Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012 Video) User Reviews

The fan-favorite classic: Expanded, elaborated and faithfully replicated

[xamtaro · 9/10 · 19 October 2012]

One of the most beloved Batman tales finally gets the animation treatment. So influential was Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" that it inspired Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan when they were crafting their live action Batman movies, as well as the 1990s Batman animated series (which gave birth to an entire universe of DC animated shows). Warner decided to split the tale, originally spread over 4 issues, into 2 movies. Turns out that it was an excellent decision which not only successfully adapted the first half of Frank Miller's epic, but added layers to the story and characters that the limited page count of the graphic novel could not leave in.

Rarely does an adaptation surpass the original source material. But Dark Knight Returns part 1 is just such an example of an animated movie that is not only true to its source material, but expands upon it. The original was great; the animated adaptation makes it better. The story will sound familiar to anyone who watched Christopher Nolan's "The dark Knight Rises". It has been years since Batman went into retirement. Billionaire Bruce Wayne now drifts from day to day hoping that the people of Gotham can take care of themselves. But now, a new threat emerges: The Mutants. A vast gang of street thugs led by their grotesque but incredibly strong and savage leader. Despite his age, Bruce is forced to become Batman once again to save his city. But can the aging crime fighter stand up to a threat that is faster, stronger and more powerful than he has ever been? And what happens when Batman comes face to face with his old nemesis Two-Face? Beyond the narrative lies a thorough deconstruction of the Batman character, especially when played opposite the two main villains, Two Face and the Mutant Leader. Both villains serve as a dark reflection of Batman himself. Like Two Face, Bruce Wayne and Batman are presented as two separate personalities fighting for control. But is Batman truly just a mask Bruce wears? Or is it the other way around? And as for the mutant leader, both he and Batman operate as a symbol to inspire others to action. One a symbol of chaos and crime, the other a symbol of hope and justice. But if the mutant leader's extreme acts can rouse Batman to return to vigilantism, so too can Batman's actions rouse criminals to return to their old ways (as one character claims in the story).

The characters are brought to life by a fine voice cast who nail their roles perfectly. Peter Weller of Robocop fame takes the role of Batman; a role that may comes across as a monotone baritone at first. But Weller infuses Batman's voice with nuance and subtlety which fits the character well. The only downside is that despite wanting to show a dichotomy between Batman and Bruce Wayne, Weller uses the same tone of voice throughout the whole movie; Compared to previous voice actors, like Kevin Conroy, who used different speech patterns and tones for Wayne and Batman.

A lot of deep themes about the nature of heroism vs vigilantism abound in this tale, all of which were in the original comic but just expanded upon in the animation medium. On that note, the animation presented here is the perfect balance of fluidity and art detail. Iconic frames, memorable battles and atmospheric scenes are replicated faithfully. Movie goers will be able to see many scenes that Nolan's Batman trilogy lifted from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, including a fight scene illuminated intermittently by a gun's muzzle flash. Its only downside is that Warner decided to use its generic color palate rather than replicate the muted tones and heavy grays colored by Lynn Varley in the original artwork.

Fans would be pleased at how true to the original this is and how it expands on the original, smoothening out the rough edges while adding a whole new dimension to the characters. The action is intense and beautifully animated, accompanied by an epic score by Christopher Drake. This is a true ADAPTATION that does not translate the comic wholesale but translates the comic while making full use of the animated movie medium.

Excellent adaptation of the graphic novel!

[DarthPaul85 · 8/10 · 26 September 2012]

After seeing Batman Year One, I was nervous about this one, but I was pleasantly surprised! The story is faithfully recreated here, with very little censorship of the violence, and most of the (included) dialogue straight from the pages of the comic, albeit with some forgivable changes. The pacing is excellent, and really captures that sense of "awesome" that the graphic novel had. The visual style is "close enough" to Millar's work to give you flashbacks, but of course it lacks the detailed nuances of the comic. And lastly, the music fits everything perfectly.

Some complaints, though. First and foremost, the acting lacks passion. Virtually all the main characters play "middle of the road" emotions well, but any extreme was unconvincing to me. It's almost like there was a "no shouting!" rule for the actors. Nobody gets really angry, or forceful, or upset. Even so, it's nowhere near as disappointing as the acting in Batman Year One.

