Batman Returns

The movie begins in the cold snowy & remote stretches of a haunted mansion somewhere I'm guessing in upper New York state where a couple are the parents of a young but very odd child. The oddness of the child becomes highly evident after he pulls a cat into his cage and presumably killing it. Unable to handle the psychological burden of raising him, the Cobblepots toss him in his crib into the river and flee into the unknown. Many years later on, Cobblepot also known as the Penguin, runs in the election for the next mayor of Gotham City. The citizens though are unaware that he's actually plotting against the population and is in fact plotting to take over the city and kidnap the city's children. Meanwhile, The Penguin attracts the attention of a corrupt corporate CEO named Max Schrek (Christopher Walken), who wants to team up with him against `both' Bruce Wayne, and Batman, considering how much "they" oppose his plans for a toxic waste power plant. Schrek on the other hand also has to deal with a more vicious foe, and that is Catwoman, formerly Selina Kyle, a former employee who he had abused and tried to kill, and she is now out for revenge against him and also for competition against Batman. Now, with three major foes butting heads against him, Batman now has a dauntingly dangerous mission to stop the three from causing havoc and destruction across Gotham City and protect the citizens.

All of the cast in this movie are superb beyond any words that I can muster up. Michael Keaton IS Bruce Wayne/Batman. Neither George Clooney, nor Val Kilmer (No offense to them. They did well too) could compete against Keaton in the role as the dark Knight Batman. Danny DeVito brings a truly chilling acting role that is worthy of remembrance with the deformed Penguin. Michelle Pfeiffer brings the odd and often extremely complex character Catwoman to life. Christopher Walken is totally awesome playing the corrupt CEO of the Schrek Corporation. Michael Gough is absolutely brilliant as Bruce Wayne's/Batman's caretaker and aide, Alfred and is the only one who I felt kept all of the talent of his acting intact throughout the entire movie series. Combine the brilliant cast with a dark and truly foreboding atmosphere, and you have what I considered Tim Burton's crowning achievement at this point in his career (Before he outdid himself with "The Nightmare Before Christmas")

I can easily remember how this movie seemed to shape this period in my life around late 1992 and early 1993 and now in its 11th year of existence, "Batman Returns" has lost none of it's power and continues to be a thought-provoking masterpiece. Tim Burton did stunningly well on the first Batman movie from 1989, but he blew me away with "Batman Returns". Although it may sound like "Returns" is better than the first one, it's actually a tight toss-up between the two movies. The first one has a more fun atmosphere combined with a dramatic overtone to it. The second one, has a much darker, much colder, and more bleak atmosphere. The two perfectly complement each other so well that one's movie collection would be incomplete without them. Although I thought "Batman Forever" was a great follow-up, the more flashy direction that the movie saga went into would sadly go in a nosedive, sacrificing the drama, thoughtful plot, and intelligent dialogue, for excessive hodgepodges of colors and excessive flamboyance, ultimately killing the movie series with the campy, god-awful P.O.S. that was "Batman And Robin". Even to this day, I still cannot believe that the Batman series went from the dark, brooding, drama of "Batman" and "Batman Returns", and even the fun of "Batman Forever", down to just lowlife cinematic sewage that was "Batman & Robin". I just hope that Batman will recover soon and someday in the future, bring back the dark undertones that defined this incredible movie. Perhaps it was the stupidity of the entertainment industry at the time that they were disturbed at the `failure' of "Batman Returns" with "only" 280M dollars at the box office. I mean come on! 280M is HUGE! That's far fram a failure. It was when they turned Gotham City into a giant circus that caused the franchise to fail later on. It might have also been the stupidity of a large part of the audience that caused the franchise to die off later on after this movie. Of course for me, I was loving this movie when I was just ten years old when it came out, and loved far more than I `enjoyed' "Batman & Robin" when I was 14 when that came out. Even with all this I'm writing with this review, there's so much more from this movie that I can be able to explain with this review. The series would take a nosedive into campy oblivion later on in time but for me, give me the dark, dramatic, thought-provoking, and depth of "Batman Returns" anytime over the MGM grand flashy colors of "Batman & Robin".


The Bat, The Cat, & The Penguin   September 22, 2004
the-gr8shag
18 out of 23 found this review helpful

"A kiss under the mistletoe. You know, mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it."
"A kiss can be deadlier...., if you mean it."
"Oh my God. Does this mean we have to fight?" - Selena Kyle & Bruce Wayne celebrate Christmas a little early, by unmasking each other in "Batman Returns"

Michael Keaton returns as The Dark knight, with Tim Burton at the helm, directing the more gothic and darker second installment to the "Batman" quadrilogy simply titled "Batman Returns". I give the film four stars, but, it just made the cut.

Even as Gotham City celebrates the holiday season, crime doesn't take a vacation. Batman goes up against two villians in "Returns".

