Tim Burton's Batman Returns

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2012)

Most people say Batman Returns is better than the first Batman movie by Tim Burton because it's darker with eerie music, cinematography and set design and more violent with more explosions and action sequences. Now I wouldn't say it's better than the original because the original had Batman's arch-nemesis, the Joker. But Batman Returns is definitely a very good sequel.
One of the things I love about this sequel is that it has not just one, but three villains: Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), the Penguin (Danny DeVito) and even a character who wasn't even in the comics, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). And all three of them do fantastic. And of course, Michael Keaton is amazing as Batman.
I think this movie has a better and more mature plot because it has more to do with crime and conspiracy and the characters (particularly the villains) work very well together. Like the Penguin blackmails corrupt, business tycoon Max Shreck into helping him become part of Gotham City. And later the two of them become partners in crime when Penguin goes up for election for mayor of Gotham so Shreck can continue his schemes. Then later Penguin and Catwoman work together to bring down Batman. And Penguin wants to get revenge on his parents for abandoning him as a baby by kidnapping all the first-born sons in Gotham and killing them.
Yet Batman manages to foil Max Shreck and Penguin's plans to take over Gotham, or worse, destroy Gotham. While also confronting his emotions for Selina Kyle/Catwoman, which makes this movie more sensitive.
If only Warner Bros. hadn't got rid of Tim Burton, we probably wouldn't have the infamous Batman Forever and Batman & Robin by Joel Schumacher. Oh well, at least we still have Christopher Nolan to thank for restoring the franchise.