Batman (film)

**Batman** is a 2008 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is the first main installment in the DC Cinematic Universe and the first installment of Phase One.

It was directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Ben Affleck, Jason Statham, Bryce Dallas Howard, Scott Glenn, Matt Bomer, Stephen Dorff, Keira Knightley, J.K. Simmons, Jeff Bridges, and John Travolta. The film was released on May 16, 2008 and grossed $419.7 million on a $140 million budget. The film ran 126 minutes and received critical acclaim.

## Plot

In a flashback to 1988, ten-year-old Bruce Wayne witnesses his parents Thomas and Martha Wayne murdered in a mugging. Bruce is raised by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and inherits his father's billionaire dollar company, Wayne Enterprises. Ten years later, Bruce leaves to travel the world and train in combat. Returning five years later, Bruce uses his newfound skills to fight injustice in Gotham, becoming a vigilante known as Batman, who the police despise. Bruce operates as Batman for five years up until present day. Bruce keeps his secret identity hidden and while at a charity gala, meets Vicki Vale, a journalist obsessed with uncovering who Batman truly is. Because Alfred is the only one who knows Bruce's identity as Batman, he warns Bruce against starting a relationship with Vicki, but he does so anyway.

Gotham City Detective Jim Gordon is one of the few lawmen who allows Batman to do his own thing, along with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Dr. Edward Nygma. Gordon's boss, Commissioner Gillian Loeb orders all cops to hunt Batman and turn him in. Jim's daughter, Barbara, also likes Batman. Joe Chill is a small-time thug doing work for crime boss Carmine Falcone to support his pregnant wife. However, when Chill accidentally leads to one of Falcone's prized assailant's death, Falcone has his wife killed. Chill goes insane and prepares to kill himself by jumping into a vat of acid in Ace Chemicals, where he worked. However, Falcone shows up to kill Chill himself. Bruce is alerted of this and arrives as Batman. After a threeway fight, Chill is pushed into the acid and Falcone escapes. Bruce, believing Chill is dead, leaves. However, Chill emerges from the vat, skin died white, hair died green, and lips died red.

Falcone returns home to find his wife, daughter, and son being held hostage by Chill, who has cut a large smile onto his face, and calls himself the Joker. Falcone makes a deal with the Joker to save his family; Falcone will find the Batman, bring him to the Joker, and allow him to kill him. Bruce takes Vicki on a date that is interrupted when the Joker takes a group of citizens in a bank hostage, trying to lure out Batman. Vicki begins to catch onto Bruce's identity, after seeing Batman show up seconds after Bruce leaves. Batman tries to negotiate with the Joker before realizing he is Chill. Gordon arrives on the scene, but the Joker escapes, and Gordon allows Batman to leave, forcing Loeb to put him on probation.

Alfred analyzes the bullet the Joker shot out and discovers it is the same one that Martha and Thomas's killer used. Bruce is sceptical at first, but after researching Chill's record, realizes he murdered his parents. The Joker begins killing a Gotham official each day until the Batman reveals himself. Fearing he is next, Loeb orders a city-wide manhunt for the Batman. Gordon finds the Batman and almost brings him in, until Bruce reveals himself. Bruce recruits Dent and Nygma as well in a plan to stop the Joker. When the Joker orders a public killing of Falcone, betraying their deal, Nygma distracts him, while Dent and Gordon stall the GCPD. Batman reluctantly saves and lets Falcone go. Batman and the Joker get into a fight, though the latter escapes once again, when Loeb chooses to arrest Batman instead. Loeb discovers Batman's identity and prepares to reveal it to the world before Nygma knocks him unconscious. Gordon lets Bruce go, though the Joker sees his true identity first.

Vicki is kidnapped by the Joker, forcing Bruce into action. Batman arrives on the top of Wayne Enterprises and enters a heavily publicized fight with the Joker. Bruce reveals he knows that he killed his parents, while the Joker makes Bruce realize that they each made one another. Gordon gets Vicki to safety, while Nygma and Dent release evidence that Loeb is more focused on catching the Batman than the Joker, tainting Loeb's name and getting him fired. Bruce knocks the Joker off the building, but catches him last second and formally arrests him. The Joker is sent to Arkham Asylum, while Gordon is appointed the new Commissioner. Loeb's claims that Bruce Wayne is the Batman are not believed due to his ruined name. Vicki reveals to Bruce that she knows he is the Batman, and he decides to let her in on his operations.

In a post-credits scene, Amanda Waller, Director of A.R.G.U.S., reviews footage of Batman fighting the Joker and orders her agents to find others like him.

## Cast

* Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Jason Statham as Joe Chill/The Joker
* Bryce Dallas Howard as Vicki Vale
* Scott Glenn as Alfred Pennyworth
* Matt Bomer as Harvey Dent
* Stephen Dorff as Ed Nygma
* Keira Knightley as Barbara Gordon
* J.K. Simmons as Jim Gordon
* Jeff Bridges as Gillian Loeb
* John Travolta as Carmine Falcone