Batman Returns is Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman sequel, starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader. Set at Christmas time, the movie sees Batman at odds with two villains: industrialist Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), and the crime boss Oswald Cobblepot (Danny DeVito), also known as the Penguin. He also runs into the mysterious Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), who intrigues him as herself and as Catwoman. Backed with dark and eerie visuals and great performances, it was a critical and financial success. It’s a strong Batman movie, but it also makes for a surprisingly good Christmas movie. Here’s what makes Batman Returns a great fit for the Christmas season.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Christmas Aesthetics
Warner Bros.
The movie has the look and spirit of Christmas right from the start, with great Christmas visuals. It opens with Oswald Cobblepot being thrown into the sewers by his parents on a snowy Christmas night. These visuals continue throughout the movie, with Christmas decorations and carols. Burton’s interpretation of Gotham is often considered the best and grittiest, which makes a perfect contrast for the bright white snow and colorful Christmas decorations throughout. Even Alfred puts up a Christmas tree in Wayne Manor, which adds a festive touch to the grand house.
In addition, many of the major plot points happen with Christmas-themed backdrops, while Gotham is celebrating the holiday. For example, when Catwoman and Penguin agree to team up and ruin Batman’s reputation, their plan falls on the night of the Gotham Christmas tree lighting. They frame Batman for injuring a beauty queen called the Ice Princess, further adding to the Christmas and winter themes. The Penguin even introduces his henchmen by having them emerge from giant presents. There’s also the great Christmas party scene where Bruce and Selina dance and realize each other’s identity. ScreenRant considers it one of the best moments in Burton’s Batman movies, and it does a great job at portraying the tension and similarity between the two. All these scenes have enough Christmas flair to make a great holiday movie, while still fitting into the darker Batman themes.
Classic Christmas Elements of Good, Evil, and Greed
Warner Bros.
Batman Returns also has classic Christmas themes like good, evil, and greed. These are common in Christmas stories, like A Christmas Carol, and have seen numerous interpretations. Here, they fit perfectly into the superhero theme, while still working on a holiday scale. Max Shreck is a corrupt factory owner whose factories release toxic waste. He’s also abusive to his secretary, Selina, and pushes her out a window when she discovers his corruption. Despite this, he is a famous public figure, and plans to build a new power plant that would further damage Gotham. His corruption grows when he plans to impeach the mayor and replace him with Cobblepot, giving Shreck even more control. He’s an effective superhero villain – Collider even argues that he’s the movie’s main villain – but he’s also a great Christmas movie villain. So many Christmas movie villains are greedy and corrupt individuals who refuse to respect those lower than them, or appreciate the spirit of Christmas. Shreck is a Scrooge-like figure, but one that never changes, and dies after attempting to kill Catwoman once more.
There’s also good and evil, but presented in a less-straightforward way. Penguin and Catwoman, while villainous, aren’t entirely evil, and it’s easy to see how their bad experiences have made them this way. Even Batman can fall into this gray area, when he’s torn between his duty and his feelings towards Selina. It’s not a stereotypical good-and-evil battle, and it adds depth to the story, both in terms of a superhero movie and a holiday movie.
It Addresses the Darker, Lonelier Side of the Holiday
Batman Returns, in keeping with its bleak nature, also addresses the darker and lonelier aspects of the holiday. For instance, we watch Selina go home to her empty apartment, where she has no visitors besides a stray cat. It’s easy to see how lonely she is, especially with the crowds of people shopping. Similarly, the Penguin, while villainous, often comes across as a hurt and lonely man who was abandoned by his parents – his plan to kidnap the first-born sons of Gotham comes from his own pain over being left. Even Bruce, after being unable to make things work with Selina, spends a quiet Christmas with Alfred. It’s a peaceful moment between the two, but that hint of sadness is still there, as Bruce’s Batman duties make a normal life impossible.
Christmas is often painted in such a positive, happy light; it’s refreshing and different to see a movie interpretation that doesn’t glamorize the holiday. Instead, Batman Returns presents the holiday alongside the darkness and corruption of Gotham, and shows how well the two go together. It shows how isolation and sadness can fit into all the Christmas cheer, and can even be made worse by it.
Though not a traditional Christmas movie, Batman Returns still has enough of the holiday’s themes to capture the season. From its great Christmas visuals, to its classic depictions of good and evil, to the darker Christmas atmosphere, it’s an unexpectedly great Christmas tale. After the North Pole, give Gotham a visit on your Christmas movie list.
