Every Tim Burton and Michael Keaton movie, ranked

Tim Burton And Michael Keaton’s film collaborations highlight how powerfully the pairing works together in both their best and worst films. Tim Burton’s early successes as a Disney animator and his big break Play Pee-wee’s Big Adventure Pushed him into the spotlight as a filmmaker at the same time Michael Keaton established himself as a comic star. The couple first came together on a project with BeetlejuiceWith Keaton playing the titular comic undead bio-exorcist. The film’s success led Burton and Keaton to the cast and crew of 1989 BatmanA defining film of the superhero genre and one of the biggest successes in cinema.

Since then, the pair have worked together on sequels and remakes, highlighting a strong familiarity with one another’s strengths. Even in their weakest film, Keaton is able to perfect Burton’s trademark sardonic perspective, elevating some of Burton’s weaker material. Their last reunion in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has been in theaters for over three decades since their first, but their collaborations remain as impressive as ever. Here are all the Michael Keaton and Tim Burton movies together, ranked.

5

Dumbo (2019)

A weak Burton film with a good performance by Michael Keaton

Tim Burton’s movies with Michael Keaton have ranged in quality over the years, with their skills complementing each other even in their weakest collaborations – like 2019’s. Dumbo – in comparison to the likes of Batman Returns And Beetlejuice. The director’s last film with Walt Disney Studios (and probably his last, given how Screen Rant Reports about how Dumbo almost led to Burton’s retirement) was a remake of Dumbo That did not connect with the audience. Dumbo was a deeply boring film that failed to match the heights of the animated classic or the stronger entries in Burton’s catalog.

Despite the title character being one of Walt Disney’s oldest stories, The modern name is much less interested in Dumbo as a character. The film is largely focused on Holy Farrier, Colin Farrell’s well-mannered but troubled single-father who is a circus attendant caught in Dumbo’s orbit. His plot, along with his children, is a dull family drama that never elicits much excitement. Keaton is arguably the best element of the film, as great as the villainous amusement park owner VA Vandevere, a cynical reimagining of the kind of mogul Walt Disney has represented for the better part of a century.

Dumbo is most engaging when it embraces the satirical edge, surpassing the standard Disney “live action” remake in all-too-brief flashes reminiscent of the harsh satire that appeared in his previous films like Mars Attacks!. However, the muted period-piece approach to Burton’s typical artistic style feels disappointingly drab, and the CGI-Dumbo is an unmemorable creation that removes some of the cartoonishly innocent personality of the original. Dumbo is the weakest of Burton and Keaton’s collaborationsBut they remain ideal creative partners as evidenced by some of the film’s best moments.

4

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

A fun (if overworked) return to form for Burton

Released thirty-six years after the original, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Is a fun if somewhat surface-level return to the world of the Deetz family. Bringing back Michael Keaton (along with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara), the film also welcomes a perfectly cast Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid. The film follows the three women during a tumultuous time in their lives, struggling to survive a new series of complications following the death of Jeffrey Jones’s Charles Deetz. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is to an extent overstaffedWith too many ideas that go nowhere.

Strong concepts like Lydia’s manipulative fiancé Rory, Astrid’s deceptive love interest Jeremy, and Delia’s grief all become too crowded along with the return of Betelgeuse’s ex-wife, and an undead police sergeant. however, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Succeeded as a charm offensive, filled to the brim with the kind of dark wacky comedy that Burton has long perfected over a storied career. The colorful realm of Beetlejuices afterlife are fleshed out in charming (if somewhat basic) sequences. There’s a brightness and kookiness to it Beetlejuice Beetlejuice That justifies the positive reviews, which feel like a love letter to the early stylings of Burton’s career.

Although it lacks the compelling characters at the heart of his best films, the serious emotion is still present amid the tight plot. The real strength of this film is in the serious presentation and performances, with all characteristics returning to their characters. Keaton is clearly having a blast reprising the monstrous role, Playing him big and wide in the best way possible. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice May be weak on the story and not be at the same level as its predecessor, but it is a solid sequel that will not disappoint fans of the original.