Also missing is Batman's inner monologue- which I guess can be forgiven since movies are a visual medium, but ultimately we lose some of the comic's best lines because of it. Though they do try to force some of batman's narration into the movie as dialogue, it doesn't work that well at all.

One change I'm not sure about is the PG-13 censorship to the script. They maintain the political dichotomy that existed in the comics, but it's way toned down. They seem to want to avoid alienating people on either side of the political spectrum (perhaps wisely). Some of the humor is still there, but again, it's got kid gloves on.

In the end, though, this is a wonderful execution of a great story. I eagerly look forward to Part 2!!

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012)

[SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain · 8/10 · 15 September 2012]

The Dark Knight Returns, is for me, the best Batman film of the year. The animation is superb, especially when the action kicks off. It sees Bruce Wayne return to crime fighting after a 10 year absence. Unlike his Nolan counterpart however, he was Batman for a damn sight longer than just a year. His return is depicted as an obsession that finally grabs control and pulls him in. He barely even notices it when he shaves off his mustache as it just becomes a natural part of the process. A new threat, called The Mutants, rises in Gotham, and Batman has to sort them out. His age becomes his weakness as he must go up against the leader of The Mutants. he film is littered with cuts to TV shows and newscasts discussing whether or not Batman is a help or a hindrance. Peter Weller does a great job as the voice of Batman, and it's nice to see a Batman with a dark and dangerous sense of humour. As an adaptation it remains fairly close to the source material, but manages to capture the ferocity of the violence without being too graphic. Gotham looked and felt exactly how I remember it when I was growing up. This is great stuff, and is a huge tease for Part 2, where we will see The Joker once again.

You don't get it son. This is an Operating table and I am the surgeon...

[DJayXIII · 10/10 · 12 September 2012]

A wonderful translation of the Frank Miller Novel brought to life on the Screen. Animation was excellent, the Tone was perfect and when watching this Animated Movie, I felt completely drawn in to the world that Frank Miller had created back in 1986. The movie was amazing and I cannot wait until Part two comes out. The second half of part 1 really set the tone for part two and it really leaves the viewer in anticipation - with a big smile...

At first, I was a little disappointing when I didn't hear Kevin Convoy's voice as Batman. But it didn't take long for me to get used to the choice they made to play Batman (Peter Weller). With an aging Bruce Wayne/Batman; he set just the right tone to the character. You can hear the struggle he goes through before finally deciding to don the cowl of the caped crusader once more - and when he does - he is back with a vengeance. A seasoned veteran with the knowledge and courage to take on crime... I loved it!

Congratulations to the team that brought us this great adaptation and I hope that this is just the first of many that can be brought to the screen...

Amazing! (spoiler free)

[behy7000 · 10/10 · 13 September 2012]

I'll be short. I'm an 90-ties kid (now 21) and I watched a lot of batman cartoons and movies, and even read the comic on which this movie is based on. The movie shocked me how good it was made, the animation, the acting (even though batman isn't voiced by Kevin Conroy), even the sound is simply great.

If you are a batman fan, and watched the cartoon series, and movies, and even better if you read the comics you are absolutely going to LOVE this movie.

It's definitely worth watching it in theaters / or blue ray.

A+

Forget animation,one of the greatest films of all time PERIOD

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 22 March 2016]

1. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Hollywood picked this story for a major live action release. Message received.

2. Lots of talk about the best Batman voice. Weller nailed it. Oscar worthy and yes Virginia they do give Oscars for voice actors.

3. Omigawd. Whatta script. Seen this 2-parter three times, each time I find new social commentary in the dialog. After the Joker segment you think to yourself, this can't get any better. And then you get the "schoolboy" segment. And it does.

4. I am running out of adjectives. If you have not seen it already, see it now.

5. Finally a note for the IMDb archive. Hollywood loves to do films about getting old. Hundreds at least. Comedies, dramas, everything in-between. I believe that over the years to come, this gem will be recognized as the greatest film about getting old ever done. They took the iconic characters that an entire generation grew up with and then imagined what things would be like at the end of life's run. Watch it with that in mind and you will see things you did not see first time around.

Why This Is The True Batman Film

[I_Need_More_Cowbell1969 · 10/10 · 5 February 2013]

There are some reviews panning the storyline and animation style. Understandable if the only Batman you really knew was the 90's Kevin Conroy version (which is excellent btw). While I know I'm not unique regarding this, my perspective of this film comes from growing up in the 80's on the Batman comic books. Batman in the mid 80's was still trying to shed the Adam West live action & the Superfriends animated image people had of the character. Then came the Crisis On Infinite Earths epic. It really made bad things possible to DC characters. Characters didn't always get a noble end. Then Frank Miller looked at the Batman character blowing in the wind without substance and said "No. THIS is what he is." and hence Batman: The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel.

