Ackbar Returns to Batman Returns: The Return!
Nov 30, 2019 19:33:59 GMT
politicidal, President Ackbar™, and 3 more like this
Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2019 19:33:59 GMT
I rewatched Batman Returns last night for the first time in well over a decade. I've always had mixed feelings about this one and still do. I can see why it's still the most polarizing Bat Flick.
First of all it's wonderfully stylized, gothic and impressionistic. I read online that some people like to watch it in black in white, with one suggestion going so far as to suggest muting it with subtitles and playing the soundtrack alongside it as though it were a silent movie from 1925. I may actually try that one day because I think it would totally work.
I do still think that Burton is a style over substance director though. Bruce/Batman is the thinest protagonist in movie history in that we learn basically nothing about him or his motives/goals and he gets a ridiculous amount of screen time. The plot is a mess too. What is the threat? Max's power plant? Only for a minute, then it's Penguin becoming mayor- That's foiled easily. Then it's a kidnapping plot. Foiled. Penguins with rockets! Foiled. Then the movie focuses where it should: on Catwoman. Because....
Catwoman is fucking awesome in this movie. Sure, it deviates from the source material quite a bit, but it's worth it. I love how raunchy and completely out of control empowered she is. Michelle Pffiefer is amazing here. The story here is muddled too though because the core conflict between her and Batmang is that she wants to kill and he won't let her. But... He literally kills people in this movie with a smile on his face! It makes no sense!
I also really dislike Penguin here. I've tried to like him, but I just don't. He's annoying and campy and gross. Including him was a studio choice. Burton clearly wanted to do a grotesque villain so they should have let him to do Two Face instead. The movie would've been five times better. I do give full credit though for GIVING HIM THE MONOCLE!!!!!&!!!
Anyway, an enjoyable, memorable, bizarre, disturbing, whimsical, disappointing, landmark movie. I will be adding the blu ray to my collection soon and loving/hating it on every rewatch.
First of all it's wonderfully stylized, gothic and impressionistic. I read online that some people like to watch it in black in white, with one suggestion going so far as to suggest muting it with subtitles and playing the soundtrack alongside it as though it were a silent movie from 1925. I may actually try that one day because I think it would totally work.
I do still think that Burton is a style over substance director though. Bruce/Batman is the thinest protagonist in movie history in that we learn basically nothing about him or his motives/goals and he gets a ridiculous amount of screen time. The plot is a mess too. What is the threat? Max's power plant? Only for a minute, then it's Penguin becoming mayor- That's foiled easily. Then it's a kidnapping plot. Foiled. Penguins with rockets! Foiled. Then the movie focuses where it should: on Catwoman. Because....
Catwoman is fucking awesome in this movie. Sure, it deviates from the source material quite a bit, but it's worth it. I love how raunchy and completely out of control empowered she is. Michelle Pffiefer is amazing here. The story here is muddled too though because the core conflict between her and Batmang is that she wants to kill and he won't let her. But... He literally kills people in this movie with a smile on his face! It makes no sense!
I also really dislike Penguin here. I've tried to like him, but I just don't. He's annoying and campy and gross. Including him was a studio choice. Burton clearly wanted to do a grotesque villain so they should have let him to do Two Face instead. The movie would've been five times better. I do give full credit though for GIVING HIM THE MONOCLE!!!!!&!!!
Anyway, an enjoyable, memorable, bizarre, disturbing, whimsical, disappointing, landmark movie. I will be adding the blu ray to my collection soon and loving/hating it on every rewatch.