After blackmailing Gotham's most corrupt businessman & socialite, Max Shreck, The Penguin rears his ugly head (& flippers) trying to fit in with society, by trying to impeach the mayor and running for the position, while, winning over the citizens of Gotham City. But, the birdman has a more secretive, darker plan in store for the city & its children.

Meanwhile, Max Shreck has problems of his own. After his new mousy secretary, Selina Kyle, uncovers a plan to control all the energy being generated through Gotham City, he decides to terminate her by pushing her out the top window of his own company tower. But, due to some bizarre feline circumstances she survives & becomes a lot more "yummier" as Catwoman.

With Gotham City once again in danger, it looks like Batman won't be having a very Merry Christmas.

A lot darker in tone than 1989's "Batman", "Batman Returns" is a somber film that takes itself a bit too seriously (I always wondered if this film hit too close to home with Burton). The cast is the best out of all four "Bat" films. Devito was born to play the role of The Penguin. Keaton is great as Batman, but is too brooding as Bruce Wayne (we first see Wayne sitting in a chair in a darkened room, in Wayne Manor, doing his best impersonation of "The Thinker", when the bat-signal streams into the room. Your parents are dead - get over it already!). Michelle Pfeifer is just the p*ssy this film needs as she gives a great, sexy performance as Catwoman. Christopher Walken gives the film a boost as the menacing, Max Shreck.

All the bat-gadgets are back with a few new cool ones thrown in (the bat-glider was cool), but, the sets are what give the film its downfall. There aren't that many and it seems like the same sets are used over and over and over again. It reminded too much of the Kenner playsets you can buy at the store for twenty bucks (action figures not included). It seems there were, all total, 6 to 8 sets used for the film.

Danny Elfman's score to "Batman Returns" is decent at best using only the main theme from the previous film & using original material for this installment (the results are a mixed bag).

The film isn't bad, but, I've watched this a few times over the years and with the new crop of comic book films coming out ("Spider-Man", "X-Men", etc.) this film looks like it needed a shot in the arm. For me, the film stays at a certain somber level thru out the course of the film only waking up during the action scenes.

The DVD definitely needs a much needed Special Edition kick in the ass. The audio is the standard Dolby Surround with no special features at all. Nothing. "Warner Bros." what the hell are you waiting for?!?!


TIM BURTON'S VERTIGO... THIS MOVIE'S THE MOST INSPIRING MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!!!   September 1, 2005
V. Parra (Dallas, TX (Garland))
16 out of 19 found this review helpful

BATMAN RETURNS is the best piece of film work I've ever been witness to. It might be that it's only my personal taste but I don't care. I stand by my statements. When it was first released it got a lot of negative reviews, but just like Hitchcock's VERTIGO, it has garnered second opinions from many critics. This might in turn become Tim Burton's Vertigo. The writing is incredible for it's genre. The characters are so complex and so well played. Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman is the best to date. She has been quoted in saying that her part as Catwoman was the hardest roll she ever played. That she had to go through the script and meticulously outline what Selina Kyle's state of mind had to be. I have absolutely no idea how she missed a nomination for an Academy Award. Danny Devito does a beautifully gory interpretation of the penguin. Christopher Walken is awesome as the sort of the fun-house version of Donald Trump and I love to hate him. Michael Keaton's Batman isn't shown as much but Keaton still has him nailed. The chemistry created between each character is one thing that makes this movie so amazing. It's the tension between them that creates such realism in a surreal made-up world. Especially in my absolute favorite scene when Bruce and Selina find out who each other's opposite identity really is. It's not a coincidence that Rick James' "Super Freak" plays in the background. There are a lot of underlying themes in this movie that one can sit and think about. I think the writer was trying to say something about those times and about society. It's hard to put a finger on, but I know it's there. One complaint that most have of this movie is the lack of action. That's what I can warn about is the lack of action. This is like the Soup Opera of all comic book movies, and if all you want is action in your movies than you might as well go blow your head off cuz this world can't make much use of you. Anyway I could go on and on about the greatness of this movie, but I need to get back to MY life. So if you have a thoughtful head on your shoulders watch this movie and if all you like is your action go to K-mart and buy yourself a shinny new rifle.


More Burton Than Batman   June 17, 2006
Brian E. Erland (Brea, CA - USA)
16 out of 24 found this review helpful

Director Tim Burton pursues his gothic vision and Michael Keaton returns to reprise his starring role as the caped crusader in the second installment of the Batman series titled, 'Batman Returns.'

There are so many positives in this film and yet it still falls one star below the first Batman. The special effects are better, the bizzare, neo-goth costumes and surrounding landscape are higly evocative and utterly original and the cast is excellent, but something is missing. And what is that, it's Batman. There's more Burton than Batman in this film. Director Tim Burton was obviously more interested in expanding his creativity than he was in exploring the Batman mythos and it shows.

Cast includes; Danny DeVito (the Penguin), Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Vincent Schiavelli, Paul Ruebens and Michael Gough as Alfred. Bottom line, there's too much Goth in Gotham City.