An artistic masterpiece although misguided (some minor spoilers)

Rating: 8/10 (3 June 2001)

In order to appreciate this film you must see it 2 or 3 times . I am not kiding . The first time it is going to irritate you and you may
regard it as a travesty . It is very dark and annoyingly grotesque from the middle and further . The beginning is excellent . I can 't say much but it starts like a marvellous German fairy tale set in Christmas . The gothism and the expressionism are dominant through the entire film since the main plot is also in Christmas . Of course the atmosphere is dark like hell and kind of reminds the Gremlins . There are many colourful lights in the entire Gotham city which only emphasise on the nightmarish facts which take place , and on the moody/sad feelings of the heroes . The 4 basic actors are simply great and have a terrific chemistry . Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman gives the darkest performance of the entire series. He is the definition of loneliness . He is way better from the prequel though where he seemed a bit out of place . Danny De Vito is good as the grotesque Penguin , a twisted mutant with naturalistic insticts . The same go for the feline Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) who is the impersonation of self-destructive sadomazochism . Pfeiffer gives her best performance not necessarily when in the black suit , but in portraying the disturbed secretary Selina Kyle behind her . But the kudos have to go to Christopher Walken because he plays his role with the most amazing way . An evil tycoon who wants to manipulate Gotham and drain the energy for his plant . The sad part is that Max Shreque is the only of these 3 villains who moves rationally with specific motives and reasons . Penguin and Catwoman act inconsistenly and are preposterous .E.g.why Catwoman wants to kill Batman since in the beginning he was the one who saved her life ? She wanted to prove that women can kick a** just like them ? Or her pride simply could not stand
being rescued so she turned against him ? Unfortunately there are many other plot holes like that which make grand cons The music score by Danny Elfman steals the show giving perfectly all the dramatic tension in the souls of the heroes , the nightmarish gothic feeling and a slight reference of Christmas fairy tale for kids !! The same go for the magnificent sets and costumes . Every shot is unique. It looks like a painting picture , progressed meticulously to the last detail . The surrealistic delusional feeling which give you is splendid. The clowns of the Red Triangle Circus gang are pieces of pure art . As for the Penguin 's lair with the vast scenery , what can I say ? NOONE has manged to top this impressive set ever since . So what went wrong ? The answer is the script . There is sick violence in some points and rediculous childness in others . The writers and Burton seemed a bit disorientated and sometimes we have a pure dark mess . This is obvious in the scene where the 2 villains plot to destroy Batman by "turning him into what he hates most : namely us" or the the one -liners during the fights between Batman and Catwoman . These dialogues are so contrived and silly which make the film worst trash from some saturday morning cartoons !! OH MY GOD WHAT WERE THEY THINKING ???? Not to mention some of the choreographied violence in fight scenes which seem to have popped out of Power Rangers !!!! And exactly why did the Penguin want to kill all the first born boys ? Because of the mommy complex ??? These are questions which will go away ONLY if you have watched it more than once . Anyway Batman Returns is Tim Burton 's best directing job to date . It has symbolisms , psychedelic dreamlike imagery and 4 excellently packed up plots corresponding to the 4 stars . You are NEVER bored since each one of them could carry a movie by his/her own . Be prepared though for a little too much dark . In the worst case you can enjoy it as a very bad written cartoon with much irony and black humour. Nevertheless it is an artistic masterpiece with some classic and very powerful scenes like the the transformation of Selina in Catwoman or the intense finale (30 plus minutes long). Not the best in
the series but the the more surrealistic . Just don 't take it too seriously .
BATMAN RETURNS 8.5 / 10