James Gunn, who is accustomed to criticism, is being criticized once more for his ideas on Batman 1989. (james gunn batman begins)
Since he brought The Guardians of the Galaxy to the big screen in 2014—a bottom-of-the-barrel team that only comic book fans knew about—and the film’s subsequent success, James Gunn’s profile has grown and decreased. Fans immediately trusted him with their favorite characters and demanded more, which allowed him to helm the sequel and set him up for writing and directing the third and final Guardians of the Galaxy film. That is, until some offensive tweets from the director surfaced, which led Disney to sever ties with the director.
After writing and directing a few films for Marvel’s arch rival, DC, Disney invited the Guardians of the Galaxy director back to complete what he started before bringing him back to DC permanently. Now that Gunn is back in the spotlight, it is because of his remarks regarding the greatest detective in the world—more precisely, Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film. Granted, Batman fans do not usually take criticism well, so it is unfortunate that Gunn’s remarks coincide with his responsibility for upcoming Batman films, but he is not entirely out of pocket.
James Gunn’s Previous Remarks Regarding Batman (1989)
James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, seems to have little taste for Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film, which starred Michael Keaton. The director has some harsh things to say about the 1980s comic book film in some resurfaced Facebook comments. The context of his remarks is a little unclear because the screenshots do not show the original post that he is replying to, but that does not really change anything. In his first comment, the director writes:
Keaton’s voice was absurd, but I would rather put up with that than terrible action scenes and acting that was hardly fit for a TV show about Batman.
The second half of Gunn’s reply states: It is obvious that this is a response to a comparison of Christian Bale’s much criticized voice that he employed for his portrayal of Batman.
I do not know how you can possibly believe that the Burton Batman is more similar to the Batman (and Joker) from Moore or Miller than the Batman from Nolan. Now, listen, I have issues with both of Nolan’s films; I do not think either is a masterpiece, and I do not even think Batman Begins is that good. But they are both far better than the original Batman.
Someone seems to be debating whether or not Burton’s Batman is better than Nolan’s, or whether Keaton portrayed a better Batman than Bale, soon after the publication of The Dark Knight.
None of your arguments can overcome the reality that the film is terrible, even though it is the first dark cinematic interpretation of Batman (so what? Stallone’s Judge Dredd was the first dark interpretation of Judge Dredd).
The last and harshest criticism of Burton’s picture is offered by Gunn, who also asserted that Jack Nicholson was just a clown version of his character from The Shining and asked why he felt the need to drag Judge Dredd into this.
The Tim Burton Batman is a ridiculous, terrible movie; the soundtrack is the worst work ever done by all the people involved, and it is unquestionably one of the most boring ever made. To make matters worse, the reveal that the Joker is the person who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents nullifies the character’s inherent thirst for vengeance and spits in the face of the superhero’s origin story. It may not seem campy at all, but it is. And to top it all off, the dark creature of the night can not even move his *** neck? Give me a *** break.
James Gunn Has the Right to Express His Views | james gunn batman begins
It is impossible to get a whole audience to agree on anything, let alone a consensus about movies, TV shows, or comic book storylines; for instance, a sizable portion of fans enjoyed Spider-Man’s “One More Day” story. At least James Gunn backs up his opinions with examples, which is a lost art these days among most social media users.
Gunn’s previous remarks have caused some fans to lose faith in him as co-CEO of DC Studios, but if anything, they should increase it. He is a passionate and critical moviegoer, and his remarks demonstrate his desire for the best possible experience for viewers. Having someone who can point out the shortcomings in movies in charge of a cinematic universe is preferable to having someone who just follows the herd. Someone who deviates from the norm is precisely what DC movies need.
James Gunn Is not Always Correct Regarding Batman
It is hard for fans to hear, but Gunn makes some valid points in his decade-old comments. Keaton did have an equally ridiculous Batman voice as Bale. There is no denying the significant role Batman ’89 played in many childhoods, creating lifelong fans of the character. Before Burton put Michael Keaton in that suit, there was not a serious take of the character on either the silver or small screen. Lewis Wilson, Robert Lowry, and Adam West’s iterations were all campy takes, a far cry from the Batman fans know and love today.
Besides, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker was unmemorable—his character was named Jack—and while it is acceptable to appreciate his interpretation of the role out of nostalgia, it pales in comparison to Heath Ledger’s or Mark Hamill’s.
It is arguable (which is what opinions are) that fans can say the same about Joe Chill in Batman Begins, but that is a flawed argument; Bruce did not kill Joe Chill, refusing him any personal resolution; second, Nolan’s film effectively explains why Bruce continues his crusade. Gunn’s also not wrong about Joker killing Bruce’s parents nullifying “the bottomless thirst for vengeance that necessarily drives Batman” because Batman kills Joker by the end of the movie. He finishes his job at that point.
Batman’s action sequences paled in comparison to those of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight; they did not showcase Bruce Wayne as the master martial artist that he should be, and Keaton’s inability to move his neck made his movements appear awkward. Additionally, there was a noticeable campiness that permeated every scene, but that is characteristic of Burton’s work.
It is crucial to remember that Gunn went out of his way to appear edgy back in the day, and if he were to offer his view on the topic now, he would be more diplomatic. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Gunn’s opinion of the movie is not as far off target as social media is making it out to be.