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Actors: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Batman Returns |
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In the dark and brutal city of Gotham, the masked vigilante Batman (Michael Keaton) fights crime to rid the street of the scum that took the lives of his parents.
The hero also fights the good fight in his guise as multimillionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, doing everything in his power to stop crooked industrialist Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) from building a new and unnecessary power plant which, unbeknownst to anyone but Schreck, is actually designed to suck the power from Gotham and give him a monopoly on energy.
When a gang of clowns, circus performers, and sideshow freaks disrupts the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in Gotham Plaza, Batman swings into action to stop them, but is not able to rescue Schreck, who is kidnapped by the gang.
Taken deep within the bowels of the city's sewer system, Schreck is introduced to the gang's ringleader: The Penguin (Danny DeVito), a deformed and maniacal criminal genius who blackmails Schreck into helping him ascend into the public eye. "Saving" the mayor's (Michael Murphy) baby from a clown kidnapper, the Penguin is soon the darling of Gotham.
Meanwhile, back at his office, Schreck encounters yet another obstacle in his quest to get his power plant built: his secretary Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) has discovered the truth about the plant. Pushing her out the window of his skyscraper, Schreck assumes her to be dead and goes to work convincing the mayor to authorize the plant.
Surviving the fall, Selina suffers a nervous breakdown and becomes Catwoman, a leather-clad villainess on a dual mission of revenge against Schreck and the Batman.
Unable to convince the mayor to work with him and sensing opportunity in the Penguin's popularity, Schreck arranges a campaign to recall the mayor and get the Penguin elected in his stead. Knowing that he will need a cause to champion against the mayor, the Penguin orders his gang to go on the rampage, and then launches a campaign of attacks against the mayor's record on law-and-order.
When Batman begins to nose around the Penguin's operations and intimates that he knows the truth about their plan, the Penguin and his new partner Catwoman attempt to remove him by framing him for murder.
When Batman not only clears his name but turns the tables on the Penguin, wrecking his hopes for public office and making him a hunted man, the villain falls back on an even more horrifying scheme of revenge: to kidnap all of the firstborn sons of Gothams elite and slay them as their unsuspecting parents attend Schreck's annual costume ball.
--James Craver, Resident Scholar
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The Penguin was abandoned by his parents as a baby. One day, he decides to set out into the world, where he is then shunned. Only, Max Shreck feels his pain and gets him to run for mayor. Meanwhile, his secretary finds out about an evil scheme of his, and then becomes the evil Catwoman. Now with two villains on the streets of Gotham, Batman is having a difficult time. Michael Keaton's performance is actually better, but Danny DeVito is just plain annoying as the Penguin. Overall, the amazing makeup, sets, and music stay the same.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar
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Batman Returns once again takes Tim Burton's vision of Gotham and brings it to the big screen. In this installment Batman does battle against the Penguin and the seductive Catwoman. Each of these charcters deal with feelings of alienation and of growing up among a different groups. Each has their own seperate reasons for feeling they have never been and can never be included amongst the normal people of society. Throughout this film, each character is dealing with this struggle. The darkness of Gotham is 'highlighted' by the amazing score created by Danny Elfman.
--Elliott Costello, Resident Scholar
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In the second installment of the modern Batman series, Tim Burton once again returns to direct. This movie is even darker than the first. It concentrates upon the cruelty of society as well as the inner struggle that many have just to get by in the world. Micheal Keaton also returns as Batman and gets much better lines and scenes. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman who Batman finds romantically irresistable but also forbidden fruit. Danny DeVito plays Penguin. A deformed mutant who has a way with birds. This film is not as good as the first but is still very worthy of watching.
--Preston, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Batman |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 40%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- science fiction story
Superhero movie?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium curly
Body type
- muscular (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- Very athletic
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn, straight
Body type
- ample chest & buttocks (female)
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- mentally ill
- emotionally unstable
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- bald
Hair style
- (man) bald
Body type
- fat (man)
Ethnicity
- White
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century (1970's to Present)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
- Dirty, grimy (like New York)
- dangerous
- wealthy
Big cities?
Yes
Misc settings
- mansion
Kind of city
- Dirty, crime-ridden (like NY)
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Is this movie based on a
- comics
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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