Better than the original?

Rating: 8/10 (3 December 2002)

It's a hard decision to make- which is better, Batman or Batman Returns, as both represent the quality end of action cinema superbly. Batman Returns lacks a truly great villain; Danny DeVito's hammy Penguin is more sympathetic than the Joker but not as charismatic, and the finale stretches the credibility of even a superhero movie. In it's favour, Batman Returns is more exciting than the original, with brilliant performances from Keaton, Pfeiffer and Walken, playing villainous (surely some mistake) businessman Max Shreck. Danny Elfman provides a typically excellent score, and the Christmas stylings work in the film's favour. The things falls apart slightly with the script; dialogue is generally funny (in a good way), but as I mentioned above, the ending was far too silly. Batman Returns is good fun, and possibly superior to the original. It's certainly better than Joel Schumacher's camp garbage take on the caped crusader. 8/10