Misunderstood Gem!

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2005)

This movie was far from conventional, this time Burton had more freedom to mold Batman into his own vision. He set up to explore the deepest and darkest themes found throughout its long and rich multimedia history all while managing to pay homage to its many diverse depictions and different eras.
Burton delivered what is still to this point the most polarizing and controversial interpretation of Batman's history. An uneasy, deliciously dark and humorous, visually striking and sense assaulting experience disguised as a simple straight forward, and campy blockbuster further enhanced by its amazing score, depressive blue Christmas setting, influential production design, creative costume design, rich symbolism and tour de force performances (a career defining for Michelle Pfeiffer).
Batman finds himself pitted against and emotionally challenged by 3 "villains":

A disturbing circus freak with a tragic past, Oswald Cobblepot known as the Penguin, who was abandoned by his wealthy and influential parents and who just like Bruce had his innocence taken from him at a premature age.

He feels cheated of a promising life and represents Bruce's life gone wrong as he wishes to inflict pain and for people to suffer the same for what he went through. Unlike Bruce or Selina feels no remorse or conflict, there is no turning back for him. He is understandably pure angst and bitterness and in spite of being an eloquent and highly intelligent individual is mainly driven by his instincts, thirst for revenge, carnal and affection needs making him an easy prey for Max Schrecks' plot.

Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, a woman who by trying to better herself ventured out of her comfort zone only to inevitably become the very thing she sought not to, failing to stand out and succeed in a tough male run world where there is no room for a shy, inexperienced, naive girl even if willing, intelligent, thoughtful, honest, hard working and creative, a world where only the fittest survive and the unethical climb while the weak languish in the background. In conclusion everything society molded her to be and all she was entitled to aspire to.

She is an innocent, girlish and immature woman predictably fond of the color pink, stuffed animals and cats who is harassed and humiliated at work. A subtle glimpse of her dormant and repressed side is shown at the beginning of the movie after her first encounter with "the Batman".
Selina discovers her boss', a truly heartless but beloved businessman depicted by the twisted media as a working man of humble upbringing and an uninterested anthropologist Max Schreck, sinister and disguised attempt at blackmailing and taking the city hostage by holding a monopoly on energy which causes her to be disposed of mercilessly by Schreck who corners her and throws her out of a high story window of a skyscraper.
She falls on her back on several inches of snow and is symbolically revived by cats and reborn as a self-confident "executive assistant" turned vigilante focused on destroying Schreks evil empire and stranglehold on the city.
All the while still enjoying her once seemingly unreachable, new fulfilling and limitless self by indulging in what she thought would be a mere diversion. She is sidetracked by Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne, she begins to question herself and be scared of what she has become after it appears she has met "the one" shattering her once firm and "cynic" perspective of life and fracturing her new found confidence, the delicate balance of her duality, her selfish empowerment and forcing her to consider giving up her crusade against injustice and live a normal life with Bruce, reluctantly confirming and accepting the goals of life as dictated by a two faced, hypocrite society which allows men like Max Schrek to come out on top and control the world at will. The dynamic relationship of Bruce and Selina is by far the best, most tragic, erotic romance to date in comic book genre movie.

Max Schreck who claims to represent the city itself, and who one day plans to live through his son who will make sure his legacy lives on. He will stop at nothing and no one to accomplish it until he gains full control of the city and the political and justice authorities are his puppets.

Batman Returns is a deeper and genuine un-sugar-coated statement on marginalization, class and gender confrontation and alienation in a corrupt and hypocrite world. Despite superficial differences all that separates Batman and his foes are the side of the law they supposedly fight for which is not only blurry but undefined. All the Dark Knight rises only dared to superficially explore failing big time.
During the ending credits the main character's themes breathtakingly morph into one another, coincidence?