How does Batman ’89 compare to Batman Returns?
Credit: Warner Brothers; from Batman (1989)
Which film is better?
Of course, Batman and its sequel both have individual strengths and weaknesses. The former offers a somewhat more grounded look at the Caped Crusader, especially when compared to 1966’s Batman and Burton’s second film. Until Heath Ledger’s Joker, Jack Nicholson was widely considered the best live-action Joker. The characterization of the titular hero isn’t perfect, but it’s enjoyable and mostly fair to his comic book counterpart. The love story between Bruce and Vicki is gratuitous but, when that’s one of the film’s worst flaws, it must have turned out alright.
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Batman Returns tonally pushes the envelope with the campiness Burton included in the first installment. Whereas most of the humor in Batman came from Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker, comedy abounds in the sequel. From the brainwashed Penguins and Oswald’s eye-opening innuendos to Batman’s ridiculous grin and other funny lines, there’s always something to laugh at in Batman Returns. Maybe that’s not your cup of tea when it comes to movies featuring the Caped Crusader. For better or worse, Batman tries to balance comedy and seriousness, and Nicholson’s portrayal of the Joker is the tiebreaker. As the film turns 30, let’s honor its legacy, regardless of the several Batman films that came after it.