Batman Returns

The second part of Batman by Tim Burton is even better in terms of its atmosphere than its predecessor. The only thing missing is music by Prince, which managed to lift my mood a couple of times. But on the other hand, it offers Catwoman wearing a latex suit and a man-penguin and that’s not too bad, either. (2017-02-21)

A Batman movie? Only this one. That’s because a celebration of fascist aesthetics, cut with art deco perfection, is a union of love. This is refined filmmaking with an admiration for the perfection of sculpture. This is the story of Catwoman and The Penguin. In the early 1990s, Hollywood was refreshed by a very interesting wave that drew inspiration from the 1930s, and as kindly as the remakes were with their return to the roots of Universal's classic monsters, Burton's team understood where to get the true delights. If they needed something comic for the decadent world of New Expressionism, they chose the Ice Queen, inspired by 1940s clowns such as Betty Grable. They clearly defined the beginning of bad taste and the end of goodness. I love Michelle Pfeiffer for her ambivalent Selina and Danny De Vito for the bird-like Oswald. Michael Keaton definitely entertained here more than he did in the first film. If you have a soft spot for Batman Returns, feel free to pick up the 2 DVD release. (2009-02-03)

Together with the first two parts of Nolan’s trilogy, this is the best cinematic Batman. Burton’s visual style works better than in the previous one – probably it’s really fitting for the Christmas period, Burton has always been good at finding moral filth and darkness behind a snowy facade. DeVito is great as The Penguin, delivering a solid balance between caricature and a real threat hiding in the sewers and wearing bizarre costumes, and the story also has room for another (semi-)antagonist, the splendid Catwoman (with the magical face of the most beautiful actress of her generation). Batman is only one part of a balanced triangle of characters, he only reacts to the actions of the other two (and it’s the only one with pure intentions). The character of Christopher Walken is also important and brilliant, he’s the one who brings everyone together. The final confrontation was bit a silly and the drama is not very effective, but everything is compensated by the clever relationship structure and an inimitably morbid comic-book style accompanied by Elfman’s music score, a joy to watch. 85% (2020-12-21)

Unlike the movie "Batman," this one seems quite scary to me, which is probably due to the character of the Penguin and other twisted inhabitants of the Gotham sewer system. It is more Burtonesque, more eccentric, which is also reflected in the interesting portrayal of Catwoman. I still enjoy this and although Michael Keaton is a very peculiar Batman, I still love him. (2014-05-21)

The incredibly dark atmosphere together with Danny Elfman's music deliver a true comic book experience. I dare to say that the second Batman movie is not only more skillfully directed, but also visually more impressive, more atmospheric, and far darker. There isn't as much action, with more emphasis placed on the characters. Batman's gadgets are once again presented in full glory and for the entire two hours, there’s no chance of getting bored. The magnificent production design makes us forget about Joel Schumacher's later colorful escapades. (2005-12-24)