Film Discussion of the Week: Batman Returns

That part were Catwoman couldn't take it anymore and had to jump to kill herself was golden. The way he built up all the way to that part was musical, and then he makes it even more interesting by showing her reinventing herself with a new rebellious personality that opens up new possibilities she didn't have access before with her previous self. It is amazing writing to say the least.

I also like how he demonstrates that the people skills of the major, his sales ability, is what has been able to put him in that position where everyone praises him and are willing to submit to his guidance, which we also see in real life happening a lot. Those skills were so helpful even to save his own son that was at risk when kidnapped.

Then Danny DeVito excellent performance shows how an extremely traumatized child can turn into a legitimately liability to society to the point that he threatens all the established order with his strong character that with a different upbringing probably wouldn't have had.

Batman himself represents perfectly the upper class always scheming to protect his own ideas of society from common denominators affecting that order because that's the way he has decided society should be like. I believe that right there was a huge influence for Nolan shaping the Joker's character in his movie.