Batman Returns ****½ (1992, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle) – Classic Movie Review 565

Michael Keaton returns to re-create his splendidly chilling turn as the Dark Knight in director Tim Burton’s very welcome, alluring 1992 sequel to his 1989 Batman triumph. Maybe Batman Returns (1992) is not quite as good as Batman, but near enough. 

Michael Keaton returns to re-create his splendidly chilling performance as the Dark Knight in director Tim Burton’s very welcome, alluring 1992 sequel to his 1989 Batman triumph. Maybe because Batman Returns (1992) doesn’t seem quite so fresh and original, it is not quite as good as Batman, but near enough. Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer are outstanding as The Penguin and Catwoman.

This time Batman’s got triple troubles. Corrupt, crazed businessman Max Shreck and the grotesque Penguin both plot to take control of Gotham City, while the troublesome Catwoman (who was Shreck’s secretary Selina Kyle, thrown from the top of a building) has the same personality disorder as Batman.

Gamely bidding to plug the gap left by the absence of Jack Nicholson’s Joker this time are Danny DeVito as deformed crime boss  Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as meek assistant Selina Kyle turned vengeful villain Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as ruthless industrialist Shreck. All three special, charismatic actors prove a success, portraying their comic-book characters exuberantly, but still seriously and villainously. It’s campy black comedy with a nasty murderous edge.

They aren’t quite as barnstorming, hilarious or as stupendous as Nicholson, but they do extremely well, even if Daniel Waters’s generally adroit screenplay struggles to juggle their appearances to give them equal impact. DeVito has trouble breaking through his remarkable, all-enveloping Penguin makeup, but Pfeiffer purrs alluring while performing with claws, and, as expected, Walken takes his opportunity to give yet another masterclass in acting effortlessly weird.

Apart from Keaton, of the original cast there’s only Michael Gough as Alfred the butler and Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon and both these good actors unfortunately have little to do. Also back obviously is Burton, obviously relishing the second chance to pursue his bizarre and bleak vision of a perpetually night-time Gotham City with its corrupt and damaged inhabitants. He infests the film with a mood of brooding, dark violence and it is very typical of him that he makes even Christmas seem sinister.

The film’s slight weaknesses lie in the story and dialogue departments. It is of course a comic-book movie, but the lack of a really good yarn means there is too little dynamism in the narrative and the shortage of really great jokes holds back the film’s power to entertain. It is more about a bunch of exotic random turns and comedy ideas.

But there really are some clever ideas here though. The attack of the penguins with rockets strapped to their backs may have upset animal rights groups but it’s enormously amusing to most everyone else and The Penguin’s duck chariot is another really funny concept. The two hours, seven minutes running time zooms by effortlessly and enjoyably so you never notice the time, and that is a good measure of a diverting escapist film.

Though a 12 certificate this time, it is still quite grisly and adult, but there is no doubt that older kids will probably love it.

Max Shreck is of course the Berlin-born actor famed for ever as Count Orlok in the 1922 Nosferatu.

Batman Forever appeared in 1995, directed by Joel Schumacher, who also made a fourth installment, titled Batman and Robin (1997).

Thin Clown – Doug Jones with Michael Keaton.

Doug Jones messaged on 22 June 2022: ‘Yep, that’s me with Michael Keaton, as the credits read: “Thin Clown – Doug Jones” (a title I’ve lived with all my life). Join me in celebrating 30 years of BATMAN RETURNS (1992).’

The brilliant one-time Disney animator Tim Burton made his feature-film directing debut with the weird, sometimes funny and undeniably smart 1985 comedy film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. Reubens and Diane Salinger (who plays Simone in that film) are reunited in the opening sequence of Batman Returns as the parents of the Penguin, Tucker and Esther Cobblepot, Oswald’s wealthy, elite parents.

Burton agreed to return in exchange for significant creative control, including replacing original writer Sam Hamm with Daniel Waters. Also, Wesley Strick did an uncredited re-write, providing a master plan for the Penguin.

It was shot from September 1991 to February 1992 for a budget estimated between $50 million and $80 million at Warner Bros Studios and Universal Studios in California.

Released on 19 June 1992, Batman Returns broke several box-office records and earned about $266.8 million worldwide but it failed to replicate the box office success or longevity of Batman ($411.6 million), supposedly because of its darker tone plus violent and sexual elements, though now it is considered one of the best Batman films. Joel Schumacher took over as director for Batman Forever (1995) to take the series in a more family-friendly direction and Keaton chose not to reprise Batman, disagreeing with Schumacher’s vision.

Keaton reprises Batman in The Flash.

The cast are Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot / Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, Christopher Walken as Max Shreck, Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth, Pat Hingle as James Gordon, Michael Murphy as the Mayor, Andrew Bryniarski as Max’s son Charles ‘Chip’ Schreck, Cristi Conaway as the Ice Princess, Paul Reubens as Tucker Cobblepot, Diane Salinger as Esther Cobblepot, Sean Whalen as a paperboy, Jan Hooks as Jen, and Steve Witting as Josh.

The Red Triangle gang includes the monkey-toting Organ Grinder (Vincent Schiavelli), the Poodle Lady (Anna Katarina), the Tattooed Strongman (Rick Zumwalt), the Sword Swallower (John Strong), the Knifethrower Dame (Erika Andersch), the Acrobatic Thug (Gregory Scott Cummins), the Terrifying Clown (Branscombe Richmond), the Fat Clown (Travis Mckenna), and the Thin Clown (Doug Jones).

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© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Film Review 565 derekwinnert.com