WOW. The collective thud heard in 1986 were jaws dropping all over the world. The animation was dark, gritty, even depressing (a sharp contrast to the DC comics and animated cartoons of the day). It gave Batman his identity of the obsessive/borderline sociopath & force of nature whose self control of his violent tendencies hung by a thread. Batman may have debuted in 1939, but he was born in 1986. Yes, Batman is slower, meaner, and sometimes uses a gun. That's the beauty of it. Miller showed the high price his body had paid and the compromises he had to make since he was in his fifties. (The rifle - The fight with the Mutant leader in the mud pit to even the odds). That's why Batman at this age was so dangerous, he wasn't trying to be like he was before. He compensated for his age and injuries.

There are strange goings on in the film that couldn't be explained the way they were in the graphic novel:

Superman as a government agent? Yes, because in his inner monologue Superman discusses how he gave his silence and obedience to the government to avoid the slaughter of his comrades. That's why he has no choice but to come after Bruce!

Superman survives a nuclear blast by touching a flower??? Yes, because he tapped into the energy that all plants store from the sunlight to save himself.

Joker seemed off? Yes, because he had been catatonic, literally, for ten years since he had no Batman to focus on.

Green Arrow wants to kill Superman? Yes, because the book directly alludes to Superman being the one who tore his arm off.

The bottom line for me is that everything works here, especially with the retrospect of having read the graphic novel in the 80's. The animation looks like a literal page by page shot of what I saw 27 years ago. The 80's theme is kept alive too. Look at the sunglasses, the ladies' hair styles, even the car on the road that encounters the Batmobile. Even the music has a touch of 80's synthesizer with the powerful orchestral sounds so popular in the Dark Knight movie trilogy. The Reagan character was spot on how Miller portrayed him as well!

As for Peter Weller, yes, I was skeptical. But then I heard the line "These men are mine!" and the deadpanned response after he saved the two year old "I believe you." Sold! It was pitch perfect.

Whether you liked or panned this film, read the original graphic novel then watch the film again. I promise it will add a whole new perspective on a job well done!

"Chicken legs, lickin' legs. Slice and dice!"

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 3 September 2016]

First part of the animated adaptation of Frank Miller's classic comic book miniseries, The Dark Knight Returns. The comic was highly influential on the direction of superhero comics over the last 30 years. It tells the story of how Bruce Wayne returning to being Batman after a ten year absence and how the world has changed without him. This first part deals with Batman return to battle a gang known as the Mutants that is terrorizing Gotham, as well as the release of Harvey Dent (aka Two Face) from Arkham Asylum.

For the most part, it's faithful to the comic so no complaints there. The animation is decent but I can't help being disappointed it isn't more stylized. There was an episode of the 1990s Batman cartoon that featured different stories told by kids about Batman. One of them was an homage to The Dark Knight Returns. The animation in that tried, despite its television limitations, to match the style of the Frank Miller/Klaus Janson artwork from the comic. I think this would have been better served had it also tried to match that art. Instead it's fine for what it is but it isn't particularly impressive or stylish. Christopher Drake's music is very nice and at times evokes a John Carpenter vibe that I liked. The voice work is solid but I miss Kevin Conroy's Batman.

It's hard to capture what made the comic work, particularly because so much of what worked was due to the time in which it came out. Translating it faithfully word for word or picture for picture doesn't necessarily mean you can make it click the same way it did in another medium made at another time. The sad reality is this story has been copied and ripped off in various mediums since its release. Batman as a character is now firmly established in the public consciousness as the grim & gritty Dark Knight, whereas at the time the source story was first released it was cutting edge stuff. So the impact is lessened is what I'm saying. That's not the fault of the people who worked hard on this; it's just that too much time has passed and this just can't have the same impact it would have had it been made 25 or 30 years ago. It's still a fun watch, particularly for comic fans, but it will likely leave some viewers wondering what the fuss is all about. Best seen as a whole with part 2.

a slice of brilliance

[GeorgeMaxTrummler · 10/10 · 15 September 2012]

There has been a few really good straight to DVD Batman animations, but this one takes the cake. Having watched the last installment of Christpher Nolans Batman on the big screen, this little piece just keeps the fire burning. Im so impressed by the attention to detail and story line that i wont even begin to give you the low-down/plot, you just need to see it for yourself. Any fans out there will be glad to know this is part one of a series and when you watch it, you'll see how the story drives you straight into the cliff hanger , all the elements are there ,even as we get to understand that Batman/Bruce Wayne has aged significantly it doesn't slow down the action, after all "Old Heroes never die , they just get Darker". i cant wait for part II . Well done and Respect to the Director and his crew for putting this together so well.

