Christopher Walken, Danny DeVito, Jan Hooks

Set at Christmastime, Gotham City and its holiday celebrations are under siege by the Penguin and a group of circus freaks.

Flixster Users

68% liked it

559,754 ratings

Critics

77% liked it

43 critics

PG-13, 2 hrs. 6 min.

Directed by: Tim Burton

Release Date: June 19, 1992

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DVD Release Date: April 29, 1997

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Stats: 22,609 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (22,609)


  • September 19, 2009
    I'll always love Batman Returns, but now that I'm older I have to accept the fact that it's not quite as perfect as I thought it was when I was a kid.

    Michael Keaton isn't a bad Bruce Wayne, but he fails to live up to the menace and physicality of Batman. Catwoman and Penguin ...( read more)were good in a slightly campy way, but I would like to see how they (at least Catwoman) would be handled in the context of the more modern Batman movies.

    Despite the occasional campiness, much of the movie is actually a bit sad. There isn't any of the bleakness that the rebooted Batman films specialize in, but Batman Returns does take place during a very melancholy Christmas. The slightly gothic look of Gotham and its citizens is reminiscent of the animated series (a very good thing), while there's a rather fantastical plot running throughout it all that keeps the realism at bay.

    I'll still enjoy watching Batman Returns for nostalgia's sake, but it's no longer the best of the franchise. It does strike a good balance between light and darkness, so give it a shot if you're a fan of the character.
  • September 14, 2009
    I think Batman returns is a little bit better than Burton's first Batman movie, although Batman seems to take a back seat, the Penguin and Catwoman are far more interesting, possibly Burton's only flaw in the franchise and thankfully, one Nolan hasn't repeated. For me though, it'...( read more)s Walken who steals the show in this one!
  • July 14, 2009
    Loved it! But it felt like there was almost no Batman in it, Cat Woman and Penguin were around more.
  • May 30, 2009
    This sequel to the 1989 movie is in my humble opinion a better film than the first. Again directed by Burton, the film is a perfect example of style over substance, as the plot like his 1989 movie is a total mess.But this film is more to do with mood and characters than anything ...( read more)else, and this is where thie film really counts. Batman Returns is more of a gothic fairytail than anything else.
    De vito as the Penguin is superb under his makeup and fat suit, Keaton again wears the cape well, but the real star of the film is Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, she oozes sex appeal, and leaves the jaw on the floor with her beauty.
    The snow bound winter setting of Gotham is also Beautiful, and really give the feel of a black and white comic book.
    Don't watch this film if you think you are going to see a film with a propper story structure, but watch this film to see the wizardly gothic urban fairytale by Tim Burton.
  • May 7, 2009
    Tim Burton's sequel to his "nice try but no cigar" re-invention of Batman is a big improvement in every department. The production design is fantastic, it has some spectacular, slam bang set-pieces (particularly the explosive finale) and is tinged throughout with his macabre sens...( read more)e of humour. It does have its faults; the dialogue is a little forced, its pitch is a little inconsistent and I never thought that Keaton was the right man for the job. Inevitably the film is stolen out from under him by the trio of villains; Walken has a lot of fun as the malevolent Nosferatu-monickered tycoon, DeVito has most of the best lines and best of all is Michelle Pfeiffer as the down trodden secretary who takes her power back as the sexiest screen Catwoman. Those used to Nolan's dourly realistic interpretations may find this all a little camp, but it's a lot of fun and is the best of the original Batman films by quite a long way.
  • November 20, 2009
    Not into the thos times of movies.
  • November 20, 2009
    A pretty good movie. It maybe too dark for children, but I love this film, until Warner Bros. changed the frachise into a family friendly series with the next two. Returns' is a fine movie to watch during the holidays.

    "Good will tour men.......and women."
  • November 20, 2009
    Best Supporting Actress 1992
  • November 19, 2009
    i see it already.it was alright.
  • November 18, 2009
    Tim Burton does it again

Critic Reviews


May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Burton uses the summer's most explosively entertaining movie to lead us back into the liberating darkness of dreams. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Odd and sad, but not exhilarating. full review

View more Batman Returns reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • EricEMAN
    June 26, 2008
    A great movie! I just saw it at the theaters!!!
  • TheCreativityMaster
    December 7, 2007
    Best part in this movie is The Penguin's bloody return but dies in the end. This is the 2nd best Tim Burton film ever!
  • EricEMAN
    August 16, 2007
    Such a great movie!!!
  • craiglowden
    June 24, 2007
    wen i was younger i watched this film every night lol,michelle pfeiffer was a good actress 4 this movie
  • LEnfantTerrible
    November 6, 2006
    Nice to see so many fans of the film.
    painfully underrated, and the best in the series.
    Heck, best superhero-film in my book.
  • flameguy7
    August 15, 2006
    Loved it. Batman returns to fight Penhuin, Catwoman and Max Shreck. Three times the evil, three times the adventure!
  • mccaddick
    August 3, 2006
    batman returns is brilliant i got this on on dvd its a good choice of film to watch

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Batman Returns Trivia


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