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Movie · Superhero, Action, Crime · 1992 · PG-13

Batman Returns: parents' guide

14+our pick

Best for ages 14 and up. Rated PG-13 for brooding, dark violence.

A dark, grotesque superhero film that is much harsher than its Christmas setting suggests, best saved for teens. Batman faces the Penguin, a deformed man abandoned as a baby, and Catwoman, a timid secretary transformed after her boss pushes her from a window. Violence includes gunfire into crowds, a man set on fire, a charred corpse and a severed hand. Catwoman's scenes carry heavy sexual innuendo, and she stops an attempted sexual assault in an alley. Language includes bitch, bastard and shit. Many images are disturbing, which is why the age sits at the top of the PG-13 range.

What's in it

Violence

Strong

Strong for PG-13: gunmen fire into crowds, Batman sets a man ablaze, the Penguin bites a nose, claws slash a face, and a severed hand and charred body appear. An attempted sexual assault in an alley is interrupted.

Language

Moderate

Bitch is used a few times, along with bastard, shit and son of a bitch. The Penguin calls Catwoman the pussy he has been looking for.

Sex and nudity

Moderate

No sex or nudity, but crude innuendo throughout: Catwoman licks and straddles Batman during a fight, a semi-hard joke at a dance, and the Penguin's leering remarks. Her costume is skintight.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Mild

Minor: adults are seen drinking and smoking in passing, per the BBFC. No drunkenness or drug use is part of the story.

Scary or intense scenes

Strong

Disturbing images throughout: parents throw their deformed baby into a drain, the Penguin drips black goo, a woman falls to her death, a creepy gang in skull masks, and a charred corpse with bulging eyes.

Sensitive topics

  • Sexual assault
  • Child abuse

Worth talking about

Both villains were badly hurt by others before turning to crime. Talk with teens about whether that explains their choices, and whether Batman's own violence is any better.

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 24th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, bbfc.co.uk, marxists.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.