History YMMV / Batman1989

** Jack Napier killing Bruce's parents as opposed to Joe Chill. Some like this change and think it adds [[ItsPersonal a more personal level to the Batman/Joker dynamic]] (Creator/BobKane not only loved the idea, but wished he'd come up with it himself). Others dislike it for effectively turning Batman's arc into a revenge story against one man, as opposed to crime as a whole as symbolized by a faceless mugger.

** Jack Napier killing Bruce's parents as opposed to Joe Chill. Some like this change and think it adds [[ItsPersonal a more personal level to the Batman/Joker dynamic]] (Creator/BobKane not only loved the idea, but wished he'd come up with it himself). Others, like [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]], dislike it for effectively turning Batman's arc into a revenge story against one man, as opposed to crime as a whole as symbolized by a faceless mugger.

* AwardSnub: Anton Furst during his acceptance speech chided the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy]] for not nominating Creator/JackNicholson's role as The Joker, though he did receive a MediaNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination. Became HilariousInHindsight 19 years later, when Creator/HeathLedger won a posthumous one for the same role in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. Followed by Creator/JoaquinPhoenix winning Best Actor for ''Film/Joker2019'' 11 years later! For that matter, Music/DannyElfman's score wasn't nominated, nor were any of the songs by Music/{{Prince}}.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** How much did Joker want to take over from Carl Grissom? While he did kill the man, he seems to have been motivated by {{revenge}}, with him filling his former boss's shoes as an afterthought. On the other hand, some of his comments as Napier seemed to imply that he wanted to be Grissom's successor, which should mean either he was planning a coup or simply expected the aging Grissom to die of natural causes.
** Was Jack Napier (being Mr. Vanity that he was) genuinely reluctant to take over the raid on Axis Chemicals, or was it a SecretTestOfCharacter on Grissom's part (as Napier was clearly suspicious of Grissom [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness asking him to take the job]], and was somehow aware that Grissom had set him up ''over a '''woman'''''), which the crime boss failed by ratting out his "number-one guy"?
** Did Batman drop Napier in to the chemicals because he recognized the man who killed his parents, or did he simply lose his grip? It should be noted that Napier had been holding his bloody face and his gloves were wet.

* AwardSnub: Anton Furst during his acceptance speech chided the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy]] for not nominating Creator/JackNicholson's role as The Joker, though he did receive a MediaNotes/GoldenGlobes nomination. Became HilariousInHindsight 19 years later, when Creator/HeathLedger won a posthumous one for the same role in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. Followed by Creator/JoaquinPhoenix winning Best Actor for ''Film/Joker2019'' 11 years later! For that matter, Music/DannyElfman's score wasn't nominated, nor were any of the songs by Music/{{Prince}}.

* AwardSnub: Anton Furst during his acceptance speech chided the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy]] for not nominating Creator/JackNicholson's role as The Joker. Became HilariousInHindsight 19 years later, when Creator/HeathLedger won a posthumous one for the same role in ''Film/TheDarkKnight''. Followed by Creator/JoaquinPhoenix winning Best Actor for ''Film/Joker2019'' 11 years later! For that matter, Music/DannyElfman's score wasn't nominated, nor were any of the songs by Music/{{Prince}}.

** Music/DannyElfman's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgpmdqUEQRM legendary theme]], which became instantly influential (see the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' theme). The theme became so iconic that it was even used in the trailers for ''Film/BatmanForever'' and ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' despite the fact that Elfman did not do the scores for those two films.

* CriticalDissonance: With a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics have a more divided reaction towards the film. Compare that to audiences who not only made it the second highest grossing film of the year[[note]]behind only ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', and while it lost to ''Last Crusade'' internationally, ''Batman'' actually beat it handily in the domestic North American box office[[/note]], but fondly regard it when it comes to superhero movies and film in general, some even regarding it as a favorite or the definitive Batman/Superhero film!

** Did Batman drop Napier in to the chemicals because he recognized the man who killed his parents, or did he simply lose his grip? It should be noted that Napier had been holding his bloody face and hid gloves were wet.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** The first film was unique and incredibly groundbreaking at the time. Comic book movies, and there weren't that many of them then, had never been so darkly elaborate before. It was also by far the darkest film take on Batman at the time. However, after both the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse take on the characters and the [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy Christopher Nolan reboot]] proved to be exceptional adaptations in their own right, ''and'' the lingering bad aftertaste of Schumacher's sequels tainted the series' reputation, it can be harder to appreciate the Burton films for what they were/are.
** Unlike ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'', this film forgoes showing a proper origin story [[BaitAndSwitch by opening with a family that looks like the Waynes being accosted by thugs before Batman enters and subdues the thugs]], and we get glimpses of the tragic evening that Bruce lost his parents through flashbacks, instead. Today, superhero backstories are more well-known to the point that many forgo featuring their origin stories entirely.

