Batman Returns.
Quite simply the most gorgeous portrayal of a city in winter put on film. Nobody does snow like Burton.
Plus, Danny Elfman at his finest. Michael Keaton as the best Bruce Wayne. Pfeiffer in skin tight pvc. Walken doing what he does so well. Penguins. Circus villains. Did I mention the pvc?
Making a prequel (which is always a bad idea – first rule of screenwriting, start your story or scene as late as possible and get out as early as possible) to one of the most beloved films of all time, is pretty much a no win situation. If it’s terrible, you’ve tarnished a classic and if it’s any good, well you just stood on the shoulders of giants.
The best you can really hope for with a prequel is a middle of the road, inoffensive family friendly fare, that doesn’t stick in the memory long enough to tarnish the originals lustre.
Well, Sam Raimi, congratulations! Mission accomplished.
You could be fooled by the visuals and music (Danny Elfman no less) that you were watching a Tim Burton film. From the creepy looking trees to the spiral shaped hills and scenery, there is very little here to let you know this is Raimi not Burton. One shot however in the mandatory tornado sequence, where the basket is pierced by many knives (I think they were knives) has Raimi written all over it. Sadly this is the only such scene and the rest descends into sanitised, almost Disney levels of twee.
It’s biggest problem is that, it simply isn’t scary enough and for a Raimi movie that’s a problem too many.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure if you took your kids or nieces and nephews, they’d enjoy it and thank you for it. It’s just not destined to be an eternal classic like the original (by original I mean the Judy Garland version, which isn’t the actual “original” but the most beloved).
Oz – Not so great and far from powerful.
5 (borderline 6) out of 10.
No childhood memories were harmed by the making of this film.
Just Right of Centre 