Good..but lacking

[yaktheripper · 7/10 · 12 September 2012]

Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" comic book revolutionized not only Batman but comic books in general. The cartoon attempts to capture Frank Miller's classic but while watching it I found it curious that after all the money and talent attached to this project...it feels a little empty. I'm not saying it's not a good animation, because it is. It excels at capturing the brutal fight sequences that an older Batman faced in his return to the mean streets of Gotham, especially well. Many scenes are captured straight from the comic and animated as Miller had drawn them. However, in the end I felt this just isn't the treatment that the classic deserves. The animation, outside the action scenes is sometimes dull. Frank Miller kept the non action scenes in the comic visually dynamic by breaking up panels and using interesting page designs to keep us involved and turning the pages. In short, this movie just wasn't gritty enough. The animation is too clean. Yes there's blood, and mud, and broken limbs...but this sort of treatment needed layers of filth and sweat. We needed internal dialogue of a senior citizen Batman going through motions he hasn't committed in a decade. The voice work, lead by Peter Weller as Batman, also lacked the grit to convince us this is Frank Miller's original vision of a Batman who is old, in pain, fed up, and a Gotham City moving in to a new violent direction sans the old crowd. If you read the original and love it...you'll probably like this. If you never read the original, you'll most likely love it.

You're Never Finished With Me

[rhiron · 8/10 · 17 December 2013]

Before I watched this animated feature and its second part, 'The Dark Knight Returns - Part 2', I had considered animated features based on the 'Batman' mythos to be quite a cosy way of filling an otherwise empty evening. They had their own level of violence that, at times, could be a little too graphic, but they were still a guilty pleasure of mine.

'The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1' changed quite a bit of that. As a 'Batman' feature, it is quite intense, in a similar vein to the 2011 adaptation of Frank Miller's 'Batman: Year One' -- only more so.

From the beginning, it is clear that we are in a different time, sat in with a Bruce Wayne and a Gotham City that are not quite right. Make no mistake, they are still the characters made familiar to us over time but, as they say, 'this is not your father's Batman'.

Parents should be warned that most of the DC Animated Original Films are not aimed at young children (even adults may find them a little distasteful in parts), and this one is no exception. Blood, gore, suicide pacts and 'surgery' in a mud pool ensue. This is a very violent, post-modern Gotham, not too unlike Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight Trilogy', and younger children are better directed towards either Adam West or, if animated, then 'Batman: The Animated Series' and its successors.

With that aside, this is a very engaging animated film that shares a lot in common with Frank Miller's original source illustrated novel. Some scenes are switched around, redacted or, in some cases, even enhanced, making this quite an interesting watch for general Batman fans and fans of this specific comic book. As an aside, the comic book behind this feature was part of the inspiration behind Tim Burton's original 'Batman' film in 1989.

Peter 'Robocop' Weller provides the voice of a very beleaguered Batman/Bruce Wayne, whilst Michael Jackson (not to be confused with the late Prince of Pop) provides the voice of his faithful, yet ageing valet, Alfred Pennyworth. Screen stalwart, David Selby also lends his voice to the similarly past-his-prime Commissioner Gordon, whilst Wade Williams (who previously voiced Black Mask in the 2010 feature, 'Batman: Under The Red Hood') provides a fresh and surprising look at Harvey 'Two-Face' Dent. But the major scene-stealing performances here are from Ariel Winter as Carrie Kelley, who those unfamiliar with the story may be shocked to find allying herself with Batman, and from Gary Anthony Williams as The Mutant Leader - a more dangerous Killer Croc-style villain who is the mastermind behind many of the events at this stage of the story.

