Batman Returns is definitely a "darker" and much more adult-themed version of the Dark Knight. I don't remember it being this sexually eplicit before. But then again, I haven't watched this one since this first came out on VHS and I hardly remembered anything about the movie when it first hit the theaters. Watching it now, you will definitely sit up and take notice of lines that I'm suprised got through the censors given the fact that the movie more or less is aimed at kids, me being one of them at the time. When the Penguin (Danny Devito) upon seeing Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) laying on his bed blurts out "just the  p u s s y  I have been looking for", you do a double take at the double entendre. Or how about when Bruce Wayne says to Selina Kyle "no hard feelings" and she retorts with "actually, semi-hard".

Although the movie is "darker" as I said before, it really isn't. Thematically yes. But this is a Tim Burton movie, so you really can't get that dark when everything on the screen looks and feels like it was shot on a studio sound stage, which it was. It really is like watching a stage production of a show that you might see at Disneyland or any other theme park. I think Burton's style is better suited to movies like Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice and not necessarily the Caped Crusader. Most will agree that the film is "darker" but still heavy on the campy factor. There are times when it feels and looks like it could have been shot with Adam West and Burt Ward.

I will give Burton props for setting a new standard for comic book movies with the first two Batman films, but once you watch Christopher Nolan's Batman films, Burton's end up looking way to comic-booky for my taste. Nolan's films are grounded in reality, whereas Burton's are not and that is the primary difference between the two film makers. Even Richard Donner got it right when doing his comic book adapation for Superman: The Movie, which never comes across as comic-booky. Also, Burton is a horrible director when it comes to doing action scenes as seen in both Batman films. He is out of his element and should never be allowed near any explosives again.

The second half of the movie is definitely better than the first half and we do get a lot more Batman (Michael Keaton) this time around. But at the end of the day he still feels like he is getting 3rd billing in his own movie behind Catwoman and The Penguin. If it weren't for Catwoman, this movie wouldn't be any better than the first Batman film.

This is definitely worth a Rent, especially to see Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. She owns the role for sure as the The Hottest Catwoman Of All Time.

Yea, this put me over the edge of ever thinking about taking super hero movies seriously.