Batman week Part 2

After the success of the 1989 Batman, it was followed by a highly anticipated sequel. In 1992, Tim Burton delivered with "Batman Returns," where he was given free range to do what he wanted. End result, according to James Rolfe: "stylish and artistic, but unfortunately it alienated mainstream audiences." Michael Keaton returns as Batman, no doubt, but the movie doesn't focus on him a lot in this film. Now, there is more of a focus on the villains, and this time, there are three.

First off, we have a corrupt businessman named Max Shreck (possibly named after the actor who portrayed Nosferatu in the 1922 F.W. Murnau film, which is the oldest existing film of Dracula), played by one of the most awkward actors, Christopher Walken. How come comedians or anyone else don't bring up his role in this film? He did an awesome job here. You got to love it when he delivers lines like, "Bruce, shame on you! You think you can go fifteen rounds with Muhammed Shreck?"

Second, there is Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin, played by Danny DeVito. He said, when he was interviewed on "Inside the Actors Studio," he went to Sea World in San Diego, went into the habitat with all of the Penguins, and recorded their sounds, but rehearsed on his own and lived with his image of Oswald. Burton had a strong image of the character. He drew the pictures of the Penguin, and one of the things he gave DeVito was his painting of DeVito as the Penguin with a caption, "My name is Jimmy, but they call me the hideous Penguin boy." He credits Tim Burton as an artist, a very genuine guy who created the character of Oswald. When DeVito got the role, he said, "If I'm ever going to do an opera, this is going to be it." DeVito did a lot of practice alone in rooms where he lived in that moment, and stayed away from the script, working in the inside-out. His performance is a little bit exaggerated, but the character is pulled off well. The thing with the Penguin is that he is just a confused and sad misfit, who you feel sympathy for, because he wants to be accepted into society. Remember, in the beginning of the film, his parents didn't like the way he looked at birth, so they put him in a cage and tossed him over the bridge, where he went underground and lived with the Penguins. Even after he finds out his parents are gone, he still forgives them. This comes as a lesson to everyone that you shouldn't mistreat someone because they are different from you. They are still people, and you should respect them like you would to everyone else. With Max Shreck and The Penguin, you got to love it when both of them are on screen. Two sociopathic villains together plotting to take over Gotham, now there are the moments Batman fans would love to see.

Finally, (I saved the best for last) there is Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, played by one of the hottest actress in the business, Michelle Pfeiffer. Originally, Annette Bening was supposed to be play Catwoman, but she became pregnant. One of the strangest scenes is when she becomes Catwoman. Shreck pushes her out the window of his business complex, she falls down onto the snow, a bunch of cats come up and start chewing away at her fingers, and she blinks her eyes a few times (which is scary because her eyes are rolled to the back of her head). Once she regains consciousness, she goes back to her apartment, destroys it, makes her costume, and goes on a rampage through department stores. She prances around, does a lot of flips, blows a bunch of things up, but unlike any of the other Batman villains, she also fights criminals. It is good to say that she does a lot of her screen time fighting Batman, which is necessary because Catwoman is one of the female villains that had a relationship with Batman. Believe it or not, Michelle Pfeiffer was in her kickboxing phase because she was taking it as a new form of exercise, so that's how she trained for the combat scenes. She also had to train with a whip master. One of her best lines is when she cartwheels into a scene with Batman and Penguin and says, "Meow!" Now that is hot!

Even though none of the other Batman films excelled at action, this one just takes the cake. There are so many action scenes in this one that it is the grand champion of the Batman film with the most action, until maybe the Christopher Nolan films come around, but that's for another time. Fans complained in this one that Batman killed criminals, when he never does that, but that's not true. According to Batman comic readers, Batman killed criminals all the time in the earlier comics, and in the first film, he bashed one of the criminals head into a bell and threw him down the cathedral.

One of the funniest scenes is when the Penguin has taken control of the Batmobile and says some stuff over the intercom to Batman, and he records it. Then, when the Penguin gives his public speech, Batman plays what the Penguin said to him in the Batmobile over the loud speakers, repeating it over and over. The icing on that cake is when Bruce does a record scratch, which could mean that he was trying to have a Penguin rap with that recording. Everyone throws vegetables at him, which you might question where they got it from, but just like from my review on the 1989 Batman when I questioned about Joker knowing Batman was a bad shot and shot the Night-Wing down with one shot, it's supposed to be comedic, so why not, just enjoy it for being funny. The one scene that I thought was completely random is when Shreck is helping the Penguin run for Mayor, and one of the guys (if I remember correctly) said something to the Penguin as some sort of joke, they both laugh about it, and then the Penguin bites the guy's nose. Why did he do that? That was superfluous. It's times like this where the film just goes overboard. One part of the movie that actually is funny is near the end when Max Shreck asks, "Bruce Wayne, why are you dressed up as Batman?" Catwoman says the funniest line in the movie: "Because he 'is' Batman, you moron."

The thing about this film is that it's too dark, weird, silly, and has an exceptionally depressing storyline. While the first Batman, according to Doug Walker, "ended on a triumphant note, Batman Returns' ending was more bittersweet, and felt people feeling kind of empty." Still, it was a big hit, but it wasn't the mega blockbuster hit that Warner Bros. wanted. The first Batman film was made more for adults, but for kids as well, but this one was not for kids at all. McDonald's was ready to do a promotion with their Happy Meals, like they always have done, but canceled it because Batman Returns was too dark and violent. Even though there are moments in this film that I think make it better than the first, the '89 Batman is still the superior film. People might have liked it when it came out, but watching it now, it doesn't hold up as well like the first one does. Guys, just take a look at it this way: It's a Tim Burton movie, it's his trademark style with a strong mood, but hands down, it's not his best work nor the best Batman movie (obviously). Unlike the first film, which I highly recommended, this one I don't really recommend. Remember, it's not bad, so go watch it if you're a Batman fan.

Since this wasn't the film that Warner Bros. was expecting, for the third film, gone was the darkness, gone was the demented corkiness, and gone were Tim Burton and Michael Keaton. However, Burton stayed on as Producer for the third installment. But who is the man that will be the new director? Will he give Warner Bros. the Batman film they all wanted? What will he do with this one? Treat it like it was in the comics and in the Burton films, or change the mood into being more suitable for kids? Tune in next episode. Same Bat time! Same Bat channel!