DC Comics released their 15th animated movie today, concluding their 'Dark Knight returns' storyline, based on the groundshifting 1986 limited comic series by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson.
Continuing Miller's comic book story where part I left off, the animation of course feels more dramatic this time around, with a compelling, epic climax. The story is split in two halfs, the first I would say, focuses on The Joker's release from the asylum and his revenge on Batman, where as the final part shifts gear and shows us Gotham City after the detonation of a Nuclear Missile and the events following an E.M.P. (elctomagnetic pulse) after the Soviets launched a 'coldbringer', disabling most electronic devices in the States, paving the way for mass lootings and the declaration of Marshall Law by the US Government. Yes, this story is set during the 1980's while Ronald Reagan was president of the US.
After Batman defeated their leader in part 1, the mutant gang splits off into two groups, one of them calling themselves 'The sons of Batman'. Police commissioner James Gordon has retired following the previous events and Ellen Yindel has taken his job. Branding Batman a murderer and a public menaces she's determined to capture him, so Bruce Wayne has to hide.
Above: Bruce Wayne disguised as an old tramp who wants his liquor.
Above: Bruce Wayne disguised as Lieutenant O'Halloran of the 6th precinct.
Above: Bruce Wayne disguised as... well... Batman!
When the joker is allowed to leave his asylum to appear on a popular talkshow, he manages to escape, leaving the public and it's host dying from a nerve gas. Not to soon after, Batman and Robin enter the scene, defying Yindel and half of Gotham's police force while trying to catch him.
Above: I guess after burning your bra for woman's rights in the 1960's this is the next step. Straight from the mind of Frank Miller, Batman and Robin fight female nazi villains.
Too bad DC decided to use this scene for the cover artwork (see top), because I feel there are far better scenes, allowing for a more iconic shot. For me, it's the scene where Batman rides on a horse, after a total black out of the city from the EMP. The city is in total chaos, returned to the dark ages as all electricity is gone and the gangs are fighting. Batman enters, riding a horse, his cape flying, a real menace indeed. His appearance manages to unite everybody, take control of the city and save it's people. The police let him, he's too big. It's an epic scene, pretty dark, exactly like Miller's comic.
'These are the weapons of cowards'.
Hot on the pursuit of the Joker, who's about to blow up an amusement park, the two finally meet face to face for a climactic scene where the Joker justifies all of Obama's reasons for gun control as he starts shooting randomly at innocent bystanders, killing them one by one. A truly daring scene, where DC decided not to cut too much of Miller's story, even though the terms 'Batman' and 'public massacre' don't go well these days. Later in the story, after Batman faces the fighting gangs, he takes their guns and yells 'Tonight I am going to maintain order in Gotham City. You are going to help me, but not with these. These are loud and clumsy. These are the weapons of cowards'.
Reagan zombified.
For the next section, I would like to add a 'spoiler alert', but I guess most of you have read Miller's comic books anyway. This sub-plot involves the US government going to war with the Soviets over a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. the cold war of the Eighties, captured in Miller's dark and twisted tale is reflected in the animated movie as if the 'evil empire' hadn't collapsed. Althought I guessed that zombifying your main characters was something only Marvel did for certain titles, I think DC did a pretty good job on their former president here, as he's looking pretty freaky.
After US troops take control over the island, the president appears on TV confirming the public's safety (from the moon that is!). When the Soviets launch a nuclear missile, it is succesfully intercepted by Superman and detonated far from it's target. The blast, however still reaches the US and causes a nuclear winter. When Batman remains a problem, the President asks Superman to take him out. A fight between DC's main attractions follows and when the dust settles, Batman dies, leaving Wayne manor, with all it's secrets, to be destroyed in a fire by Albert (Bruce's butler), who dies of a fatal heart attack. The end resembles much or less the final of Chris Nolan's recent 'The Dark Knight rises'. Bruce Wayne's double identity now no longer a secret, his alter ego erased from existence, but in reality, Bruce is secretly still very much alive.
Great animation and voice acting, and as I said before, a great score by Christopher Drake. Voices by Peter Weller, Ariel Winter and Michael Emmerson with Mark Valley as Superman/Clark Kent. LA Times Herocomplex has a great article for more on Valley and some videos on his voice acting. Check Here for my thoughts on TDKR1.
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