Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 Reviews

Adapting Frank Miller’s iconic deconstruction of the Dark Knight mythos is a herculean effort for any creative team ballsy enough to try it. Not only was it a meta-commentary on the logical end-point of Batman’s borderline-insanity and obsessive nature, but a pitch-black satire on the entirety of the superhero enterprise. There’s just so much narrative that adapting proves a challenge of which tone to stick with, what material to exercise, and just how long do they want this thing to last?

 

Well, by this point, the minds running DC’s direct-to-video animated film line deserves your trust that you’ll figure it all out. The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is an immensely satisfying work that acts as something of a vocal warm-up for the operatic mayhem to follow in Part 2. It begins with Batman living a dull life in retirement, watching as Gotham has descended into chaos with its savior/symbol, and ends with the reemergence of his greatest villain from a catatonic state. In-between these well-known moments Batman takes on the mutants, Carrie Kelley becomes the new Robin, and panel-after-panel is giving vivid life from the source text.

 

It’s notable that despite the numerous flirtations various other Batman properties have done with this material, including Tim Burton’s 1989 film, the Nolan trilogy, and a segment in Batman: The Animated Series’ episode “Legends of the Dark Knight,” just how well this material takes to the film medium. BTAS’ tiny segment was proof that Miller’s distinctive angular artwork could translate well to animation, but seeing it here is really something else. Not only were they faithful to the look and feel of the original work, but they fine-tuned it enough for fluidity’s sake.  

 

While not everything is a successful translation of the bleak source material, or its abundant dark humor. Look no further than the media’s various talking heads. In the comic, they acted as something of a Greek chorus and response to more paranoid and unhinged mental ramblings of Batman, and losing much of Batman’s inner monologue weakens the presence of the media’s interjections. It feels tilted too far to one side of the equation instead of finding a nice balance.

 

And for all of the grit and darkness on display, there’s also a few instances too many of the animation being brightly lit or somehow dulling the grittier, darker tone of the material. This is slightly to be expected given how inky and scratchy Frank Miller’s drawings can be, but when something like the fight with the mutant gang leader is so expertly done, then moments of a too sleek and shiny looking Gotham-in-chaos tend to standout more.

 

This isn’t enough to hamper the overall work as it sets up the pieces beautifully for the carnage that’s about to unfold. I mean, we still have Batman fighting Superman, the Joker, and heaps of Cold War paranoia (which for a while there felt antique, but appears to be making a comeback). It’ll take you a minute to not expect Kevin Conroy and company’s infamous voices to emerge from these characters, but give Peter Weller and the others a chance, they do solid work. (Highest points goes to Ariel Winter who is positively perfect as Carrie Kelley/Robin.)

 

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is a deeply entertaining and engrossing adaptation of the first half of the material. I swear, ending it on Joker’s awakening was a stroke of genius that gets you pumped for the real visceral action that’s about to happen. It pays homage to the material while effectively working as a solid variation of it. Isn’t that all you can really ask of an adaptation?

"Master Bruce. You set off the alarm, sir. This somnambulism is becoming a problem especially for those of us with a penchant for sleeping at night."

For over twenty years, comic fans have yearned for a film adaptation of Frank Miller's 1986 four-issue miniseries The Dark Knight Returns, which has long been considered a vital, iconic part of comic book history. Although a live-action adaptation is yet to be produced, it's hard to complain about the quality of 2012's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, a straight-to-video animated production from Warner Bros. Animation. A constituent of the long-running DC Comics animated universe, this is an impressive, lavishly-produced feature that manages to do the groundbreaking comic book justice. While there are a few issues here and there, Part 1 is a satisfying rendering of Miller's celebrated work, with impressively stylised animation, a superb voice cast, brutal fight scenes, and an enthrallingly dark atmosphere.

As opposed to a typical tale about Batman in his prime, The Dark Knight Returns is the story of an aging Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller) who retired his masked vigilante alter ego ten years ago. It's a dark time for Gotham City, as a gang who call themselves The Mutants are causing turmoil on the streets, committing random acts of violence and causing unrest. Fed up with the injustice, Wayne opts to once again don the cape and cowl, heading out as Batman to clean up the streets of Gotham one last time with help from the soon-to-retire Commissioner Gordon (David Selby). Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (Wade Williams) is released from prison, soon returning to his old psychotic ways as Two-Face. Due to his age, Wayne is in need of assistance and is soon approached by the young, plucky Carrie Kelley (Ariel Winter), who dons the Robin outfit.

Those unfamiliar with Miller's work may find The Dark Knight Returns to be a departure from the ordinary. Miller depicts the Caped Crusader as an unrelentingly dark, Clint Eastwood-esque figure who's physically intimidating and brutal. In fact, the brutality of this movie cannot be understated; it's more or less an R-rated take on the character. While Part 1 carries a PG-13 rating, director Jay Oliva does not baulk from sequences of intense violence. Also worth noting about this story is the way it explores the Dark Knight's twisted psychology, as Wayne has a primal need to be Batman. For the most part, the script by Bob Goodman stays faithful to Miller's work, even devoting large portions of time to news reports, showing the media's perception of Batman and his enemies. This material works wonderfully, as we are given an overview of the bigger picture in Gotham and see the moral debates over the need for the Caped Crusader. However, the film excludes Batman's inner monologues from Miller's comic. While a voiceover-heavy presentation might have been too overbearing, snippets of inner monologues could've made for a richer and more complete experience.

Minor script flaws notwithstanding, Part 1 soars in every other department. For a direct-to-video production, the animation is stunning, with stylised character designs and creative compositions evoking the pages of Miller's comic book and possessing a cinematic flair that belies its modest origins. In fact, this is one of the most visually interesting DC animated features so far, with an eye towards noir-ish lighting and clever use of colours. The Dark Knight Returns is a dark movie, but it's not unrelentingly dour or dull like Christopher Nolan's movies, which is an enormous benefit. The various battle scenes are extremely impressive, most notably the hand-to-hand combat scenes involving Batman that are better than anything Nolan staged in his trilogy. Fluid, hard-hitting and altogether thrilling, Part 1 is an amazing action film, superior to most of the live-action interpretations of the Dark Knight. Plus, the pacing is spot-on and the music clicks beautifully, not to mention the voice acting adds finesse to the production. Peter Weller nails it as an older, world-weary Batman, while Ariel Winter adds spunk and energy playing the new female Robin.

Like its iconic source material, this animated version of The Dark Knight Returns is an engrossing, mature take on one of pop culture's most beloved icons. It's not perfect, but it's a promising start, benefitting from slick visuals, a strong screenplay and a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Dark and layered, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 easily places itself in the upper echelon of DC animated movies, and anyone who's even mildly fond of the Batman character needs to watch this film (and Part 2) at the earliest opportunity.

8.2/10