* MisaimedFandom: In an extremely rare case where a ''henchman'' received one, we have Bob the Goon, depicted here almost as Jack Napier's/The Joker's HeterosexualLifePartner and a sort of proto-Harley Quinn. Fans of the movie will often mention how much they love Bob, which is pretty strange as he doesn't do much that's noteworthy and in fact (except for Alicia) is the ''least'' dangerous member of the Joker's gang. It must be the look, as Bob ''does'' look like he could be [[CoolLoser the world's hippest slacker]]. Even portrayer Tracey Walter himself became enamored with the character, remarking in an interview that Bob's enthusiasm really shines through: "He admired what the Joker stood for." As if the Joker were ever anything more than a delusional psychopath, and [[spoiler:Bob is ''[[BadBoss executed]]'' because (or in spite of) his loyalty.]]

** Creator/PierceBrosnan was also approached for the role of Batman but declined, saying he didn't want to be in a comic-book movie. More than 30 years later he would play the role of ComicBook/DoctorFate (Kent Nelson) in the 2022 film Film/BlackAdam.

** Joker's parade and laughing gas attack, followed by Batman foiling it with the Batwing, which he then flies up above the clouds and rise up against the moon making it look like the Bat-Signal in an iconic MoneyMakingShot.

** Joker's parade and laughing gas attack, followed by Batman foiling it with the Batwing.

** Let's see, a famous ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Creator/BillyDeeWilliams cast member]] is cast in a Batman project that so happens to feature ComicBook/TheJoker. Where would we see [[Creator/MarkHamill that]] [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries later?]]

* HypeBacklash: While the film is not considered to be bad and is still highly respected for its impact on the superhero genre and Franchise/{{Batman}} as a whole, it has received more criticism in recent years from fans over elements such as the RomanticPlotTumor between Bruce and Vicki, the decision to have Batman seemingly kill people (deviating from the ThouShallNotKill rule he had in all comics after his first year of publication) and much of the screen time being dedicated to [[SpotlightStealingSquad The Joker]] instead of Batman, amongst other things. It doesn't help that several decades later, ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' and ''Film/{{The Batman|2022}}'' would be released, which have gone on to contest this film's long-standing status as the best live-action Batman film(s), due to being TruerToTheText to the comics (despite their AdaptationalMundanity).

** [[spoiler:Young Jack Napier]], in a flashback. [[spoiler:He even looks like the Joker [[http://i.imgur.com/3ZcbXV6.jpg without any makeup or prosthetics.]]]]

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/MichaelKeaton so thoroughly proved the naysayers wrong that, in hindsight, it's hard to remember just how bizarre it seemed at the time to cast a famously mild, unimposing comedic actor as a grim, Frank Miller-inspired version of Batman. Thousands of fans wrote letters to Creator/WarnerBrothers protesting the choice before the movie's release, and Keaton himself initially thought that his being cast for the part meant that the film would be taking its cues from the TV series.

* MisaimedFandom: In an extremely rare case where a ''henchman'' received one, we have Bob the Goon, depicted here almost as Jack Napier's/The Joker's HeterosexualLifePartner and a sort of proto-Harley Quinn. Fans of the movie will often mention how much they love Bob, which is pretty strange as he doesn't do much that's noteworthy and in fact (except for Alicia) is the ''least'' dangerous member of the Joker's gang. It must be the look, as Bob ''does'' look like he could be [[CoolLoser the world's hippest slacker]]. Even portrayer Tracey Walter himself became enamored with the character, remarking in an interview that Bob's enthusiasm really shines through: "He admired what the Joker stood for." As if the Joker were ever anything more than a delusional psychopath, not to mention that [[spoiler:Bob is ''[[BadBoss executed]]'' because (or in spite of) his loyalty.]]

* WTHCostumingDepartment: Lawrence, the large, bald individual of the Joker goon squad, wears [[ChristianityIsCatholic a Roman collar]] beneath his jacket.

*** Later, Creator/LiamNeeson, who played Qui-Gon Jinn in Film/ThePhantomMenace (first movie (1999) of Star Wars Prequel Trilogy), later played Creator/ChristianBale!Bruce Wayne/Batman's mentor and main enemy Ra's Al Ghul in "Batman Begins" (2006), directed by Creator/ChristopherEdwardNolan.

* HypeBacklash: While the film is not considered to be bad and is still highly respected for its impact on the superhero genre and Franchise/{{Batman}} as a whole, it has received more criticism in recent years from fans over elements such as the RomanticPlotTumor between Bruce and Vicki, the decision to have Batman seemingly kill people (deviating from the ThouShallNotKill rule he had in all comics after his first year of publication) and much of the screen time being dedicated to [[SpotlightStealingSquad The Joker]] instead of Batman, amongst other things. It doesn't help that several decades later, ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' and ''Film/{{The Batman|2022}} would be released, which have gone on to contest this film's long-standing status as the best live-action Batman film(s), due to being TruerToTheText to the comics (despite their AdaptationalMundanity).