Here's a random thought on the Burton/Schumacher Franchise that may help you as it has me:
It's true there IS a story arc for Batman over the 3 films. Just watch the Bruce/Dick scene in BF where they talk about revenge. It's basically telling you what Batman has gone through thusfar. The major asthetic change from BR to BF is distracting to be sure, but it's still telling the same story. You have to look at it from the perspective of a comic book. Batman: Year One, The Long Halloween, and Dark Victory are all part of a trilogy more or less, but there is a major asthetic change from YO to TLH, because Jeph Loeb takes over to replace Frank Miller. While that change wasn't necessarily for better or for worse, and the change in the movies is generally considered for the worse, it's a larger leap, but it's still the same concept. So for what it's worth, that's how I came to accept BF as the conclusion of the Batman Trilogy.