"Let's Make A Mayor!"

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 2016)

This is dark like the 1st film but more of a fairy theme. Christmas never seems to happen in this film but then I think director Tim Burton has a fascination for the magical anticipation of the run up to Christmas that is such a part of childhood-witness Nightmare Before Christmas too! Burton blends a number of myths and famous stories into this film- e.g. a bit of pied piper, Moses (Oswald Cobblepot being abandoned as a bay and put in a basket in the water) . It's a good basis for his take on the hero.
I really feel the film captures the sense of divide between the rich and poor in this world, the costumes and fashion seem heavily influenced by the depression era 1930's fur coats and top hats for the rich, old dull looking clothes for the rest. For a film called "Batman Returns" it's interesting that Batman is hardly in it and there is basically no character development for him. Burton seems more interested in the villains, the Penguin and the morally ambiguous Cat-Woman the later of which sort of goes through quite an arc over the course of the film. In a way I might have preferred a story focused more on the battle between Batman and Cat-Woman and cut out all the silly baby murdering, circus show, giant rubber ducks and flying umbrellas.
My main complaint about the film is the use at the end of it of 'rocket strapped commando penguins', the dark Gothic tone was ruined for me at that moment, it just came across as a bit wacky and goofy. De Vito as the penguin though was a great choice and he's clearly having a ball with the role. The film also lacks the strong emotional connection which Bruce Wayne and Alfred have in the Nolan version, in this version though Bruce Wayne is more mature than the Christina Bale version and seems to need less emotional support. The film really succeeds in capturing the comic book feel of Batman with the set design, haunting visuals, great lines and Wonderful villains.
Overall rating: 9 out of 10.