Batman Returns
The '60s TV version of "Batman" is almost universally degraded by casual and hardcore fans of the iconic superhero as a campy excursion that completely missed the dark themes and complex characters comprising the heart of Batman. So, it's surprising when a relatively renowned film like "Batman Returns" utilizes many of the same over-the-top elements as its small-screen predecessor without completely burning up any currency it might have scored with fans anxious for a reboot of the franchise after Adam West and his retro show marginalized the character for almost 30 years.
Initially, Burton's re-imagining of the iconic hero's story in "Batman Returns" is unique and intriguing, combining the filmmaker's trademark bizarre mix of childlike whimsy and abject gothic horror to depict Batman's (Michael Keaton, reprising his role from the last installment) new adventures and the stories behind his latest enemies: The Penguin (Danny DeVito), a hideously deformed man with birdlike attributes, rises from his sewer lair to take revenge against the "normals" of Gotham City. Meanwhile, mousy secretary Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) is resurrected after being murdered by her boss, vicious industrialist Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), to become Catwoman, a fearsome femme fatale who seems to share Batman's penchant for black costuming and vigilantism.
The first hour of "Batman Returns" is electrifying, focusing on the central characters and giving them depth Burton's first "Batman" never allowed. The initial pacing of "Returns" is excellent, merging style and substance to truly get under the skin of the protagonists and antagonists alike. Bruce Wayne, the alter-ego behind Batman, forms a relationship with Selina, unaware of her double-life as Catwoman, that rings true. The chemistry between Keaton and Pfeiffer is full of spark, easily trumping the stagnant romance between Keaton and Kim Basinger in the prior film. Both Catwoman and the Penguin get opportunities to become more than cartoonish supervillains as well, an improvement in exposition over Jack Nicholson's more flamboyant performance as the Joker in "Batman." DeVito's work as the Penguin is especially excellent as he elevates what is essentially a caricature of self-absorbed, grotesque evil into a creature with real depth.
However, Burton once again bungles the climax, this time fatally so. Rather than working from the characters' dark psyches in presenting the final confrontations between Batman, the Penguin and Catwoman, the finale instead relies on rocket-launching penguins; prolonged, badly executed action sequences; deus ex machina-style technology; and over-the-top acting to move through the film's overlong conclusion. When "Batman" faded to black, the viewer was satisfied to have seen an archetypal good-versus-evil story play out on a grand scale. When "Returns" ends, it's a welcome conclusion to a story drained of its complexity by an unfortunate turn to comic book silliness.