Like A Bad Rash... "Batman Returns"

Batman Returns (1992)

Rated PG-13 for language/violence

Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken

Directed by Tim Burton

The Story:

Batman is back, and this time he is trying to stop The Penguin (DeVito) who is blackmailing  Max (Walken) to worm his way into society and making the Penguin mayor!  Max's secretary, Selina Kyle (Pfeiffer) discovers some documents and is thrown to her apparent death.  Ah, but she survives and becomes... Catwoman!

Speaking of Batman films I never bothered with, this was another one.

But now I've watched it, and it was again... meh.

At least they realized that Batman should be the star of his own movies at this point, but the introduction of Catwoman is what this movie will be remembered for.

Which is a shame.  This franchise should have made a mega-star out of Keaton, but he was always overshadowed by his co-stars.

First Nicholson, and now the introduction of Catwoman.

Seemingly, one villain was no longer enough for the bat-films, and everyone thought that more villains equaled a better movie.


Wrong.

It really spelled the doom for this franchise.

At least Burton had some ability to reign in the crazy with the extra cast.

With his departure, the franchise was about to change...


Forever!

(Cue ominous foreshadowing music!)


Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks, I'm good.

The Bane of My Existence..."The Dark Knight Rises"

The trilogy concludes...

The Story:

8 years have passed since Batman went into seclusion.  The streets of Gotham are safe, thanks to the Dent Act.  But when trouble rolls into town in the form of sadistic mercenary Bane, all bets are off, and Bruce Wayne decides to dust off the cowl and go back into action as...

Batman!

Has it been 8 years?

I honestly don't know.

In fact, aside from knowing that I saw the 2nd film, I really don't remember much about it.

Perhaps I was still too depressed that Heath Ledger killed himself, but I really don't remember much about that film.  Other than everyone loving it.

I'm not even sure if I own it, I'll have to check my DVD case.

But anyway, back to the film...

So the cast grows with the arrival of Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) and a cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt...again...) who both figure strongly in Batman (Christian Bale) and Commissioner Gordon's (Gary Oldman) fight to save Gotham from Bane (Tom Hardy, unrecognizable under the mask).

And much like props to Karl Urban for his willingness to be masked the whole film for Dredd, kudos to Hardy for taking a role that hides his face and muffles his voice for 98% of his entire screen time.


I was pleased with the Catwoman performance this go-round.  Never saw Pfeiffer's version, but this is a huge leap in the right direction after Berry's debacle from years back.


In fact, as an action film, this was actually a pretty good movie.

That said...

By this point in time, with the arrival of The Avengers, and Marvel stepping up their movie business with hit after hit, my kids had absolutely no desire to even watch this one.

So DC, you better step up your game if you have any chance of putting butts in the seats, at least with my family.


: )

I see how they set up for the eventual sequel/franchise reboot or whatever...


Meh.  I can handle another Bruce Wayne actor... not thrilled with what they have seemingly decided on though.


Final Grade: B

Would I Own It: I'll probably pick up a copy eventually on the cheap, but no big hurry. 

Marvel > DC.

: )