Batman Returns (1992) Warner Bros./Action-Adventure RT: 126 minutes Rated PG-13 (strong dark violence, sexual innuendo, language, brooding) Director: Tim Burton Screenplay: Daniel Waters Music: Danny Elfman Cinematography: Stefan Czapsky Release date: June 19, 1992 (US) Cast: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, Michael Murphy, Cristi Conway, Andrew Bryniarski, Pat Hingle, Vincent Schiavelli, Steve Witting, Jan Hooks, John Strong, Rick Zumwalt, Anna Katarina, Gregory Scott Cummings, Erika Andersch, Travis McKenna, Doug Jones, Branscombe Richmond, Paul Reubens. Diane Salinger, Sean M. Whalen. Box Office: $162.9M (US)/$266.8M (World)
Rating: *** ½
I still get some strange looks when I tell people Batman Returns is my favorite installment of the original franchise. True, the first movie has major star power with Jack Nicholson as the Joker, but there’s a lot to be said for the dark, brooding tone of the sequel. It’s much darker than the first Batman, both figuratively and literally. It takes place mostly at night. Batman/Bruce Wayne, played again by Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), goes to some very dark places in Gotham City and his own psyche. That’s what I like most about Batman. He’s as troubled as the villains he fights. In Bruce Wayne mode, he sits in his vast, lonely mansion brooding over his dual nature while waiting for the Bat-Signal to appear in the dark sky above Gotham City, a place overrun with crime and corruption.
In Batman Returns, the Caped Crusader goes up against the grotesque Penguin (DeVito, War of the Roses) and the seductive Catwoman (Pfeiffer, The Witches of Eastwick). Also in his crosshairs is local philanthropist Max Shreck (Walken, At Close Range), a megalomaniacal millionaire planning to open an energy-saving power plant that will actually drain Gotham of all its energy. His plate is full in this one, that’s for damn sure.
Gotham’s latest threat stems from an incident 33 years prior when a pair of wealthy socialites dumps their deformed newborn baby boy into the sewer. He survives and grows up to become the Penguin, the leader of a criminal gang of circus freaks terrorizing Gotham. He needs Max to bring him to the surface so he can find out who he is. It’s part of a bigger sinister plan, of course. Meanwhile, Max’s socially awkward secretary Selina Kyle discovers his nefarious intentions with his proposed power plant. For her efforts, she gets pushed out of a window by Max himself. Unfortunately for him, she survives after being resuscitated by a group of alley cats. She’s a different woman now. She goes home, rids her apartment of all girly-girl things and stitches together a skin-tight, fetishistic cat costume. Thus, Catwoman is born. Hitting the nighttime streets with whip in hand, she vows revenge on Max in particular and bad men in general.
As I’m sure you can guess, things get complicated in Batman Returns. I’m not just talking about the relationships among the principal characters. The plot is rather disjointed. It goes without saying that the bad guys and girl will team up in their efforts to eliminate Batman. At one point, they frame him for murder in hopes that it will turn all of Gotham City against him. There’s also a subplot concerning the Penguin, real name Oswald Cobblepot, running for mayor at Max’s behest. It should come as no surprise that Bruce and Selina become romantically involved. Neither one is aware of the other’s secret identity. They’re both lovers and adversaries.
Batman Returns caused controversy over its dark tone, violent content and not-too-subtle sexual innuendo, all deemed inappropriate for children. The parental outcry caused McDonald’s to cease their promotional tie-in with the movie. I said it then and I’ll say it now; what part of PG-13 don’t they get? It’s NOT a kid’s movie! Hell, it’s barely a mainstream movie. It’s more like an art film in how it examines duality in man (and woman) and how childhood wounds fester into adult resentments. Believe it or not, it’s deep. I’d expect nothing less from Tim Burton who specializes in movies about people whose strange qualities place them outside the mainstream. Look at Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and both Batman films. I absolutely LOVE the tone of Batman Returns. I love that it’s set at Christmas even more. It gives it a decidedly haunting quality.
Artistically, Batman Returns is a wonder to behold. Bo Welch, who stepped in as production designer after Anton Furst’s suicide, keeps his predecessor’s vision alive with architecture inspired by German expressionism and a noirish atmosphere reminiscent of 40s crime cinema. Welsh describes it as “Fascist meets World’s Fair”. The cinematography by Stefan Czapsky is suitably gloomy. Stan Winston (Predator) does an amazing job with the Penguin makeup. It’s simultaneously frightening, grotesque and tragic. The costumes by Bob Ringwood (Dune) and Mary Vogt (Hocus Pocus) are cool. The Batsuit looks as intimidating as ever. The Catwoman outfit is certain to give male viewers kinky ideas. It perfectly accentuates Pfeiffer’s sexy, slinky physique. Danny Elfman’s overproduced score, a combination of orchestra and chorus, sets just the right mood.
Keaton is my favorite movie Batman hands down. He gets into his character(s) like no other actor that followed after his departure from the series. Once again, Bruce struggles with his dual nature, trying to find a way to reconcile the two halves into a balanced whole. Keaton isn’t afraid to take his character to the darkest parts of his psyche. I was so bummed when he didn’t return for the next installment, Batman Forever. DeVito does great work as a man who was dealt a bad hand in life, one that forced him to revert to an animal-like state. I guess that’s what happens when you’re raised by penguins in a sewer underneath an abandoned zoo. Pfeiffer uses her natural beauty to great effect as Catwoman, a femme fatale in latex. She has incredible physicality as well with the way her character climbs tall buildings, swings through the air and employs martial arts to kick ass. More than that, her transformation from meek to powerful is as bold a female empowerment statement as anything that Jane Campion could come up with. As for Walken, he does what he always does with his unique verbal cadence and quietly threatening demeanor.
What’s most interesting about Burton’s Batman movies is how he subverts the superhero genre to create something truly unique. I’m not even sure you can classify it as such. In the noirish world of Batman Returns, there are no heroes per se. The title character is more of a vigilante, a dark knight if you will. He has no special powers, just a severely damaged psyche and a lot of cool toys. While it has action, it’s nothing like the gargantuan set-pieces in the average MCU entry. In terms of pacing, it moves in fits and starts. However, it’s never boring because there’s always something awesome to look at. Plus, the wintry setting really fits the sad, bleak mood.
So yes, Batman Returns is my favorite of the original Batman movies. I don’t mind that the plot is all over the place and doesn’t come together as neatly as it should. I think it’s terrific. Sure, it’s depressing as hell, but it’s more art than a full-out assault on the senses. It’s not your usual summer blockbuster film. I just LOVE it!
