Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 & 2 (2012-2013)

*** S  P  O  I  L  E  R  S ***

"The last fight begins."

RATED- PG-13

RUN TIME- 76 MINS

WRITER(S)- BOB GOODMAN, BOB KANE AND FRANK MILLER

STARRING- PETER WELLER, ARIEL WINTER AND DAVID SHELBY

DIRECTOR- JAY OLIVIA

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?

STORY: Frank Miller's The Dark Knight returns was the first serious Batman book I read. Up until that point I read the comics as a kid growing up, but nothing captivated me like this one. From the go I knew that I was in for a serious, no BS Batman story and that's perfectly alright with me. This isn't a "Green Lantern friendly batman" or a kiddie cartoon Batman. This is Dark Batman. The good stuff.

Excerpt from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns:

And all the other old farts, they grunt and nod and grumble at each other.Swapping old jokes they've swapped a thousand times. Even fat beet-red "Penguin" chirps out a curse or two before bursting into tears.

Then they get talking. And if you got half a brain, you listen. 

They talk about amazing adventures, sounding like a bunch of retired car mechanics the whole time.

They talk about a Man of Steel. An Amazon Princess.

But they never talk about the mean one. The cruel one. The one who couldn't fly or bend steel in his bare hands. The one who scared the crap out of everybody and laughed at all of the rest of us for being the envious cowards we were.

No, they never talked about him. Say his name and watch Dibny's face sag so bad his jaw hits the bar. 

Not a man among them wants to hear about Batman.

Was he quietly assassinated? Or did he just decide we weren't worth the grief?

The question hangs in the air for a moment or two, then Jones springs for a round for everybody and himself.

Commissioner James Gordon is retiring and 70-years-old. Harvey Dent undergoes surgery to fix his disfigured face and is declared sane, but mysteriously goes into hiding after being released. With Dent missing and "The Mutants" taking over the city, Bruce is forced to be Batman again. The reaction to his comeback is mixed.

Batman has to take Dent down after finding out that Dent is still insane and a psychotic criminal. He faces "The Mutants" and their leader as well. After nearly dying he takes on a new protege. 13-year-old Carrie Kelley. Batman faces the Mutant leader a 2nd time and evens the odds, defeating him in front of all the other "Mutants".

Bruce Wayne once again becomes the Batman

ACTION: The action in this movie is intense and even brutal at points. Bruce Wayne is angry and out to hurt the corrupt. I remember a part of the book where he breaks a criminals leg with a nasty kick. That part is in the movie but not as violent.



ANIMATION: The animation in this movie is well done. It compliments Frank Miller's work but is done in a much smoother fashion. The recent animated movies to come from DC and Marvel have actually been spot-on with the artists and animation.



OVERALL: This movie isn't exact to the book but it's damn close. This is a good animated film to watch for every Batman fan. It's got all the good stuff in it and is rich with a good story about overcoming the odds and standing up for what's right, and never giving up.

THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

"Justice returns...Vengeance returns...Redemption comes to Gotham"

RATED- PG-13

RUN TIME- 76 MINS

WRITER(S)- BOB GOODMAN, FRANK MILLER

STARRING- PETER WELLER, ARIEL WINTER AND MICHAEL EMERSON

Synopsis taken from IMDb

The Batman has returned after a 10-year absence. The Gotham authorities want to arrest him. An old foe wants to put a stop to him.

STORY: After being in a catatonic state in Arkham Asylum since Batman's retirement, the Joker is brought back by Batman's comeback. He goes on a talk show to tell his story, to show the sympathetic side of himself. Only it's never that easy with the Joker. He always has a sick and twisted plan up his sleeve.

The Joker gases everyone in the studio to death and makes an escape. The Joker has a mind control substance in the lipstick he wears and uses it brainwash a congressman into making a nuclear strike on the soviets. Batman then chases the Joker through a fair as Joker shoots and murders at least a dozen people. Batman and Joker have a showdown which ends in Batman being shot and stabbed a few times. Batman snaps Joker's neck and ends the madness once and for all before barely escaping the authorities.

Batman, Gordon and Carrie gather the Sons of Batman; all of "The Mutants" that jumped ship and follow Batman. Together they re-establish peace and yet the greatest challenges awaits. Yindel, the new police commissioner orders Superman to take Batman out. Yindel believes Batman has become too powerful and must be stopped. Superman and Batman fight in a brutal and bone crushing brawl that ultimately leaves Batman victorious, but dead from a heart attack. Alfred dies from a stroke and Wayne Manor self-destructs.

In the end Batman faked his death and is now residing underground with Carrie and with the Sons of Batman, who he has sworn to teach all of his tricks and abilities to. So his work will live on even if it isn't him doing it.

Batman and Superman face off in a superfight.

ACTION: The action in this movie is crazy good. The fight between Batman and Superman is epic, even if it is an animated movie. The violence in this one is also stepped up a notch with the Joker being in it.

ANIMATION: Same as the first film. Done well and smooth and clean.

OVERALL: This story is just as good as a 2 part animated movie as it is a graphic novel. They're almost verbatim with slight differences. This is the story of a man who gives it all to lose it all. And in the end, continue his legacy.

THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5