If only it could have gone on like this!

Rating: Null/10 (12 February 2000)

A shocker! A sequel that is as good as the first one without being a remake! Both real Batman movies are cartoonishly violent (that is by no means an insult), SF (Science Fiction) comic book fantasies. That's what makes them great. They are intelligent but don't try to shoot for the Oscars or try to satisfy the legions of critics who hate films that are just escapist fare. Batman movies are supposed to a few hours of fun for the legions of innocent Batman fights to protect. Anyway, this film/movie is a blast. The set designs and directing make this film beautiful to stare at for hours. The acting is great-Everyone from Christopher Walken to Michael Keaton turns in a top-notch performancec and would have all been show stealers if they had been without each other's support. Gotham City is a dark and dangerous place where diabolical Penguins can run for Mayor, anonymous citizens scurry fearfully about, and the only person to protect us all is the Caped Crusader. It is up there with Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Blade Runner's LA. The score only makes this movie even better. The directing just makes the atmosphere even thicker. Then there's the neat story: Max Shreck manipulates the Penguin so he could be his power plant that sucks up power (You can never have too much power). Shreck wants the Penguin to become Mayor or vice versa. Then there's Catwoman, who's waging a war of vengeance on Max Shreck. It all boils down to a wonderful scheme of vengeance, what we are looking for in a Batman movie. The characters are great too: Michelle Pfeiffer does a great job as the confused and lonely Selena Kyle and is prrrrrrrr-fect as the leather clad Catwoman. Danny Devito is a great job as the estranged Penguin who takes his anger out on all of Gotham towards the end. Michael Keaton is dark as the Dark Knight and clumsy as the millionaire Bruce Wayne. Plus, there's the sarcasm. Doesn't the Penguin's Mayoral slogan of "BURN BABY BURN!" strike you as, er, sarcastic?