Best of the Pre-Nolan Batmans

Rating: 8/10 (5 August 2008)

When Tim Burton made the Batman film did was not too happy about the film he made. He only returned to the franchise because he was allowed to make the film he wanted and you get to see some of his directional traits.
The basic plot of the film is a new criminal master-mind, The Penguin (Danny De Vito), is conquering the underworld of Gotham and starting a new rain of terror during Christmas. He captures a major industrialist Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) and holds him to blackmail. Out of anger of being found out Shreck kills his secretary Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer). She however is brought back to life and she becomes Cat-woman. The three work together and form a plan to take over the city and destroy Batman. A part of the plan is for the Pengiun to 'save' the mayor's son and find out who he really is before running for mayor himself. At the same time Bruce Wayne is forming a relationship with Selina whilst at the same time fighting Catwoman as Batman.
This film is darker in tone to Batman and has themes like child-abandonment and child-killing. There is some good casting, Danny De-Vito and Walken are good in there roles, but Pfeiffer was the best casting in the film. However, there are problems with the film, firstly, there is too much focus on the villains, and not enough on Batman. Bruce Wayne is not made out to be an interesting character compared to the Nolan films. Secondly I thought that even this film, whilst it is fairly dark, I still thought that was cartoonary like the penguins and henchmen. I'm also not a great fan of the Gothic style that was used, but considering it's Burton's film it what he does.
Batman Returns is best until Nolan comes along. The problem with the executives at Warner Brothers was they though Batman was a family friendly character (he isn't) and did not like what Burton came up with. This was the reason why Joel Schumacher was brought in and made the bad Batman Forever and even worst Batman and Robin.