A unconventional and sublime dark opera but the villains outshine the hero!

Rating: 2/10 (9 November 2011)

Panned by some, lauded over by other Tim Burton's take on Bob Kane's classic, costumed vigilante although commercially successful was always going to leave cinema audiences divided. While not adhering entirely to the moral sensibilities of the Dark Knight which began with 1989's mediocre "Batman" It's with some amount of conviction that I truly believe that with his 1992 follow up "Batman Returns" Burton was afforded more artistic Carte-Blanche. Both with the narrative and stylistic content of the picture. Already having vindicated his clout as an inventive and visually captivating force to be reckoned in the minds of others after "Edward Scissorhands" critical and commercial success. BR for me personally boasted a movie with a more solidly structured screenplay, a more aesthetically appealing Gotham City and decidedly more intriguing interplay between the primary characters.
The sequel this times took it's cue from two rather than one antagonist from the comics rogue gallery being the apparent choices. The Penguin (Danny Devito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).
35 years before the main events of the film take place, a millionaire husband whose surname is Cobblepot awaits the birth of his first child. What should be a day of extreme joy for he and his wife turns to disappointed bitterness when instead of a regular, cutesy baby they are presented with what they perceive to be a deformed mutant. Cruelly abandoning their tragic offspring, whose name is Oswald in to a canal. The current takes him to the sewers where he is discovered by Penguins from a nearby Circus. Leap ahead to the present and Gotham City is being terrorised by a gang of grim, colourful crooks calling themselves the Red Triangle Gang. Led by Oswald who has grown in to a twisted, repugnant villain they act upon his orders, the purpose of which is to forward his own mysterious agenda. Meanwhile dowdy secretary Selina Kyle, employed by millionaire industrialist Max Schreck is bullied and put upon by her arrogant, overbearing boss. A man who mocks her in front of not only the Mayor of Gotham but fellow businessmen. Then one fateful night a chance discovery of illegal activities approved by Shreck to drain the city of it's electrical resources via his own power station. Pushed out several storeys up from his office by her murderous employer she is left for dead only to be granted nine lives and resurrected by stray cats who she was kind enough to feed. Filled with rage and a determination to avenge herself upon Shreck she becomes the costumed, vengeful anarchist Catwoman! Only one man stands in the way of each wronged criminals way and that is Gotham City's most dedicated defender, Millionaire Bruce Wayne aka. Batman (Michael Keaton)
It would be inaccurate to label "Batman Returns" as a simple comic-book, action movie and while it's basic premise sprung forth from the pages of DC Comics it was more a dark, Gothic opera with complex characters where the basic principals of good and evil aren't so black and white! Yes, there are elaborate, fun action sequences but they took a back seat to the more predominantly rich and beguiling personalities on display. Danny Devito is outstanding as the figurative Penguin of the movie. A man not only repellent on the outside but within. A sleazy, corrupt yet pitiful figure who is nicely mirrored by the conniving Max Shrek played here with chilling coolness by Christopher Walken. An actor who has cornered the market in such roles. Also there is a lop-sided comparison of sorts between he and the movies prime protagonist. While Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego has been raised lovingly and given the best upbringing his parents could afford and was a regular, healthy and content child before his progenitors tragic demise. Oswald was cast away by his parents and forced to to grow up as a side-show freak in a circus. But while Bruce has not the comfort of letting rage cloud him fully with his personal moral duty to his parents memory making his Gotham's maverick champion. He is a man cast-away in to practical loneliness with only his loyal butler Alfred to be of any companionship or counsel.
But in Selina Kyle/Catwoman he finds hope and a dangerous adversary, a veritable contraction in terms and played with tenacious cunning and seductive ice-coolness by Michelle Pfieffer in one of her most penetrating, flawless performances to date! Rather than a villain she is more a tragic, feminist anti-hero of sorts. Cracking her whip for all those women that have wronged been wronged and with Max Shreck in her sights she strives to strike a blow in not her but also their name.
Burton really casts his magic with the method in which he ingeniously interweaves the various strands of the stories together with only Catwoman and The Penguin being on screen fairly fairly briefly together. But this doesn't impact on the movie as a whole although lamentably Michael Keaton as fine as he is, is left to take more a back-seat to his co-stars more "interesting" rogues. Although there is a some focus on Wayne and insight to the man and his unconventional lifestyle it plays second fiddle to the "bad guys". Elaborate set-pieces which include Batman's first on-screen encounter with the Red Triangle Gang to a tense scene where his Batmobile is fitted with a device that allows the Penguin to take control of it. Sending it careering through the Streets of Gotham City with Batman at the wheel. It ultimately can't rescue it from becoming the villains movie.
A solid effort and somewhat removed from the atypical big budget blockbusters, BR was and is in my mind a strong, crowd-pleasing popcorn movie. Although hardly achieving greatness and not a classic by any means it further went to solidify Burtons reputation in Hollywood. You'll either love it or hate it but you can't deny it's visual creativity and sumptuousness!