3

batman (1989)

A victory of style over substance

The second collaboration of Michael Keaton and Tim Burton remains one of their most important From a cinematic point of view. Batman is an entertaining, if deeply flawed film, with Burton’s outstanding directorial touches elevating certain scenes while running a coherent story. It certainly had critical reception at the time of release, with figures like Roger Ebert calls it “style over substance.” Even while celebrating the visual elements of the film. The script is lacking, with mainly memorable scenes and minor characters like the reporter Alexander Knox or Bob the Goon producing an overstuffed script.

One of the problems is Bruce Wayne aka Batman, who is let down by a script that cannot decide on a main character. Keaton plays a character that feels like a cipher Instead of a completely fleshy figure. He doesn’t have much help with Kim Bazinger’s Vicki Vale, who does her best with a thinly written character. In contrast, Jack Nicholson’s Joker is a strange creation, a character with about four different motivations that jump around almost scene to scene. Nicholson’s infectious take on the Clown Prince of Crime remains a fun creation.

The Joker is a flashy, inconsistent and entertaining heel to center the film around, and is clearly Burton’s primary focus in the film. luckily, Burton weaves the world around the character in his distinctly visual way. Burton’s version of Gotham is perhaps its most memorable element, a sprawling Gothic skyline that feels utterly unique even after decades of inspiring different Batman adaptations. Along with a stunning score by Danny Elfman, Batman is a movie that works best on the surface level, even as the internal story is relatively weak.

2

batman returns (1992)

A Burton film full of great performances and memorable designs

After the massive success of BatmanBurton returned to the character in 1992 for Batman Returns. But this time, Audiences were treated to a much more idiosyncratic version of Gotham City. The characters and designs are much more aligned with the kind of cartoonishly crude energy that fueled his other works like BeetlejuiceWhile his interpretations of Catwoman and Penguin felt more aligned with his archetypes than anything that came before in the source material. This actually benefits Batman ReturnsWhich is a much more entertaining and consistent film than the original.

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Batman Returns is a much darker film, and generated more controversy than its predecessor because of its content. However, the tragic and horrifying interpretation of the Penguin (played by Danny DeVito) is haunting, especially in contrast to the more cruel droll comedy of Christopher Walken’s Max Schreck. The MVP of the film is Michelle Pfeiffer’s purposefully weird and enthralling performance Like Selina Kyle. Her transformation into Catwoman gives Burton another engaging collaborator, who proves to be an idealized compliment to Keaton’s Bruce Wayne.

Better portrayed as a retired playboy whose mission to save Gotham is thrown off course by the arrival of someone he can truly empathize with, Keaton gives a much better performance in Batman Returns As in the previous film. While some critics and audiences were put off by the darker plot and characters of Batman Returns Over the wider appeal Batman, Batman Returns feels like a genuine effort that reflects the director’s strengths instead of the more surface-level approach he brought to Batman.

1

Beetlejuice (1988)

The epitome of a Tim Burton film is elevated by a unique performance by Michael Keaton

Beetlejuice Is the best collaboration between Tim Burton and Michael KeatonAnd one of Burton’s best films period. The macabre and campy horror/comedy is the best example of Burton’s specific style and approach to filmmaking. It is full of subversive swings in suburbia, the art scene and concepts of death, all filtered through a colorful but consistent palette. However, it is not overloaded with themes, and you find a perfect cast to ground the story. The breakout role for Winona Ryder, Beetlejuice is also the first collaboration between Keaton and Burton, and highlights why they continued it for several other films.

Keaton fits neatly into the role of the disgusting Betelgeuse. A bio-exorcist delivering dirty gags with the delivery of a Looney tunes Character. Keaton’s performance reflects the tone of the film, which it manages to be Emotionally serious while also sardonic about some aspects of society. It speaks to universal themes that have been at the heart of youth culture and parental fears for decades, and has quietly aged very well as a condemnation of the predatory and casual cruelty embodied by Betelgeuse. This is coupled with the film’s comic approach to German Expressionism, a consistent element of Burton’s filmmaking style.

Beetlejuice Feels like the purest form of BurtonA director in tune with the tone and tenor of the film around him. Beetlejuice is a terrific example of Burton’s distinct style and Keaton’s comedic skills, serving as an ideal showcase that was so popular, it spawned decades of shows, musicals and sequels. This is despite the fact that the character is barely in the movie at all, highlighting a disciplined approach to the character. Beetlejuice is one of the best entries in Burton or Keaton’s filmography, and a wonderfully entertaining dance with death for audiences of all ages.

Source: Screen Rant, Roger Ebert