Unlike its predecessor, Batman Returns leans heavily into Tim Burton's signature gothic aesthetic , transforming Gotham City into a snowy, expressionistic nightmare. The film functions less like a traditional comic book movie and more like a tragic fairy tale about outcasts and duality.
Portrayed by Danny DeVito, this version of the Penguin is a grotesque, tragic figure—abandoned by his wealthy parents and raised by circus performers in the sewers. He represents the dark mirror of Bruce Wayne: both are orphans, but while Bruce was raised in luxury, Oswald was discarded as "freakish".
At the time of its release, Batman Returns was highly controversial due to its dark tone, sexual undertones, and "brooding, dark violence". This led to a significant marketing backlash from partners like McDonald's, who found the film difficult to sell to children. However, in retrospect, many critics from sites like IMDb and Wikipedia now view it as a highly underrated masterpiece that prioritized artistic vision over commercial safety.
The central theme of the film is the masks we wear. Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, and Oswald Cobblepot are all fragmented individuals struggling with their public and private identities.