A daring Super Hero film that does something different

Rating: 5/10 (12 January 2009)

Batman Returns is an odd beast, as it is not really a Batman film nor is it a super hero film. It's very much a quirky art film disguised as a super hero film. Despite the title,this movie is really about the Penguin, his rejection at birth for being deformed, his ascension in the public eye, and rise to power and his fall and eventual rejection of humanity. Batman merely serves as a spectator of the events in this movie having little to do except have sexual tension with the other villain Catwoman. (Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfiefer have the best chemistry of any Batman movie by the way). Speaking of Catwoman by the way, while The Penguin may be the film's main character , it Michelle Pfeifer's performance as Selina Kyle A.K.A Catwoman that really makes this movie worth watching. Miss Pfiefer does a great job playing the mousy secretary pushed to madness. In fact the two most powerful scenes in this movie are owned by Michelle Pfiefer. The scene where Selina Kyle has her psychotic breakdown and wrecks her apartment and the scene where Batman offers her a fairy tale ending of happiness which she rejects for revenge against the man who wronged her. This film is perhaps the most pessimistic comic book film of all time. Every character in this movie loses. Penguin loses his acceptance in to society, Catwoman loses her fairy tale ending, and Batman loses any chance of a normal life. When watching the end of this movie one has to wonder if Bruce Wayne isn't contemplating hanging up the cape and cowl for good. You might be wondering why I gave this film a 5 out of 10 even though I've been gushing over it so much, the simple fact is despite it's title Batman Returns is hardly a Batman film, this film belongs to it's villains and why one of the rules is a super hero is only as good as his villains that doesn't mean the movie should almost all but ignore it's hero. That said I am recommending this film because it is in my opinion the most daring comic book film.