Saw this for the first time in about 20 years last night with my 13 year old. There was some language that was a little harsh - a couple of sh-, son-of-a-, and a bast-. Other than that, the Lord's name was taken in vain a few times. The sexual behavior is pretty obvious, since Vickie and Batman are shown in bed together and she later recounts "I even slept with you". Lots of drinking - wine, scotch - Vickie admits that she's drunk. The violence was not bad by today's standards. Much worse can be seen in primetime. Ah, and don't forget the American Express placement - don't leave home without it. Overall, it was ok for my 13 year old, but it was sheer entertainment. There were no good role models in the movie and we had to have a little conversation about casual sex. After all that, let it be said that I really liked this movie as a teen myself. It has some classic movie lines in it that are still used today! Jack Nicolson is truly classic in this role.
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Batman (1989)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Stylish, violent, and often dull Batman adventure.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence :
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Sex :
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Batman (1989)
Parents need to know that kids watching this movie will see the murder of parents before their own kids, disfigurement, a quill pen jabbed in a man's throat and another electrocuted to death, along with numerous shoot-outs, wild chases, and vigilantism portrayed in a favorable light.
Read our full review by Ed Grant
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about vigilantism. When Batman decides to punish or kill criminals himself, instead of handing them over to the police, is he doing the right thing? For younger kids, you might discuss whether Batman acts like a good guy when he dangles people over city streets or kills criminals. Older kids might be interested in discussing real life instances of vigilatism and contrasting that with what happens in the movie.
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Our Members Say
See all 14 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
I rate this title on for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Entertainment only; appropriate for teens.
- Lives in FloridaI rate this title iffy for age 7 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
talk about action!
love the movie awsome.
- Lives in WashingtonI rate this title on for age 4 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
fine for all ages
second best batman movie yet (1st: dark knight)
- Lives inI rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Are you kidding? 9+? This film was very violent and brutal. Common Sense Media should know better. How could 9 year olds handle this, you idiots?
I rate this title on for age 9 and give ita classic batman movie that every batman fan should watch
acting- 4/5 cinematography- 4/5 art direction- 4.5/5 direction- 4.5/5 musical score- 4.5/5 a great batman movie that set the tone for all the other serious comic book movies, because before this there was alan moore's the killing joke, some other dark comics and adam west's batman, so this really set the tone for was what to come
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Our Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 100% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 50% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
| 50% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 50% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
Have You Seen it? 
For Your Family
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dubars recommends:
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
for kids age 9
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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
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