Batman

'The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker.'

Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance. The film, in which Batman deals with the rise of a powerful villain known as "The Joker", is the first installment of Warner Bros.' Batman film series.
As a child, Bruce Wayne (Keaton) saw his parents killed by a young criminal. He grows up, vowing to avenge their death by fighting against the criminals in Gotham City. He takes on the disguise of Batman, while keeping his public image as the wealthy heir to Wayne Enterprises. Years later, Gotham is under control by crime boss Carl Grissom (Palance). Despite the best efforts of newly-elected district attorney Harvey Dent and police commissioner James Gordon, the police department remains corrupted. Reporter Alexander Knox (Wuhl) and photo-journalist Vicki Vale (Basinger) begin investigating the rumors of a shadowy vigilante figure dressed as a bat who has been terrifying criminals throughout the city. Vicki and Knox attend a benefit at Wayne Manor, where Bruce is taken by Vicki's charms. Knox, however, appears somewhat jealous of the chemistry between Bruce and Vicki. That same night, Grissom's second in command, Jack Napier (Nicholson), is sent to raid Axis Chemicals factory. After the police receive a tip-off and arrive to arrest him, Jack realizes he's been set-up by his boss, angered by his affair with Grissom's mistress. In the midst of the shoot-out, Batman arrives and takes out Jack's henchmen. In a bizarre accident caused by his own ricocheting bullet, deflected by Batman's metal-reinforced gauntlet, Jack's face is ripped open. Reeling from the pain, he topples over a platform rail but manages to grab a lower rail with one hand. Batman momentarily clutches Jack's free hand, but the grip is soon broken, and he falls into a large vat containing an unknown chemical solution. Shortly thereafter, he emerges from an adjacent reservoir, his hair and skin discolored. Following a surgical attempt to repair his face, Jack is left with a permanent and twisted grin, giving him the appearance of a grotesque clown. Driven mad, he fashions himself as "the Joker". After killing Grissom, the Joker takes over his empire and holds the city at his mercy by chemically altering everyday hygiene products, causing those using a certain combination of products to laugh to death. Batman attempts to track down the Joker, who has become romantically interested in Vicki. It is revealed that the Joker, as a young criminal, was the man who killed Bruce's parents. Batman destroys the factory the Joker used to make the poisoned products. The Joker holds a parade through Gotham, luring its citizens on to its streets by dispensing money, intending to kill them with lethal gas. Batman foils his plan, but the Joker kidnaps Vicki and takes her to the top of a cathedral church. After a fight with Batman, the Joker falls to his death from the bell tower. Commissioner Gordon unveils the Bat-Signal along with a note from Batman read by Harvey Dent, promising to defend Gotham whenever crime strikes again.

Source: Wikipedia