Christopher Drake who, by this time, had provided the musical score (either in whole or in part) to several Batman features since the 2008 release of 'Batman: Gotham Knight', infuses the proceedings with an incredibly edge-of-the-seat and sometimes moving and haunting series of compositions. A word to the wise, however: even though some commentators have accused Drake of lifting some of Hans Zimmer's ideas for his score to 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012), this is, in fact, 1980s-style music. It holds a retrospective quality that, perhaps, Mr. Zimmer also wanted to infuse in his score owing to the fact that that film's inspiration was drawn heavily from Frank Miller's comic book 'The Dark Knight Returns'. At the end of the day, Batman is not exactly synonymous with 1980s-style music, so both composers reached a satisfactory quality in their respective scores without allowing their work to sound like a who's-who of artists of the 1980s.

Many of the same creative talents behind 'Batman: The Animated Series', such as Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano, return to adapt a tale that helps to put the 'dark' in 'Dark Knight', making The Batman an incredibly scary and disturbing character once again!

More awesome Batman! What's not to like!?!

[illbebackreviews · 6/10 · 26 February 2013]

I am now a huge fan of Nolan's Batman trilogy, loving all three of them almost equally. I was a bit hesitant to see this film as I have never read the comic books and thought that it would be a cheap film simply made to get money as it came out soon after the Dark Knight Rises came out. Here are my thoughts of the movie.

'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1" is a 2D animated film that follows the story of a now aging, 55 year old retired Bruce Wayne who must once more put on the mask and cape but also BECOME the Batman to take out a new gang who has shown their face into Gotham City: The Mutants.

There is simply so much to love about this movie. Firstly, the Batman voice is superb. Its not like the actor felt like he had to be Bale. He had his own and awesome Batman voice. Soon to be retiring Commissioner Gordan is also a great addition to this film. The characters are done well and I was surprised to see Two Face in this movie. I thought that also was a great addition to the film. Much like Nolan's first two films, the action isn't too much and its not over the top and as a result, doesn't overpower other elements of the story. The music is very different and unique and so, is awesome. The new characters presented in this movie such as the girl who becomes Robin was fantastic. The leader of the Mutant Gang was awesome and I loved him as a villain.

The voice acting is superb, the characters are written brilliantly, the film was directed superbly with no part of the movie feeling too long or dragged on. The run time was just perfect for this movie. The action sequences are done brilliantly. The animations looked brilliant and much like Nolan's Batman trilogy, it felt like we were in Gotham and truly witnessing chaos and destruction.

To conclude, this movie is an absolute gem and a superb addition to the Batman franchise and is by no means, a stupid cash grab. The film is one of my favorites of 2012 and ranks just under the Dark Knight Rises. A truly fantastic movie that deserves more recognition from its Batman fanboys! A+

Not a good adaptation, regrettably

[amerelium · 3/10 · 24 July 2013]

This goes for both part 1 and 2: Quite disappointing.

I really wanted to love this, but alas; they have changed too many of the epic moments, for no apparent reason - changing the dialogue, adding a lot of action that kind of goes against the story itself. This is most apparent in the two major showdowns that each episode end with, but also in the setup.

I also do not like Peter Weller's work here - he sounds like he is reading of a page, not talking.

The novel is epic in its setup and execution - this adaptation is anything but. I would hate for it to be anyone's introduction to this story...

I have given this a score of 3 - my standalone score would be 5, but when compared to the source material, the rating has to be lower.

Excellent Adaptation That Falls Just Short of Epic

[drqshadow-reviews · 8/10 · 27 September 2012]

An impressively loyal adaptation of one of comics' most important stories, complete with social commentary, nods at dark chapters of the character's history and a glut of wanton brutality. Despite being ripped violently into two pieces, the story still functions very well and reaches a natural climax in time for the credits to roll after a drawn-out 75 minutes. I fear the end result may be a less-dense arching plot line, especially as most of the political commentary was removed from this chapter (presumably as it won't be relevant until the second) but there's still more than enough pulp to go around. While the storyline is doggedly faithful (indeed, most of the dialog is copied verbatim from the source), the artwork is both influenced by and notably distanced from Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's amazing work on the printed page. And, while that does rob the story of some of its character, the result is suitable enough; fresh but also familiar. Peter Weller turns in some decent work as the voice of Bruce Wayne, but I couldn't help but daydream about how Kevin Conroy would have approached the material. Very good, if not perfect.

"Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1" is simply amazing, I give it a 10 out of 10.

