10 Best Live-Action Batman Characters (Who Aren't The Dark Knight)
3. The Joker - Batman (1989)
Jack Nicholsons version of the Joker is camp on all fronts. He may be ludicrous, he may be goofy but damn it, hes so amusing! Theres not a whole lot of depth to the character in Tim Burtons film despite the sheer amount of screen time he receives, but that doesnt stop Nicholson from owning every moment of it. Much like the comics, Joker works best because viewers cant help but laugh even when they know they shouldnt, whether its because his jokes are purposely awful or because what he says strikingly contrasts against something horrible that hes doing. There are many people to this day who still decry the reveal that he was responsible for murdering Bruce Waynes parents instead of Joe Chill, but taken as a slice of creative liberty, it ultimately works for the films literal presentation of both the Batman and Joker personas as having been born of one another. While many have and will continue to argue about how well the film has aged in the 25 years since its release, its hard not to re-watch it and relish every second Nicholson hogs the screen. For what he lacks in depth compared to other characters across the franchise, he more than makes up for in entertainment value.
Writer, film enthusiast, part-time gamer and watcher of (mostly) good television located on the fringe of Los Angeles, who now has his own website at www.highdefgeoff.com!
