Batman Returns (Two-Disc Special
Edition) starring Michael Keaton,
Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer,
Christopher Walken, Michael Gough
You Didnt Invite Me, So I Crashed!
With 1989s Batman, Tim Burtons bold visual style, the late Anton Fursts
stunning production design, and the dark dance between doppelgangers
suggested by Michael Keatons tortured Batman and Jack Nicholsons
demonic Joker rejuvenated the caped crusaders franchise while setting a
dauntingly high bar for any sequel. Its not surprising, then, that 1992s
Batman Returns couldnt match the sheer impact of its predecessor, yet the
subsequent passing of the baton to Joel Schumacher, and the title heros
retreat to a more conventional persona, make the second Burton Batman
worth another look. Perhaps reasoning that the appeal of two dueling
schizoids might be upped by adding a third, Batman Returns pits
millionaire Bruce Wayne and his alter ego against two equally split
personalities, Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the Penguin (Danny
DeVito). If the equation yields less than the desired sum, it still gives
Pfeiffer and DeVito room for oversized, properly gothic performances, and
the very feline Pfeiffer, in particular, has a field day. DeVitos cackling,
mutant orphan is nearly as riveting, and the story might have fared better if
the scriptwriting committee hadnt tossed in a third villain, Christopher
Walkens rapacious industrialist, Max Schreck (coyly named for the actor
who played the earliest screen vampire, Count Orlock, in F. W. Murnaus
German expressionist classic, Nosferatu), thereby pushing the plot toward
rococo excess. Bo Welchs production design sustains the brooding mix of
deco and gothic established by Furst, and Danny Elfmans dark, stirring
score helps pick up some of the slack. --Sam Sutherland
BATMAN RETURNS (1992) is a personal favorite of mine. It's so quirky
and EXTREMELY dark, almost to the point of being nightmarish! Tim
Burton's sequel to his exciting, groundbreaking 1989 BATMAN film is a
rarity in that it is a sequel that is actually at the very least GOOD! And I
think it's much better than good. I like the fact that BATMAN RETURNS is
almost completely different from BATMAN. While BATMAN was more
grandiose, stylish and epic, BATMAN RETURNS is much more deep, dark,
and scary. They really ar e two different films at their core. BATMAN
boasted two great performances in Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson.
BATMAN RETURNS ups the ante and gives us FOUR great
performances! Michael Keaton returns as the Caped Crusader and this
time he is joined by Danny Devito (as The Penguin), Michelle Pfeiffer (as
Catwoman), and Christopher Walken (as Max Schreck). This was at a time
when you could populate a film with major actors/stars and it actually turn
out good! Burton's casting choices in his early films are amongst some of
the most inspired I can think of out of any director in film history.
BATMAN RETURNS opens with what I think is one of the greatest
openings in all of film history! We hear an ominous, downbeat score as we
are drawn in to a silhouetted figure standing in a window of a mansion from
a distance. Then zoom in and it is the distinguished lord of the manor, pipe
in mouth, monocles on (played by none other than Paul Reubens!). Then
we hear a woman (his wife) in the bedroom screaming in both agony and
horror as she has just given birth to an incredibly deformed baby (we are
never shown the baby, just the parents and servants horrific reactions).
Months later, the parents decide to abandon the baby and during
Christmastime, throw him over a bridge at the local zoo and the carriage
floats into the sewers as the parents look with confusion and
sadness...Then the ominous music shifts to a more recognizable score:
The Batman theme, but with some slight and intricate variations from the
first film and then the opening credits as we watch the baby carriage go
through the sewers and ends up in a penguin lair. I think that Danny
Elfmann's score from this sequel surpasses his original! Should have won
an Oscar! I just love this opening. Then cut to present day Gotham City 33
years later.
It is the Christmas season in Gotham City and magnate Max Schreck
(played with sly, cool, wicked confidence by Christopher Walken) is angling
to build a new power plant and enlists the mayor's support. During the
meeting, we also meet Schreck's extremely shy and underconfident
secretary Selina Kyle (excellently played by the sultry Michelle Pfeiffer).
Meanwhile, there are reports of a mysterious "Penguin" figure roaming the
sewers of Gotham. During a tree-lighting ceremony where Schreck is
giving a speech in Gotham Square, the Red Triangle Gang crashes the
ceremony and terrorizing the Gothamite attendees. Commissioner Gordon
(reprised by Pat Hingle) sends out the Bat signal as Bruce Wayne (again
played by the great Michael Keaton) is sitting in his study alone in the dark.
He sees the signal and goes to work! Batman arrives in the city and
thwarts the gang for the moment, but in the melee, Schreck is kidnapped
as we learn this was all planned by The Penguin (brilliant characteri zation
by Danny Devito), as he wants Schreck to be his conduit back into normal
society. He blackmails Schreck by showing proof of his dirty business
dealings. Later, Selina stumbles upon papers that prove that Schreck
wants to build the power plant to suck all the power from Gotham rather
than supply it. Schreck pushes her out of his high-rise office and while she
is motionless on the ground, she is revived by a bunch of cats and
assumes the persona Catwoman. The Penguin ends up working with both
Schreck and Catwoman in different capacities as each has his/her own
agenda.
The chemistry among the stars is great in this. Keaton and Pfeiffer are hot
together as Batman and Catwoman and simultaneously sweet when they
are their alter egos Bruce and Selina. DeVi to and Walken are hilarious in
their scenes as they scheme to bring down Gotham City and Batman.
Also, Keaton and DeVito's scenes, although few, are very emotional and
powerful. The tragic irony is that both men were born rich and lost their
upbringing in a normal family and that is what made them into the "freaks"
that they've become. But it's like watching 2 sides of a coin as Penguin
hates the world and wants it to suffer as he has, while Batman channels
his anger to do good and prevent incidents that happened to him as a child
from ever happening again...Fascinating!
The great thing about BATMAN RETURNS is that Burton skillfully juggles
the stories of 4 main characters and forms a memorable ensemble. Each
characterization is unique and singular and well performed. This is a much
more introspective film that it's predecessor as there are times when you
really get into the characters' psyches and see what makes them tick. But,
make no mistake, there is still a good amount of action (not as much as
original), but the action here all feels more natural and necessary. Burton
expertly places the action sequences in healthy doses throughout the film
and they are all very well executed. He was underrated as a director of
action. The dark, wintry setting also gives this sequel a more dire,
apocalyptic tone and feel to it. The ending scenes are very tragic and sad
almost to the extent of being hopeless, rather than hopeful. The film
invested a lot into the actual characters, so even though they are all villains
(except Batman), you actually felt bad when they got theirs in the end
because they all had viable reasons for becoming evil. Well done, Mr.
Burton!
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