The reviews split evenly between enthusiasm and rejection, with Tim Burton’s visual imagination and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman attracting the broadest praise. Admirers find a distinctive, darkly playful Gotham, where the villains’ histories and personalities give the film much of its interest. Pfeiffer’s humour and force register even with critics who dislike the film around her. Danny DeVito’s Penguin also draws praise from supporters for strengthening Burton’s interest in outsiders.
The disagreement centres on whether that atmosphere sustains a satisfying film. Supporters find wit and invention; detractors describe confusing plotting, shallow characters and elaborate set pieces that become tiring. The Los Angeles Times praises Pfeiffer’s stylish, funny performance but finds Burton’s brooding approach claustrophobic and cheerless. The spread is wide rather than cautiously mixed: the same emphasis on grotesque characters and visual invention strikes some critics as personal filmmaking and others as insufficient compensation for an uninvolving story.