THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BATMAN RETURNS

One of the most common complaints about the Christopher Nolan Batman films is that there's not a lot of Batman in them. Of the two modern film franchises involving the character, it was Burton's second film that featured the most incisive textual look at the character. It could be argued that the entire film is an internal struggle for control of Batman's soul. Every character is a reflection of some piece of his fractured psyche. Catwoman's the part that loves to wear rubber and beat the crap out of people. The Penguin is the part that feels like a freak because he lost his parents. Even Max Shrek is the personification of the callous businessman Bruce Wayne frequently pretends to be. When these characters clash in the empty streets of a completely unreal city, it is nothing less than Batman fighting to see which part of himself is strongest, and at the end of the film, Burton's hero finally feels psychologically complete, ready for a series of films that, sadly, we never saw.

hisdivsha wrote:

One of the most common complaints about the Christopher Nolan Batman films is that there's not a lot of Batman in them. Of the two modern film franchises involving the character, it was Burton's second film that featured the most incisive textual look at the character. It could be argued that the entire film is an internal struggle for control of Batman's soul. Every character is a reflection of some piece of his fractured psyche. Catwoman's the part that loves to wear rubber and beat the crap out of people. The Penguin is the part that feels like a freak because he lost his parents. Even Max Shrek is the personification of the callous businessman Bruce Wayne frequently pretends to be. When these characters clash in the empty streets of a completely unreal city, it is nothing less than Batman fighting to see which part of himself is strongest, and at the end of the film, Burton's hero finally feels psychologically complete, ready for a series of films that, sadly, we never saw.

well said HR bravo!

hisdivsha wrote:

One of the most common complaints about the Christopher Nolan Batman films is that there's not a lot of Batman in them. Of the two modern film franchises involving the character, it was Burton's second film that featured the most incisive textual look at the character. It could be argued that the entire film is an internal struggle for control of Batman's soul. Every character is a reflection of some piece of his fractured psyche. Catwoman's the part that loves to wear rubber and beat the crap out of people. The Penguin is the part that feels like a freak because he lost his parents. Even Max Shrek is the personification of the callous businessman Bruce Wayne frequently pretends to be. When these characters clash in the empty streets of a completely unreal city, it is nothing less than Batman fighting to see which part of himself is strongest, and at the end of the film, Burton's hero finally feels psychologically complete, ready for a series of films that, sadly, we never saw.

That's an interesting way to look at it. I really like how things went after this movie actually, but I did like a lot about it as you point out. I kind of have always enjoyed it the least of the 89-97 movies, but I would take it over the Nolans any day. I guess for me it has always just been how it all played out or hung together-every individual element was good but I guess I am not sure if the whole thing was always for me.

What I think was interesting about this movie is how different it was from the first one, and it set the stage for Schumacher to take a very different approach again with his. In a way I could kind of understand, though I didn't like it at the time, why they said they wanted to start the continuity over, because they had done such different approaches already they felt in a corner. But given that, they could have done a much better reboot than what we got, that's for sure. Back before Begins came out I was hoping to see maybe something exciting and fun in the style of X-Men or Spiderman-but the pretentious and overwrought Nolan-verse with too much realism and high concept "moral lessons" that actually made no sense really turned me off, all the more so because everyone had to say it was "soooo much better than all the others".

ac wrote:

hisdivsha wrote:

One of the most common complaints about the Christopher Nolan Batman films is that there's not a lot of Batman in them. Of the two modern film franchises involving the character, it was Burton's second film that featured the most incisive textual look at the character. It could be argued that the entire film is an internal struggle for control of Batman's soul. Every character is a reflection of some piece of his fractured psyche. Catwoman's the part that loves to wear rubber and beat the crap out of people. The Penguin is the part that feels like a freak because he lost his parents. Even Max Shrek is the personification of the callous businessman Bruce Wayne frequently pretends to be. When these characters clash in the empty streets of a completely unreal city, it is nothing less than Batman fighting to see which part of himself is strongest, and at the end of the film, Burton's hero finally feels psychologically complete, ready for a series of films that, sadly, we never saw.

That's an interesting way to look at it. I really like how things went after this movie actually, but I did like a lot about it as you point out. I kind of have always enjoyed it the least of the 89-97 movies, but I would take it over the Nolans any day. I guess for me it has always just been how it all played out or hung together-every individual element was good but I guess I am not sure if the whole thing was always for me.

What I think was interesting about this movie is how different it was from the first one, and it set the stage for Schumacher to take a very different approach again with his. In a way I could kind of understand, though I didn't like it at the time, why they said they wanted to start the continuity over, because they had done such different approaches already they felt in a corner. But given that, they could have done a much better reboot than what we got, that's for sure. Back before Begins came out I was hoping to see maybe something exciting and fun in the style of X-Men or Spiderman-but the pretentious and overwrought Nolan-verse with too much realism and high concept "moral lessons" that actually made no sense really turned me off, all the more so because everyone had to say it was "soooo much better than all the others".

WELL SAID! that's Exactly why nolans crap films turned me off if i want moral lessons ill read the bible not watch batman! and if i want realism ill watch that crappy cops show!

Man, the original poster says it all. On a directing sense I found it to be Burtons finest work. The film may have been creepy and weird, but it was the right atmosphere for the story, not to mention Michele Phifers Catwoman and the Devitos Pengiun man were the last really really realy realy spectacular villain performances in a Batman movie.

KingSquirrel wrote:

Man, the original poster says it all. On a directing sense I found it to be Burtons finest work. The film may have been creepy and weird, but it was the right atmosphere for the story, not to mention Michele Phifers Catwoman and the Devitos Pengiun man were the last really really realy realy spectacular villain performances in a Batman movie.

Yes returns was batman done awesome fantastic and greatly artistically!