Nice Try

Rating: 4/10 (27 January 2001)

Undeniably weaker entry in the second installment of this series of films. The production values are still high, yet the execution came off weak. This is unfortunate, as BATMAN RETURNS had everything going for a worthwhile sequel. You had the stars...righto! You had Tim Burton...righto! You had the great supporting cast, musical score and those effects...righto! You had the screenplay...UH-OH....
The story really did come off as one long homily about not looking down on people that we perceive as different. I can relate and think that is fine, but not for the length of the movie. Besides, I'm not ready to start thinking that all six billion of us on the planet need to be told such lessons in such a heavy handed nature. The character development came off as trying to fit too much, in one setting. The Penguin's character, in trying to be scary, degenerated into camp and became an object of humor. To see Devito's character traipsing about the underground sewers of Gotham, in those colossal, filthy undies bemoaning the fact that folks find him less than desirable, came off as somewhat ludicrous. Also, a question popped into my head while viewing this. If he spent all his time in the sewer, how did he eat? I mean the guy is tremendously obese. Who fed him? Ed Norton from "The Honeymooners"? Also, I heard a rumor that penguins can be found in cold climates, like Antarctica, and generally not in our sewers. I realize this is supposed to be fantasy, yet let's not make simpletons out of the audience, please.
The only saving grace in the whole shebang is Pfeiffer's Catwoman character. She basically stole the show, and is by far the most interesting character. Michael Keaton is solid, but like Danny Devito, are anchored down by the limited, innocuous scope of the script.
A small smudge off the neighbor's hibachi could have saved Warner Brothers a lot of loot, and the audience a lot of pain. This movie is by no means a dud, it merely means that with the right factors going, BATMAN RETURNS had the potential for a great film, instead of a so-so one. Recommended only for diehard fans, others should be wary of this weak fare.