Batman Returns – Film Review

The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple the Batman (Michael Keaton) once and for all. But when Shreck’s timid assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.

As mentioned in my review of Tim Burton‘s 1989 classic Batman, it was a film that revolutionized superhero movies as we know them to be today. Without that film, we wouldn’t have blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man: No Way Home. Before Batman was released in theatres, those kinds of films were viewed as being outrageously goofy and nobody could take them seriously.

But Burton proved that, with the right script, director, and actors, superhero films can be legitimately good and serious. Well, he certainly wanted to up the ante for his follow-up Batman Returns, which is not only a million times better than the first, but it’s also one of the best superhero movies ever made.

This is a movie that takes all of the elements that we loved so dearly about Burton’s first film and makes them ten times better, miraculously. Returns is a movie that you’d fully expect to be a convoluted mess because of how many characters it tends to focus on.

There’s Penguin, Max Shreck, Catwoman, and of course, Batman. All four of these characters get equal amounts of screen time and character development so that, by the time we reach the climax, we feel as though we know all of these insanely dangerous and lively people personally.

The final confrontation in the film is exhilarating and immensely satisfying. It all leads to a final few minutes that are some of the most beautiful ever put on screen in a superhero movie. The final shot is so stunning that you could genuinely hang it on your wall and look at it all day, and still not be bored.

Michael Keaton portrays Bruce Wayne / Batman once again, and would you believe it? He does an even better job here than he did in the first film. Here, Keaton gets the chance to play a more unhinged and experienced Batman. This Batman is a little tired of everyone. Keaton manages to rise to the occasion, portraying a Batman that is more rugged than others.

Then there’s Danny DeVito who is wonderfully over-the-top in the role of Penguin; a character that gets a shocking amount of depth and exploration. Sometimes when I play a Batman: Arkham game or something along those lines, I always forget just how interesting the Penguin can be if he’s written properly.

Of course, we also have Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle / Catwoman. This was, in my opinion, the first time an actress truly embodied Catwoman on the big screen. Zoë Kravitz portrayal of the iconic character is still my favorite, but Pfeiffer definitely paved the way.

There’s honestly nothing about Batman Returns that I dislike. It’s an exhilarating, dark, comedic, and multi-layered film with interesting themes, making it one of the best superhero movies ever made.