The Movie"
Fun Factor: 6.5/10
Acting: 7/10
Characters: 6/10
Story: 5.5/10
Quality: 6/10
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Rated PG for superhero violence and action
Released on July 30, 1966
1 hour and 44 minutes
Adam West as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Burt Ward as Dick Grayson / Robin
Burgess Meredith as Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin
Lee Meriwether as Selina Kyle / Catwoman
Cesar Romero as The Joker
Frank Gorshin as Edward Nigma / The Riddler
Alan Napier as Alfred Pennyworth
Neil Hamilton as Commissioner James Gordon