Batman Returns

I remember the ads on TV for this movie when it was released but I am glad I did not see it until I was much older. "Batman Returns" is the darkest Tim Burton movie I have ever seen. The movie lacks a lot of appeal because of its lazy storytelling but it is tolerable due to some of the performances. Because this is a sequel, it automatically looses originality but the worst thing is that there was not much about this movie to replace it.

Unlike in the comics, the Penguin is more monster than man. He is deformed instead of possessing unique facial features. We are used to him being more like his father at the start of the movie. While Stan Winston's makeup is impressive, it is over the top. This villain is a poor substitute for the Joker. The fault is not the performance of Danny DeVito but the character itself is very poor compared to Burgess Meredith's. One story element that is a little interesting is that the Penguin comes across as an evil Moses in this movie. He is abandoned as a baby into the sewer river and as an adult; he tries to kill Gotham's first-born children. The start of "Batman Returns" contains a great way to reintroduce Batman but wouldn't guests to Wayne Manor notice the bat mirrors attached to the outside of the mansion? I do enjoy how Batman lights up the fire-eater. The origin of Catwoman is pretty slothful storytelling if you ask me. I felt there was very little believability. Sure a near death experience can cause someone to crack. That is part of the origin of the Joker and it worked quite well but not Catwoman's because she goes from good to evil so fast. How does Catwoman learn to fight? Origin stories are so much more interesting when it they happen gradually. Sure the Joker came about in a snap but he was bad to begin with. At least Michelle Pfeiffer gave us the best performance in the movie to make up for this story flaw. Stories, and therefore movies, must have something special or unique in order for them to be worth being told. Why does this story need to be told? The first film was about how Batman became accepted by Gotham as their dark knight but this sequel is a poorly built story with flashy characters thrown in. From a filmmaking standpoint, the on-set special effects are poorly done because you can see wires for example. In the first movie, Batman was all serious. In this movie, Bruce Wayne somewhat seeps through the mask and I prefer Batman as a superhero with little emotion instead of a man in a suit. Even though Batman and Bruce Wayne are the same person, they must feel like separate characters. Another example of lazy storytelling is how easily the citizens of Gotham turn against the Penguin when they hear Batman's recording. It is way too convenient and unbelievable. Sure the Penguin is a bad guy in our eyes but in the eyes of Gotham, he was a hero. You would think that if it took them so long to accept Batman in the first movie, then it would take them a long time to see the Penguin for what he truly is. Also, Batman doesn't prove his innocence after being framed by Penguin. Finally, "Batman Returns" doesn't provide much of a climax.

I will mention some other good qualities concerning this show. There is some chemistry between Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer as well as between Keaton and Christopher Walken. One good story element is that Bruce and Selina romantically click and then in the next scene, they are fighting it out as Batman and Catwoman. We also have the good scene when Bruce and Selina dance. When Selina shows him her gun, Bruce can only think about stopping her from killing Max. He finds out that she really does have a dark side but he still has feelings for her. Both characters have similar back-stories. A near death experience drove Selina half mad while the death of Bruce's parents filled him with resolve. Even though Bruce can relate to having a dark side, both sides of him are good. Selina's love for Bruce is helping her overcome her madness. Deep inside, she doesn't want to be a bad person and she needs Bruce. Then they both find out each other’s secret identity and the plot thickens. The computer-generated bats are quite impressive for the time this movie was made by the way.

I did not recognize Paul Reubens as the Penguin's father. That was a neat cameo. He even reprised that role on the TV show "Gotham" in 2016. Tim Burton was producing "The Nightmare Before Christmas" the same time he was directing "Batman Returns" and there is a slight similarity between the two, even if it is just musically. This movie is too dark for my taste and the story was poor. Thankfully, Warner Brothers saw this and took action to change the franchise.

2.5 Stars