Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Batman Returns'

Written by Scott Edwards

As I continue to get fired up to see Batman on the big screen again, I am not going to allow myself to miss out on one of the greatest Christmas movies in my collection, Batman Returns. Yes, it happens over Christmas, so that makes it a Christmas movie. There are some carols, some decorations and of course, Batman doing his thing. This movie may not have been as special as the first one, but there are still come great redeeming values and without further ado, it is time to jump into Batman Returns!

Selina Kyle is a lonely secretary, but has found a great job working for Max Shreck. Unfortunately, she is not good at her job, she chimes in during meetings when Shreck does not need anyone to speak for him.  Selina does however have her neighborhood cats that she loves to talk with and take notes from, but they never keep her from getting her day job taken care of. Having to return to the office to pull the Wayne file for Shreck’s next meeting, Selina finds out that the power plant that he is planning on building will not produce power at all, but steal and store it for a rainy day. Shreck is blown away by what she has found on him, and before Selina is able to tell anybody what she has discovered, she is pushed out of the office window and left for dead.

Under the streets of Gotham, the legend of a Penguin man swims around in the minds of the citizens. Even though nobody believes in him, the Penguin is ready to make himself known to the masses, but will need a way in. Attacking the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Max Shreck is pushed down into the Penguin’s lair and finds out that the bird man is real. Coming to an agreement, Shreck will back Penguin’s rise to the surface and when he sees how much the people adore the little bird man, Shreck gets ideas of his own. Wanting to find out who his parents were, Penguin discovers that his name is Oswald Cobblepot and takes his birth right back from the depths where he has been living all of these years. Now in the public eye, Cobblepot has been urged to take over the city of Gotham as its mayor when Shreck truly understands the power of the underdog.

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Bruce Wayne is a man about town and is out of his mansion more often than not, but not only as himself, but as his alter ego Batman. When watching the tree lighting ceremony fall apart, Batman takes to the streets to provide help for the terrorized Gotham residents and finds himself fighting against the Circus Gang. On a quiet night off, Bruce starts searching the old files about the Circus Gang and finds articles about children going missing, but more interestingly, a bird boy who could not be located in connection with the disappearances. Putting two and two together, Bruce knows that Cobblepot is the leader of the gang and will have to stop the corrupt Penguin from acquiring the head office of the city at all costs.  But there is someone else on the prowl as Catwoman has been spotted around the city and wants nothing better than to dethrone the Bat before he is able to interfere in her plans as well.

Gotham has never seen a menace as powerful as the Circus Gang being led by the Penguin and now Catwoman has been helping in tearing the city apart. With Max Shreck behind both of the new villains of the city, nobody is pointing a finger at him, since their attention is focused over the violence in the streets. With all that oppose his new power plant, Shreck needs to get someone in office that he can trust and Cobblepot is just that man. But Penguin wants something more from the city and with the help from Catwoman, he may be able to make his dreams come true. With them both needing to get Batman out of the picture before they can move on, an eccentric plan is thrown into play that will make the people of Gotham question if they should trust those who have been sworn to protect them. 

Not a bad second installment of the Batman movies and I am a little upset that this is all that Michael Keaton got from the franchise. The movie was a little bit more like a comic book when it came to the violence, but for me, it really had a James Bond feel to it with the one liners and gadgets being played with. I had never been a fan of the Penguin before this movie came out and now I am a huge fan because he was written and played just the right way. Not being able to focus most of the time, the Penguin seems to have a mind for destruction, death and pretty ladies, but cannot have them all at the same time. I have to admit that Max Shreck stole the show though, and I would not have it any other way. He is the man behind Gotham and is able to make things happen at the drop of a hat, or maybe a cat now. Two super villains and one businessman and the Bat still comes out on top. Hmm, maybe he is one of the greatest superheroes out there and like a boy scout, he is always prepared. Just remember, the next page is always better than the last.

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