Batman Returns

A deformed baby boy is thrown into Gotham’s river by his horrified parents. Thirty-three years later, the child has become the hideous Penguin, whose gang disrupts the lighting of Gotham's Christmas tree and kidnaps the rich industrialist Max Shreck. Armed with evidence of Shreck's many crimes, the Penguin blackmails him into helping him discover who his parents were.
When the Penguin's plight becomes known, the city responds by putting him into running for becoming Mayor.Only Batman is unconvinced by the Penguin, believing that he and his gang to be killers. Meanwhile, Shreck kills his secretary, Selina Kyle, when she discovers his plan to build a super power-plant and drain Gotham of its electricit power.
Brung back to life by a group of cats, Selina returns and turns into Catwoman.  But as Kyle she is being romanced Bruce Wayne, a situation complicated by Catwoman's teaming up with the Penguin in a plan to get rid of Batman.However Batman exposes the Penguin, thus ruining his political chances, the Penguin mounts an attack to kill all of Gotham's first-born infants. Batman manages to prevent his plan, although Catwoman, after killing Shreck, is presumed dead. Wayne seaches for her but finds only her cat. But at the end, she reappears as the Bat-signal flashes into the night.
 

Cast

For the second time, Michael Keaton stars as Batman. The brilliant Danny DeVito plays the Penguin very eccentric and gives him a remarkable psychological depth, altogether a great performance. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman, a character on all sides of the law. Christopher Walken as Max Shreck is very good and gives him depth.

Prizes and Reviews

Batman Returns received two nominations for the Oscar (visual effects and mask). Although it could not follow the commercial success of the predecessor, the film was a box office hit. In the reviewers especially subtle psychological characterization of the figures was praised, which is closer to the original comics than usual. From an artistic perspective the film was criticized because some of the film was bleak and it lacked the necessary pace.