Tim Burton's Yule Tide comic-book hero tragedy

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2005)

Batman Returns feels like a Tim Burton film much more than the first Batman did. It is a bit more peculiar, and has a wilder imagination. It also has much more going on than the first, we're introduced to many new characters and quite an amusing plot linking all of them together. This is the first of what will hopefully be many of Burton's films with a Christmas context (if you're a fan of his I obviously don't need to tell you the next one). I really liked that as a setting, it made it stand out much more than any other comic-book film adaptation. It's cold, there's snow, everything should be happy and magical but instead things go bad. I was surprised at just how moving this movie actually was; it really does make you think about the characters, and it is much more operatic and tragic than the first.
All the characters were very fascinating, as each of the three main characters (the bat, the cat, and the penguin) came to be under some unfortunate circumstances. They all have the potential to do good (luckily Batman does), and they all seem to be half-creature, half-human, almost struggling with their identities and purposes. The connecting character between these creatures is Max Shreck, played by the always- great Christopher Walken. While he's the only fully human character, he seems to be the most inhuman, he's an evil guy who conflicts with each of them at some point. You probably know the plot or have seen the movie already, so I won't bother explaining the multi-layered plot, but it really came together in a great, unexpected way. The first Batman ended in a way that justice was served, and Batman will continue to be a hero and find a way to cope with his own life, and everything will be okay. This one was such a tragic tale that really portrayed the darker side of being Batman.
There were so many things I liked about this movie. The relationship between Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Bruce Wayne/Batman was especially interesting. What really made it so sad was that they were so alike but Selina just couldn't pull it together. Two of my favourite parts of the movie occur during the Christmas party scene. First of course, was when Bruce and Selina finally find out each other's identities. That was such an indescribably moving scene that worked so perfectly. The other part was when Bruce confronts Max Shreck. Shreck talks about how he is the real secret power that runs the city, and that "it doesn't matter who's mayor." Bruce replies, "it matters to me." What should have been this big, powerful speech scene turns out very brief, when Shreck, clearly indifferent to Bruce Wayne, says "YAWN," then walks away. Not only was it amusing but I thought it did make a lot of sense, that's the way that character is.
Danny Devito and some extremely talented makeup artists (not to mention the way the filmmakers ingeniously reinvented him) do a great job in bringing the evil penguin character to life. Honestly, I never saw Devito here. I could sort of make him out, but he really just got into the character so deeply that I saw just the character. I was very impressed with him, it's unlike anything he's ever done, and he certainly did not deserve that Razzie nomination! Danny Elfman's score was particularly incredible as well, and it's a sin that he did not get an Oscar nod.
Batman Returns is much edgier and darker in mood than its predecessor. I love both movies, but I think I prefer this one. There was just so much more to it. I love the atmosphere they both create, and no other superhero movies have anything like it to offer.
My rating: 9/10