MovieChat Forums > Batman Returns (1992) Discussion > Comparing Batman '89 and this one

Comparing Batman '89 and this one

posted 8 years ago by Reznik_T
32 replies | jump to latest

I just recently rewatched Tim Burton's two Batman movies. Obviously by today's standards there are tons of problems with both of them, but in their time they were revolutionary for the comic book movie genre. As much as I can remember, I was blown away by Batman (1989) how it adapted Gotham City and the atmosphere of the comics on the big screen, but Batman Returns topped even that for me, as Burton went even further with the surrealistic style and the weirdness of the characters.

Almost thirty years later though, I have to say Batman overall is a better film than Returns. Rewatching the '92 movie the plot is ridiculously flawed and all over the place, which was not the case (at least not to this extent) with the first movie.

Considering when they were made and the fact that the genre was not nearly as established as it is today, I give Batman an 8 and Batman Returns a 7.

[–] TheEndIsNigh (510) 3 months ago

I agree. For years I preferred Returns (I think it was because of the the snowy setting which I still like) and then watched them both again within the last year and definetly preferred '89.

89 got the mixture of grit and camp just right to me. Still the best looking Gotham too. Returns is an Adam West Batman film with macabre elements. And Michael Keaton's limited screen time bugs me now. He's hardly in the first hour.

[–] DoctorThirteen (15297) 3 months ago

Batman 8/10
Batman Returns 9/10

[–] Tam87 (1598) 3 months ago

Batman 89 is a masterpiece and along with Superman 78 is the greatest of superhero films.

Batman Returns doesn't feel like a Batman movie. It lacks action and a story. The biggest problem is The Penguin, he's not menacing, charming or funny like Jack Nicholson's Joker, he's grotesque and pathetic and thus an ineffective villain.

[–] FootOfDavros (8702) 2 months ago

Returns is clearly the better film.

[–] [deleted] 2 months ago

Batman '89 is clearly the better film. Just watched Returns again and I forgot just how much it looks like a stage play. The artificial sets stand out even more on 4k.

[–] daredevil1 (241) a month ago

I agree. Not by much since Batman 89 isn't "great," and there's things I love about Returns, but 89 is more of a complete film. Returns is too much of an avant garden Burton art school project, with no real theme or message. There's no plot, the movie is just a disconnected series of events with a character study holding them all together. I guess 89 didn't have much of a theme either but at least you could go for "duality"/when you gaze into the abyss etc. 89 is more of a bland studio action film but I like that, Returns has Burton's trademark weirdness for the sake of it nonsense and he's just being deliberately subversively annoying quirky too much. How did Oswald get the plans for the Batmobile? Where does Batman's eye makeup go at the end? Doesn't matter, I'm quirky and weird and misunderstood, here's to all the gothic outcasts like me!!!