The Big Picture
Tim Burtom’s Batman sequel brings in dynamic new characters and explores dark elements creatively.
Danny DeVito is unforgettable as the Penguin, while Michelle Pfeiffer steals the show as the definitive Catwoman.
35 years later,
Batman Returns
continues to be the gold standard for superhero films with its unique vision and vibrant execution.
It is a rare thing for a sequel to surpass its predecessor, especially when that original work is already a strong one on its own. Too often, in the hopes of recapturing the magic of what came before, filmmakers can play it safe by drawing from what was already done before without exploring much of anything new. That is, unless your name is Tim Burton and you’re making a sequel to the original 1989 Batman film. Then you really take the chance that was given to you and run wild with it in frightful fashion. Proving himself to be the most delightful of cinematic weirdos, Burton took the dark elements of the original film and dialed it up by a thousand percent. He brought in a beloved villain, made him as terrifying as possible, and called it Batman Returns even as its best elements are how it makes its new characters come to life in all their gruesome glory. While it wouldn’t be the last superhero film to play around with horror, few have ever been as magnificent as this. The passion that was brought to creating the perilous and dark world is just so spectacular to take in. If modern superhero films had even one iota of the creativity of this one, they wouldn’t grow so tiresome.
Even before the moment where we see the Bat-Signal light up the wall behind Michael Keaton’s brooding Batman, a simple yet iconic image that has such power that it becomes etched in the mind immediately after it occurs, Burton is already going full-speed ahead and doesn’t let up for the full 126 minutes. The silly yet sinister opening sequence where we get introduced to The Penguin is simply spectacular. Played by a dedicated Danny DeVito in one of the most inspired castings in cinema history, we learn the backstory of how he was abandoned by his family and spent his life living in the sewer. Though intros like this don’t get appreciated enough and have faded from modern blockbusters, this opening is just overflowing with panache in every single detail. This is matched by DeVito who groans and growls his way through every single scene to become the best to ever play the character. Apologies to the Irish Prince Colin Farrell, who also took on the character in the recent The Batman, but there is just no one who has ever made it his own quite like DeVito did here. Though his irreplaceable role in the film would already make it one to watch, this is merely the appetizer for all the courses that it serves up, each of which is nourishing to the very soul.
Batman Returns
Release Date June 19, 1992
Director Tim Burton
Runtime 126 minutes
Writers Bob Kane , Daniel Waters , Sam Hamm
Studio Warner Bros.
Tagline The The Bat, the Cat, the Penguin
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Like DeVito’s Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman Is Mesmerizing
Without diminishing some of the others who have taken on the part, Michelle Pfeiffer is the definitive Catwoman and the best Selina Kyle to date. Once she gets her claws into the role, she never let’s go until she has completely torn each and every scene to pieces. She essentially steals the entire movie, nearly making every moment without her a lesser one as a result. Though it is an origin story, Burton wastes no time in letting Pfeiffer lose in the film. From the moments where she first falls to her death only to be reborn as the feline femme fatale to the cat and mouse battle she enters into with Batman, she doesn’t set a single foot wrong. It all relies on her bringing everything to the character as it is a demanding performance that she makes look easy. Other performers could spend nine lives attempting to match it and still never even come close. It is truly terrific from start to finish, ensuring every other take on the character will live in her long shadow. The effects may evolve, but you can’t ever improve on perfection when it comes to a performance. That will always be timeless.
The reason for this, more than the stunts or the spectacle, is that there is a playfulness to the performance as she jokes around with the character while still taking it deadly seriously at the same time. She isn’t solely winking to the audience or trying to undercut what is happening as many modern superhero films end up doing. Rather, Pfeiffer brings complete sincerity to the character that is both refreshing and riveting. She is chaos and grace, a lithe acrobat who can tear your head off in the blink of an eye. The tense romance she has with Bruce, where both hide behind their secret identities, takes on a comedic component when they both suit up and go out without the other knowing. While there are films in recent memory that have created a similarly devilishly fun back and forth, Batman Returns will forever be at the pinnacle with the best of the best as a shining light in the darkness.
‘Batman Returns’ Is What All Other Superhero Films Can Only Aspire To
If there is a criticism to be had with Batman Returns, it is that it will make any other similar film look empty by comparison. Without continuing to dump on some of the modern superhero fare too much, as there are a few recent bright spots, watching Burton’s work on this film makes the vast majority of them feel trite by comparison. It is like going from eating recycled gruel to a meticulously crafted four-course meal. Even with the occasional rough edges, Batman Returns remains a diamond in the rough that has endured for a reason. More than the character or the love people have for him, it is about the unique vision that it fully executes. Batman Returns is a Burton movie just as much as it is one about The Caped Crusader. There is never a moment when you’re watching it where you can’t see how he and his team are shaping every aspect of it. That individuality and vibrancy are often in short supply these days. It is hard to know if Burton would have been given the free rein to make a film like this today, but we can be forever glad he made the most of the chance 35 years ago.
REVIEW
Batman Returns
Tim Burton’s Batman Returns is the pinnacle of the genre that has endured for the past 35 years for good reason.
ProsEvery frame of the film is bursting with creativity, as everyone involved with its craft are firing on all cylinders.Both Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito are excellent new additions, making their takes on their respective characters the best to date.The film brings an indivuality and vibrancy that has never been matched, making it a gem of an experience no matter how many times you revisit it.
Batman Returns is now available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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