Why Joker’s Plan in Tim Burton’s Batman Makes No Sense Today

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Instead of constantly immersing myself in the latest DC movie news, it’s refreshing to delve back into timeless classics now and then. A recent example was sharing Tim Burton’s original Batman film with someone who hadn’t seen it yet. It had been quite a while since I last watched the whole movie, but re-watching it sparked my interest after reading Batman: Resurrection, which features an intriguing Clayface version that follows the events of this movie.

Overall, I still found the 1989 Batman to be an entertaining watch, but one element of The Joker’s scheme particularly grated on me this time around.

Joker’s Smylex Plan Starts Off Reasonably Strong

The unfortunate incident of falling into a vat of chemicals and undergoing an unconventional back-alley surgery resulted in Jack Napier losing any remaining trace of his sanity. Instead of lingering on his past, he embraced his new identity as the Joker. Jack Nicholson’s character soon adorned himself with a vibrant wardrobe dominated by purple hues and accumulated an assortment of eccentric weaponry, such as an electric hand buzzer, acid-spraying flowers, and even a spring-loaded boxing glove designed to hit his television. This transformation was not without purpose; it led him to utter the iconic phrase, “This town needs a good flushing!

It wasn’t until the Joker began spreading the deadly laugh-inducing gas called Smylex that his true objective became evident. By contaminating various cosmetic and toiletries items with this toxin, he could cause victims to burst into laughter for a brief period before succumbing to death with a permanent smile on their faces. This gruesome method was dramatically showcased live on television when news anchor Becky Nartia tragically met her end in such a manner during a broadcast. To add injury to the insult, moments later, the Joker hijacked the airwaves to advertise Smylex as the ultimate antidote to Brand X, delivering his twisted pitch in a chilling and ironically humorous manner. All of this is just the kind of malicious scheme one would expect from the Joker in the comics.

Why Did Anybody Attend Joker’s Parade?

However, when the Joker’s public event, or parade, enters the scene, it becomes problematic for me. Dressed in the same makeup that made him appear somewhat normal earlier, the Joker appeared on TV, asserting that despite his rough exterior, he was not a murderer. He then declared that he would distribute $2 million at his own parade, replacing the one planned for Gotham City’s bicentennial celebration. Throngs of people gathered, and as Prince music played, Joker and his henchmen tossed money into the crowd. Subsequently, Smylex gas was sprayed from large containers, leading to numerous casualties. Only when Batman arrived on his Batwing, grabbing the balloons in mid-air, did the situation change.

More Batman Coverage

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I’d like to rephrase your question in a more conversational style: “Why on earth would people attend a parade where someone who openly admitted to murdering people with deadly poison was handing out money? Even though the money is tempting, it seems incredibly foolish to think that one could simply take as much as they wanted and nothing bad would happen. It’s almost like being invited to an event where the Joker himself warns, ‘Attend this, and you’re courting death!’

1) It’s confusing to me that he’s making another TV appearance. After all, the Joker openly boasted about contaminating products with Smylex, so it’s perplexing that he now denies being a mass murderer. What’s even more puzzling is the people who blindly believe him or are reckless enough to risk their lives for some free cash. Moreover, Jack Napier wasn’t particularly famous before becoming the Joker, but since his boss, Carl Grissom, was quite notorious in Gotham, I can only assume that there were a few individuals who knew of him and might have warned others about him.

As a fellow film enthusiast, I’d like to encourage you to dust off your Max subscription for another spin with the iconic Batman flick. You might find yourself nodding in agreement with my thoughts, or perhaps questioning them. Either way, it’s all part of the cinematic experience!

Personally, I’m eagerly looking forward to revisiting Batman Returns. Over the years, my feelings about that movie have shifted like the shadows in Gotham City. Maybe this time around, I’ll find myself with a renewed perspective on it.

Happy watching!

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2025-02-03 16:37