Batman Pics

Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance. The film, in which Batman deals with the rise of a costumed criminal known as "The Joker", is the first installment of Warner Bros.' Batman film series.

As a child, billionaire Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) sees his parents murdered and therefore vows to avenge their deaths in a lifelong battle against crime as the costumed vigilante Batman while concealing his secret identity behind his playboy image. By the time he begins his career as Gotham City's protector, the city is controlled by crime boss Carl Grissom (Jack Palance), and his sadistic second in command, Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson). Newly elected district attorney Harvey Dent (Billy Dee Williams) in a victory speech attended by Gotham's mayor and police commissioner James Gordon (Pat Hingle) declares that he will crack down on organized crime, including raiding their syndicate businesses. In spite of Gordon's efforts, the Gotham police department remains corrupt with agents of Grissom within the police, such as Lieutenant Eckhardt (William Hootkins).

Napier, who is having an affair with Grissom's mistress Alicia (Jerry Hall), plots to replace Grissom as head of the crime syndicate. Following threats from Napier, Eckhardt tells Grissom about Napier's affair with Alicia. After the police raid his businesses, Grissom tells Napier that he needs him to personally lead an operation to remove incriminating records stored at the office of his Axis Chemicals plant, which produces toxic industrial chemicals.

Reporter Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) and photo-journalist Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) begin investigating the rumors of Batman, seen as a shadowy crimefighter terrorizing the city's criminals by night. Vicki and Knox attend a benefit at Wayne Manor, where Bruce is taken by Vicki's charms. Gordon, also attending the benefit, is informed that the police have received an anonymous tip (from Grissom himself) that Napier is cleaning out Axis Chemicals. Gordon is angry at not having been informed, and when he is told that Eckhardt is leading the police raid against Napier, he realizes that Grissom has sent Eckhardt to kill Napier.

At the Axis Chemicals plant, Eckhardt's police arrive with orders to "shoot to kill" Napier, but Gordon arrives and orders all officers to take Napier alive, all while Napier and his goons raid the plant's office looking for the incriminating records. When they find none, Napier realizes that he has been set up and he and his goons attempt to escape the building but are quickly drawn into a gunfight with Eckhardt's men. In the midst of the resulting gunfight, Batman arrives and attacks Napier's henchmen. Napier fires at Batman, who deflects the bullet, which ricochets and strikes Napier in the face. Napier staggers over a railing and falls into a large vat of chemical waste, which is flushed out of the plant with Napier still in it, left for dead. He emerges from a catch basin, his skin bleached white, his hair bright green, and his lips bright red. Following an attempt at plastic surgery to repair his face, the plastic surgeon is horrified to discover that Napier has a permanent rictus grin, which he tells Napier could have been caused by the fact that his face had to be massively reconstructed as his nerves had been completely severed. Napier reacts by laughing hysterically. He renames himself "the Joker", kills Grissom, and quickly kills off his rivals in the crime syndicate and takes control of the organization.

Thereafter, the Joker terrorizes the city by using chemicals to alter everyday hygiene products, that in a certain combination cause its victims to die while laughing hysterically and leaving them with a post-mortem rictus grin resembling his own. He also becomes infatuated with Vicki and pursues h