Review of Batman Returns (1992) by Connor B — 12 Aug 2012

Darker, broodier, funnier, creepier and overall much better than Tim Burton's first attempt at a Batman film. Burton is a director who has to be given free reign to fully utilize his creativity and flair and while Batman Returns isn't perfect it is a much better film than the Batman. Michael Keaton returns as Batman/Bruce Wayne and is joined by villains Max Schreck, The penguin and the anti-hero Catwoman who are played by Christopher Walken, Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer respectively and they fit in with Burton's dark take on Batman much better than The Joker from the first film. The only flaw I can find with Batman Returns is that again there is not enough focus on Batman and it feels like the villains characters are developed to far greater extent than Batman's.

The plot centers on Max Schreck and the Penguin trying to bring power to the criminals of Gotham by having the penguin run for Mayor of Gotham, when Selina Kyle learns of some of Schrecks criminal antics he pushes her from his building and seemingly kills her but she appears to be reborn as Catwoman and is not long before she starts to cause trouble between the villains of Gotham and Batman. With Gotham heading for disaster once more it is up to Batman to save the town from criminal injustice however his constant battle with the villains becomes complicated when he begins dating Selina Kyle/Catwoman and as the two learn each others identities their battles become much more meaningful with Kyle on the verge of madness to take revenge against Schreck.

At just over two hours the only real complaint with Batman Returns is that Burton didn't seize the opportunity to tell Batman's back story and instead focused more on the villain again. Batman Returns builds on what was already a good film and it seems that Burton was allowed much more freedom to make his own film here this was the Batman film that I expected Tim Burton to make!