Allo, allo, allo! Davie Portman here requesting all your feedback for this month’s free upNXT Movie Review! We recently started our Batman reviews and we are coming back with Tim Burton’s 1992 Christmas film about the World’s Greatest Detective - “Batman Returns”.
Batman returns to the big screen when a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaks havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman.
Braden and I will be recording on Wednesday.
Batman Returns; better than the original in 1989 as I thought Danny DeVito played his role much better than Jack Nicholson. The addition of Michelle Pfeiffer was a great asset to this film. The most cringe-worthy part of this movie was when Michael Keaton tore off his mask. For something that was previously described as “indestructible” to be so easily taken apart, left be dumbfounded. When it comes to making this decision, it would have been something TO BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED. Click, boom!
This may be a controversial opinion but Batman Returns is the worst Batman film. As much as I loved all the toys and action figures as a kid I didn’t like this movie then and it’s only gotten worse when watching it as an adult. I would rather watch Batman & Robin or Batman '66 over this one. At least they had fun being campy.
Whereas Returns is a Tim Burton mash-up of nightmare before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Edward scissor hands and some stunts being repeated from the first Batman film. It’s tonally all over the place with some awful character depictions. Batman’s a psycho killer. Penguin is a sad perverted monster. I just couldn’t get into it.
1 out of 5 exploding penguins.
My wife’s favorite Batman movie. I remember reading magazines (actually print) about rumours of who was going to play which role. Danny devito was perfect casting and Pfeifer was my favorite on screen Catwoman.
A little hokey today and doesn’t hold up as well as the OG Batman but it is so much fun. I love the Pee wee Herman cameo as Oswalds dad, I love the chemistry that Catwoman has both with penguin and batman. Christopher Walken simply plays Walken but the whole nine lives gimmick made Catwoman more mysterious and intriguing. A solid film but not in the top three of batman movies.
The Batman Returns video game was the polar opposite of the original batman one. It was a beat 'em up game that perfectly followed the plot of the film. You beat up clowns and carnies for days. Very very fun and I highly recommend it for you guys to play in the BDE. I played it on SNES but I’m pretty sure it was on Genesis.
Thanks again for reviewing these. I enjoy your NXT reviews but love that I can listen to these star wars and geeky reviews of yours as well. Cheers!
Ahoy!
First let me clear up some confusion from my comment on the prior Batman movie review. Yes, I did go see the '66 version when it came out, I was young but do remember it. And yes, the studio at that time made replica Batmobiles of the '66 Batmobile, and these replicas toured the country in 1966 with the movie.
It made a big impression on us youngsters then.
As youngsters have always been enticed by the Bat-gadgets.
The gadgets always draw attention. And that is one reason why I find the '92 Batman Returns less than satisfactory.
'92 is too much Burton, too little Batman.
We did get to see the '92 Batmobile a bit, as Penguin tried to sabotage it. But I wished there was more in the movie that showed off the aesthetics of the bat-mobile, the bat-skier, Wayne mansion, the bat-cave, etc.
Catwoman was always erotic (which is why she ran afoul of the The Code). In that regard I prefer Eartha Kitt’s portrayal (especially how Eartha spoke) more than the Pfeiffer version. Pfeiffer’s version in '92 is a bit too dopey.
Overall, the '92 version is my least favorite. Again, too Burton-esque.
Ahoy!
Kendell from Ohio
I enjoyed Batman Returns. I liked the Christmas Gotham City look. Michelle Pfeifer played a good Catwoman. As a kid I didn’t have any problems with Batman killing bad guys. They were Bad Guys! Danny DeVito was solid as The Penguin.
The cowl unmasking was poory excuted. Not having Batman wear eye makeup ruined the scene. Overall this movie along with the debut of The Antimated Series turned me into a bigger fan. I enjoyed the 1st Burton film more but I put Returns 5th on my Batman movie list. I just want to says thanks to both of you for putting out content, especially during the recent hectic times!