An incredibly complex comic-book film

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2004)

Unlike Tim Burton's first film in the Batman franchise, "Batman Returns" is a completely satisfying romp through the perilous city of Gotham (which is so beautifully realized by the ingenious Bo Welch)and a quite moving study of loneliness. This is by far the best comic-book film made yet, and the only which successfully maintains a sense of fun and depth.
Michael Keaton is a terrific Batman and Bruce Wayne, and is given more interesting quirks now than in the previous film. Danny Devito, quite possibly the most underrated actor in Hollywood, is brilliant as the literate, emotionally desolate Penguin(A.K.A. Oswald Cobblepot). Catwoman is played to perfection by Michelle Pfeiffer in one of her showiest roles, and Christopher Walken is hysterical as millionaire madman, Max Shreck. Burton uses his excesses to the film's advantage, such as clowns and a gloomy, domineering Gotham. The symbolism of the film isn't played in an obvious fashion, and asks the viewer to look more into the hearts of the characters than their surroundings. The first "Batman" suffered from a lack of complex characters, and its incredible art-direction took center stage (as well as an Oscar).
"Batman Returns" is a deep psychological study of childhoods gone wrong, and the results are thought-provoking, cartoonishly wonderful, darkly hilarious, and mesmerisingly different