[LiquidLuke93 · 10/10 · 30 September 2012]

"Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1" is by far the best DC animated film since "Batman: Under the Red Hood", the storyline stays true to the Frank Miller comic book limited series. It follows a dark & gritty telling of a 55 year old Bruce Wayne coming out of a 10 year retirement from being Batman, because Gotham City's crime rate is worse than ever, criminals now run free & the city is constantly under attack by a massive gang known as the mutants. You get to view an older Bruce Wayne who is way past his prime & struggling to see if he still has what it takes to be the Batman. The voice acting in this film is top notch, the animation is very detailed & the action scenes are superb. This film was very well done & I highly recommend it to any fan of Batman.

Blood, sweat and mutant tears

[SongOfFall · 8/10 · 25 May 2015]

It's definitely one of the best Batman features I've watched in a while (not a big fan of Christopher Nolan's "Gotham's Jesus"). It's a different Batman, faithful to the character tailored by Frank Miller. This Batman is old, angry and not a bit soft. He knows what he needs to do and he does it.

The animation is dynamic and nicely drawn (not in the anime- influenced style of Flashpoint: Paradox). This is exactly how comic book adaptations should be made.

Sad thing is, best DC adaptations come in direct-to-video format. Recently I tried watching Flash and Arrow, huge letdowns, if you ask me. But "The Dark Knigh Returns" is the real deal. It isn't fake, it has the spirit and the atmosphere.

Now I'm off to my Batcave to watch the second part.

The bad guys better skip town when the bat is around...

[lagudafuad · 8/10 · 12 October 2012]

No one does it better than the Bat at any age he is still the same, too smart for those who what to get on his bad side.

This part1 is so good I can't wait to see the rest; I hope veterans like the joker will be there to make it all crazy like.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a two-part animated superhero film, an adaptation of the four-issue story arc The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, printed in 1986.

This animation is nowhere near the movies (i.e. story wise), and it focuses on the future, wrong choice of words it is about the future, Bruce Wayne is 55 and the bat has not been seen for 10 years.

The story arc curved around the bat after retirement. Gotham now seemed to be overrun by a group called Mutants. The Mutants weren't just any gang they were absolutely ruthless and in a way useless.

Also in this flick we get to see Harvey Dent/Two face after he has undergone plastic surgery to fix his face. Harvey now looked normal but he was so paranoid and out of it that he went back to his old ways.

Things weren't changing in Gotham and with the ongoing nightmares and Bruce sleep walking and sleep doing things in the night; it was obvious he could no longer cage the bat any more.

Bruce carved to the urges. In the dark is the "billionairelly" in sane Batman, is seen jumping over roof tops and doing things other billionaires could only dream that their bodyguards could do (because no sane billionaire jumps around in the dark. Imagine one day you look out the window only to see Bill Gates in his underwear and a cape on your roof…would you say Bill still got all his screws nicely tight?) I don't know what I liked better is it watching Bat being Bat again in his old age, or the bad guys not knowing in time to skip town when they found out he was out of retirement (you can't blame them though, some didn't know who he was).

Well, the directing of this wonderful flick was done by Jay Oliva, who worked as a storyboard artist on Man of Steel, Batman: Year One and Batman: Under the Red Hood.

The animation was well drawn, far better… sorry, far far far better than what we saw in Superman vs. the Elite.

The only downside to this wonderful movie is the news casting; it was boring and looked too much like child's play I hope you are not still reading this, because I expect by now that you have hit the stores to go grab your copy of The Dark Knight Returns Part 1.

www.lagsreviews.com

Welp, they did it. They actually adapted "The Dark Knight Returns"

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 20 November 2012]

Part of me never thought it'd actually happen. I just figured Frank Miller's comic would be relegated as influence in every Batman iteration Warner Bros. spits out. But here it is, a dedicated adaptation. And it ain't bad.

Some of the violence is toned down for its animated form, and the book's art style gets a bit diluted along the way. The character designs are there, but this takes on a very DC Animated look. But once things get going, that becomes easier to overlook. As usual, the voice cast is great, and I did like the score - which is some bizarre hybrid of Hans Zimmer and John Carpenter.

Where this movie really excels is in the sound design, particularly in the brutality of the violence. Watching the junkyard fight had me wincing more than I'd expected, but it's a lot of fun when it's Batman's turn to exact punishment.

Bottom line, this gets the job done, and it's a thrill to see The Dark Knight Return.

