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Batman Returns

Play trailer 2:28 Poster for Batman Returns PG-13 Released Jun 19, 1992 2h 6m Action Adventure Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 94 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple the Batman (Michael Keaton) once and for all. But when Shreck's timid assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.
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Batman Returns

Batman Returns

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Critics Consensus

Director Tim Burton's dark, brooding atmosphere, Michael Keaton's work as the tormented hero, and the flawless casting of Danny DeVito as The Penguin and Christopher Walken as, well, Christopher Walken make the sequel better than the first.

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Critics Reviews

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Stephanie Rosenfeld Bitch Media Why isn't this movie called Catwoman? Dec 17, 2020 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian A strange beast. Rated: 2/5 May 17, 2019 Full Review Justin Clark Slant Magazine The strange, ambitious character work that comprises Batman Returns is wrapped in the perfunctory framework of a Tim Burton superhero film. Jun 19, 2017 Full Review Noah Gittell Washington City Paper Batman Returns transcends its genre and shines its Bat-Signal on our foibles and neuroses, conveying a collective humanity with neither heroism nor villainy, just a long, slow trip into the dark. Dec 9, 2024 Full Review Joshua Stevens Loud and Clear Reviews Ah, remember when superhero movies used to be weird? [...] Returns on its own is a fascinating beast, a movie following iconic characters that have been interpreted and reinterpreted throughout the years. Yet, it’s a movie only Burton could have made. Rated: 4/5 Aug 3, 2024 Full Review James Berardinelli ReelViews Although Batman Returns is tonally lighter than its predecessor, the film nevertheless exists in the shadows. It’s also weirder, an indication of Burton exerting stronger creative control. Rated: 3/4 Apr 12, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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patrick p My son and I loved it !!! I saw it when it first came out in 1992, and didnt realize how well done it truly is until I grew older. Its visually amazing, and also has a great story, music, and just an all around great movie. Go and see it !! :) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/22 Full Review Oscar O In three years the writing and acting went downhill from the first movie to the second movie everybody just wants to hump cat woman and the global warming agenda has started to be forced down our throats!!! It’s a shame. This movie is not appropriate for younger children and this movie is not as good as the first one by a huge margin. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/18/22 Full Review Melissa M my son and I loved seeing this Batman movie in the theater! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/22 Full Review Toby D *Batman Returns* (1992) is Tim Burton unleashed, a gloriously unhinged, gothic fever dream that dives deeper into the director’s psyche than its 1989 predecessor. With a blank check, Burton crafts a film dripping with melancholy, horror, and his signature style—100% Burtonesque, where every frame feels like a twisted cousin to *The Nightmare Before Christmas* or *Sleepy Hollow*. Gotham’s dark, rain-soaked streets and grotesque imagery create an atmosphere so immersive it crawls under your skin, setting a precedent for darker comic-book films like *The Crow*. Danny DeVito’s Penguin is a grotesque, tragic masterpiece, blending Burton’s macabre flair with the character’s comic roots, delivering the most unhinged and gothic villain in the franchise. Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman is electrifying, her sexy, psychotic edge pushing the character into deliciously uncharted territory. Christopher Walken, playing a gloriously Walken-esque Max Shreck, adds a layer of eccentric menace, stealing scenes with his sheer presence. Together, they form a rogues’ gallery that’s as psychologically warped as the film itself. While some deemed it too dark for kids, *Batman Returns* revels in its sadistic, operatic chaos, making it a bold, polarizing sequel that’s arguably Burton’s purest vision. It’s less a superhero flick and more a gothic horror show, with Bruce Wayne’s brooding Batman anchoring the madness. For fans of Burton’s unfiltered genius, it’s a dark, sadistic delight that remains a high-water mark in comic-book cinema. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/05/25 Full Review M B Very interesting darker sequel, more depth than the original film and Michelle Pfieffer should have won an oscar for it! Maybe they went a bit over the top with the Penguin, Danny Devito was brilliant but his character was a bit too nasty. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/12/25 Full Review Jamie W In a world where MCU and DCU films are over rated and more often that carbon copies spilling out from the Superhero genre engine, Batman Returns deserves far more acclaim, not only for its story, score, cast and characters but for creating a truly captivating ambient unique world that takes you to the very comic book pages of Batman. This film would in fact be my favourite Tim Burton verse movie for that very reason. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/01/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Batman Returns

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Movie Info

Synopsis The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple the Batman (Michael Keaton) once and for all. But when Shreck's timid assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.
Director
Tim Burton
Producer
Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi
Screenwriter
Bob Kane, Sam Hamm, Daniel Waters
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 19, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 31, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$160.3M
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Surround
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