> The original Batman score was very well done
> but not as creative or emotionally impacting as Returns. It is said in the
> review that the sounds on Returns are weak and not appropriate for the
> film. For one thing, the sound is definetly not weak, it is just more
> subtle in nature. The score does not need to beat you over the head like
> the original Batman score tended to do. For another, the music could not
> be more appropriate for the film. Returns was much darker, brooding and
> primal than Batman, and the music needed to reflect that. This music is a
> much better representation of the spirit of Batman than the original
> score, since Bruce Wayne is such a tormented and troubled man and his
> villains are twice as creepy. Some tracks in particular are just amazing,
> especially Birth of a Penguin, Selina Transforms and the phenomenal
> Finale. The Batman theme is less prominent on the album, but it sounds
> better than ever with the choir and the strings. All I'm saying is that
> this score is much better than the review makes it out to be. The original
> Batman score is great also, I just happen to like the second film and
> score more.

I totally agree with what Tim P. wrote here, and I think that post would make a much better review than the actual FilmTracks one.

Furthermore, the sentence "both the score and film were monumental critical and popular flops" makes me wonder if the reviewer lived in a parallel universe during 1992. I don't know or care what all the pretentious critics said about the movie, but it was certainly popular with its target audience. Among my age group it was *THE* action movie for years after its release. It spawned a high-rated and long-running cartoon series for Christ's sake!

And yeah, I thought the score was great. A different direction than the original "Batman," but by no means inferior.