7/10

What Batman: Gotham Knight should have been

[oli-reed · 8/10 · 12 January 2013]

The first part to The Dark Knight returns feels a lot more complete than the second half. It thrusts Frank Miller's adaptation of the Caped Crusader in both a loyal and fresh way, displaying a lot more of a flawed character who turns back to the cowl through compulsion more than why he started it.

What massively works in this productions favour is the bold and varied art direction the story is presented in, displaying a grittier and bloodier batman we are used to, and parallels the mood and tone of the character. This may seem obvious considering the post-modernist violent setting, however the violence did go further than I thought they were going to take it (BUT THIS IS NOT A BAD THING)!

Dynamics between characters are also very well written for animation and you can appreciate the subtle nuances between relationships as well as hear dialogue that reflects a character arch throughout the story.

The voice acting may feel just a little bit stiff here and there, and some of the features in the comics appear to be somewhat left out or brushed over quickly, however this is a different format to a comic so the artist should be allowed to trim some of the fat off in order to make the film feel like a cohesive narrative.

Overall, this piece feels like a lot of effort from DC has been put in to both reward the fans and pay homage to Frank Millers contribution to their wonderful icon. For animation work and superhero stories, this is one of if not the best piece of art made and is on par with the very well made Nolan films as well.

He is NOT finished yet!

[JMichaletos · 21 September 2012]

I watched this with low expectations. I love the graphic novel (even if I don't like Miller's drawing style) for its unique and dynamic story. Besides, this story changed Bataman's icon making him the badass we now nowadays.

The truth is, I Totally loved this animated movie! Everything is so well made! The characters, the music which by the way fits perfectly, the fight scenes... The models are better than the ones in the graphic novel while the voice acting is superb! Peter Weller does an astonishing job as the voice of the Bat! I totally recommend this animated movie!

Don't try to compare this with the graphic novel! You'll lose everything of importance! Try to enjoy the film and, believe me, you will! ;)

Thrillingly Bloody

[hisham-user · 7/10 · 4 February 2022]

Part 1 of the return of perhaps the best character DC brings to us a much older and weaker Bruce Wayne, ready to protect Gotham City as the Batman once again, making fans want more of the Batman, and maybe less of the new Robin.

And The Batman is back

[chandlerjoey_2004 · 10/10 · 3 February 2013]

I loved Gotham Knight. I thought it was very unique and equally well-written. They made Batman mythical again. Which needed to be done frankly; after the Nolan movies (Which I also enjoyed.) I liked Batman: Under the Red Hood because it was more traditionally produced but it also had just the right amount of darkness to make it accessible for Adults and children to enjoy it and get fulfillment from it. It was a little difficult to get over the absence of Kevin Conroy, but I was quickly convinced and accepting of a new voice for Batman. It was great. I thought Batman: Year One was beautiful for its rawness and it's ability to completely rebuild not only Commissioner Gordon's and Batman's relationship as a crime-fighting network but also the characters individually while making both sides evenly poignant.

Then this animated mini-series is released. I love the Frank Miller graphic novels of which it was based; and I've been very intrigued and enthusiastic about Batman's now-progressive plunge into his darker topics and more adult themes. Sometimes Batman has to grow up into well Batman. I was a little apprehensive, because although the animated movies were heading into Batman's dark side, they still hadn't reached the adult level of Batman lore that I had been waiting for.

I quickly reveled in it's glorious success in executing not only a darkness that has not been so openly demonstrated through The Bat's many mediums of late. Frankly, unless you frequent the comic book land of Batman (which isn't nearly everyone), you're not going to witness how dark and psychologically thrilling Batman myth can be. But this landed Batman right on the middle of edgy. Miller's creation which was brilliant in it's original form is now intriguingly and wonderfully executed. They not only produced an achievement in being just a well constructed Batman animated movie but they also managed to completely live up to Miller's edgy, dry, darkness and creating the particularly specific creation of Miller's Gotham. The style was perfect. The tone was spot on. The animation was very representative of the graphic novel. By this point, I'm very well used to the idea of Kevin Conroy not being the only voice talent that can successfully dawn the voice of Batman so the casting was easy to receive as Miller's 80's-style. Batman's struggle with his very-aged body and the evermore youthful villains that he now faces is brilliantly presented. The combat isn't

just a few shots in this anymore. It is brutal and relentless and delightful to witness. The music was well crafted to bring the specific emotional level of a Miller novel surrounding such a profound accomplishment in Batman's animated cinema. to be continued....

