Batman Returns

Rating: 8/10 (6 August 2007)

I've decided to give you mine opinion on all the old Batman movies. Starting with Batman and ending with Batman & Robin.
This movie, Batman Returns, is the second Batman film made by Burton and, this is sad, the last of the old movie to be worth the money. After this there were no good Batman films until Nolan and Goyer decided to make their version of The Dark Knight.
With the Joker gone, this film starts to focus on the character it should focus on: Batman. That said, it still gives all the characters a moment to shine. Batman faces two of his deadliest foes: Catwoman and the Penguin, along with the corrupt businessman Max Shreck (named after the guy who played Nosferatu). The cast is great. DeVito was born to play Penguin, Walkens character is the real villain and Michelle Pfeiffer is hot and purrfect as Catwoman (pardon the pun).
Once again Burton got the setting right. Gotham during Christmas is a wonderful background to have during this story, that in fact is better then the 89 version. In many things, this is the better Burton film.
Then again, on the more important parts, this is the not so good version. Once again Burton got the characters all wrong. Catwoman is, if not true to the original, still good though. She turns into a thief/vigilante after, like the Joker would put it, she had a really bad day. She still is the grey part in Batmans black and white world and she actually makes him love her. So she works and therefor she's okay. The Penguinis was changed radically. He has become a freak who lives in the sewers and is the leader of an ex-circus crew. But, after all, Penguin never was a good villain to begin with. The worst thing is that they took one of the plots, there's more than one, from the old Batman series with Adam West. The Penguin runs for mayor?! WTF is going on? The Penguins other plot is way better but spoiled because of lack of time. That is sad.
Still, the ending is great and it is still an enjoyable movie. I'll have it in my collection along with Batman and the new Batman films by Nolan. But Schumachers movies is better of forgotten. "Merry Christmas, Alfred. Good will towards men... and women." Batman