The Dark Knight Returns (Movie)

More of the Goddamn Batman.  It's an unhealthy obsession I know.


Sorry guys, its yet another Batman review.  Why?  Because ever since I started this thing, I've been on a Batbinge.  Hell, I've got two saved drafts of MORE Bat-family stuff.  But this one was a pretty big deal even outside of comics so I figured I'd talk about it first.

Let's talk about The Dark Knight Returns.

You have to start with the comic written by Frank Miller.  Have you ever wondered how we went from "The Bright Knight" of Adam West to Nolan's "Gritty like sand in your butt, thats why I make that voice Batman"?  Most people would attribute it to this comic  From what I've heard/researched, cape comics had never been done this way before.  It's on the top 3 of any "comics you must read list" (usually behind only Watchmen and Sandman).  In 60-70 years of Batman comics, none has ever made the mainstream impact this managed.  An entire generation of comic book readers will tell you: this is the best thing ever written in the medium.

The funny thing is?  I hated it when I read it.  It was too slow.  Too much reading with the newscasters, The coloring felt off, it just didn't feel like a Batman book to me.  Everyone tells me I'm crazy but I even tried reading it again after Kevin Smith has been raving about it on Fatman on Batman.  I didn't even make it out of book 1.

I should have loved it.  Its Batman in a futuristic Gotham.  He and all other heroes have been in "retirement" for years.  However a new threat of The Mutants, a bunch of young people who enjoy a good bit of ultraviolence, (they always kind of remind me of Alex and his Droogs), is forcing him to get back in the saddle again.  He lags a bit.  He almost loses...and almost loses control when the Joker returns to town.   There's even swastika nipples. Its delightfully dark and insane as a premise but for a comic it just didn't work for me.

These movies though? I'm impressed.  I will unabashedly say these animated movies stay almost completely true to the comic and IMPROVE on the insanity to make a more coherent storyline that gives us one of the greatest Bat stories ever told.

I don't want to spoil plot on things like this (I dont give a shit on other movies), but this movie knocks it all out.  The animation is fluid.  The action isn't choppy or shaky.  The voice acting is completely on point (Robocop is Batman.  Again: Robocop is Batman).  Even the score is good and it's rare I notice things like that in animated flicks.   The mood and tone are perfect.

Would I say I absolutely loved these?  Well no.  I'm not a huge fan of the source material though.  But they were damn good, extremely well made, and well worth a watch for Batfans, especially those unfamiliar with this "final" Batman story.

I know this is short but maybe I can start doing quickies to hold over between major projects.  Let me know what y'all think.

Nanananananana
-Oz