Disappointingly it's largely a set up for part 2

[Carrzinho · 6/10 · 6 August 2019]

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 Batman returns after an absence of 10 years. Now 55 can he still cut it? The violence of the gang (mutants) is far darker and sinister than usual though mostly reported rather than seen. This I suppose begets a much more heavy handed Batman. Clashes with baddies and police leave broken bones and obvious trauma all over the place. There is little to the leader of the mutants meaning he won't be particularly memorable. Robin transforms from completely put upon teenage victim, to entirely useless Robin, to largely ineffective Robin, to taking on the Mutants, in double quick (unconvincing) time. Harvey Dent appears too, but this seems just a set up to introduce his psychologist. His story is a daily damp squib and a missed opportunity. Commissioner Gordon seems to just be setting up the new commissioner for part 2. I did like the tone and in some respects, though out of kilter with normal imaginings of Batman, I liked this version. It's probably the most credible version. Unfortunately the story doesn't share this credulity with ne'er do wells seemingly walking the streets waiting for a messiah. At 1hr 16 it's not long but doesn't really cover much ground. I felt the could have used the time better in preparing for part two. Disappointing. SIX.

Not that good

[ToadofTruth · 5/10 · 27 August 2019]

What I mean is I thought people had confused this title with one of Nolan's Dark Knight films or something. This movie (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1) really isn't that good. There's better animated Batman films, such as 'Under the Red Hood' and 'Assault on Arkham'. This one is a 6/10 at best.

"I'm Not Finished Yet"

[ThomasDrufke · 10/10 · 15 March 2016]

In preparation for the upcoming Batman V Superman film, I've decided to revisit a few of each of the heroes' feature films, especially those where they come in direct conflict with one another.

When it comes to comic book adaptations, there is usually a split opinion among fans. Either the adaptation has strung too far from its source material, or it relied too heavily on it. Either way, it's rare that a comic book film or a TV show can come across an audience which is very clear in saying that it is a perfect adaptation. That's what The Dark Knight Returns films are. Part 1 effortlessly displays a mans' psychological turmoil after years of fighting crime in Gotham City, and then also regain his inner humanity and self-worth. The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 quite simply is one of the greatest comic book films of all time.

We begin with watching Bruce Wayne drag race his life away. Taking place 10 years after Batman retired, we get a sense that he doesn't feel as though he has anything left to give. Or rather, he's so psychologically damaged by Jason Todd dying and the chaos that was unleashed on Gotham city, that he is trying to find ways for himself to cope. While I like Part 2 a tad better, this psychological side to the story of Batman is something that gives Part 1 its own edge. This is all complemented incredibly well by Christopher Drake's hauntingly eerie score. Drake has done numerous takes on the Dark Knight, but I've always felt like his score for these two parts perfectly encapsulates this particular graphic novel more so than any of his other scores.

Peter Weller voices Batman, among the many talented voice actors here. It mainly focuses on the Mutant Gang who has taken control of Gotham City in this near-future story, but we also get appearances from Harvey Dent and Joker, who give it just the amount of nostalgia Batman needs to put that cape and cowl on again. Dent's tragic tale once again takes a left turn as he was sponsored by Wayne to get his face back to normal with surgery, only to still think of himself as Two-Face and resume his crime filled ways. Joker is only teased, but I love the way this story links Batman and Joker. They can't really go on without one another.

Frank Miller also weaves in a Gordon side arc that effortlessly fits in with the rest of the story as he is both retiring and being pushed out for Ellen Yindel, a strong believer of taking down Batman, a much bigger story in the second part.

Everything leads to the mud fight. Batman and newly hired Carrie Kelley as Robin, trap all of the mutants into thinking that the Mutant Leader set up a meeting at a sewer outlet. There, we get one of the great comic book fights ever with Batman calling himself the "surgeon at an operating table". With the music, stunned faces of hundreds of mutants, and the official return of the Batman, it may be my favorite scene of either of the two parts. In all, The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 displays all of the graphic novels greatest attributes, while also giving it a memorable score and incredible voice talents. I love everything about this film & story.

+Voice talent, particularly Peter Weller

+Psychological side

+Haunting score

+Weaves in Batman's best characters effortlessly

+Final fight scene

10/10