I have to say the most recent batman movies are much darker. Its much more similar to the cartoon I grew up with. I have to say though as a grown adult the penguin in batman returns scared the crap out of me as a kid one of the few villans that did in a movie. That being said a few of the things the Joker did in the movie really disturbed me. That tells you alot. Movies noramlly never touch me that much. The only other role that disturbed me as much was edward norton in american history X.