Fighting Style of Michael Keaton's Batman

https://www.batman-online.com/forum/index.php?topic=3798.0

The fight scenes in the Burton Batman films were primarily performed by British martial artist Dave Lea. Stuntmen Sean McCabe and Mike Cassidy also contributed to these sequences, and Michael Keaton did a small amount himself. But most of the actual fighting was handled by Lea. Lea has spent his life training in a variety of different fighting techniques from across the globe, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Bruce Wayne knows all of those same styles in the Burton universe. So which martial arts does Batman actually use on screen in Batman 89 and Batman Returns?

Lea has said in interviews that he created a fighting style suited to Batman’s character; one that focused on concise economical movements over flashier techniques that might needlessly expend energy. One of the martial arts he incorporated into Batman’s fight style was the Malaysian discipline of HapKune Do.

Another martial art the Burton Batman utilises is Ninjutsu. The official movie book of the 1989 film reveals that this Batman carries ninja weaponry in his utility belt, including smoke pellets and ‘ninja wheels’/shuriken. He is never actually shown to use the shuriken in the finished film, but we do see at least two instances where he uses smoke pellets to evade his opponents. So this Batman is definitely a ninja.

Batman’s fighting style in Batman Returns has been described as a mixture of kickboxing and street fighting. Keaton is said to have studied kickboxing under Lea’s tutelage for both the 1989 film and its sequel. The particular form of kickboxing he uses appears to be a mixture of Shotokan Karate and Taekwondo.

The Burton Batman also displays a proficiency at the Filipino martial art of Escrima when dealing with blade-wielding opponents. I’m pretty sure the choreography during the fight against the swordsman is derived from Escrima.

When he fights the Joker at the end of the 1989 film, he forgoes his usual quick jab punches in favour of powerful right hooks and body blows. These indicate he has some boxing skills.

So to sum up (and assuming I'm right in all this) the Burton Batman would appear to be proficient in at least seven or eight different fighting techniques: Ninjutsu, HapKune Do, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Escrima, Aikido, boxing and street fighting.

More than anything else though, Bat-Keaton loves his backhand punches.