Seventy-five years. That's how long Batman has been around and that's how long comics creators have had to bring vastly different interpretations and revelations to the world of the Dark Knight Detective. Denny O’Neil and Neil Adams brought a globetrotting sense of adventure to Batman’s exploits; Frank Miller provided grim and gritty noir tales; and Grant Morrison mixed Silver Age nostalgia with lurid, psychedelic storytelling.
Which brings me to Scott Snyder. As DC Comics’ current Bat-scribe, he has
placed horror at the forefront of the saga—his Batman has fought increasingly
monstrous foes beneath an overhang of palpable dread. Chief among Mr. Snyder’s run is the story arc
“Night of the Owls,” a paranoid thriller in which the Caped Crusader battles
the Court of Owls, a cabal of Gotham’s elite who had been secretly controlling
the city since its foundation. The story
enthralled bat-fans, so it’s no surprise that it’s become the basis of the
latest DC Animated feature, “Batman vs. Robin.”
Set just a few months after the
animated “Son of Batman” (which I also reviewed for this site), “Batman vs.
Robin” finds Damian Wayne (Stuart Allen) wrestling with his new role as Robin,
even as he suppresses his violent instincts to earn the trust of his father,
Batman/Bruce Wayne (Jason O’Mara). Batman,
meanwhile, is investigating the Court of Owls, which has risen to prominence in
Gotham and want Bruce Wayne to join their ranks. Needless to say, he scoffs at the invitation,
though the Court’s elite assassin Talon (Jeremy Sisto) is intent on probing
Robin’s dark side and luring him into the fold as well.
My introduction aside, this movie isn’t
a direct adaptation of the “Night of the Owls” comic book; in fact, it seems
like the only reason the Court was included in this movie is because they
happen to be trendy villains. This is
probably also why Bat-baddie Dollmaker appears in the film’s opening set-piece
(voiced by “Weird Al” Yankovic, because I guess when you’ve mastered comedy
songwriting, the next step is doing voiceovers). Really, “Batman vs. Robin” is a Damian story,
a “Son of Batman” do-over that makes for a fairly compelling hero’s journey—but
robs its villains of their mystique and terror (in the film, the comic’s famous
“labyrinth” segment is cut from a week of psychological torture to a few
minutes of Batman moping).
What of the acting? Misters O’Mara and Allan are credible as
Batman and Robin, even though they occasionally deliver a flat reading or fail
salvage a bad line. Meanwhile, Mr. Sisto invests Talon with genuine personality
and returning players Sean Maher and David McCallum are still on point as
Nightwing and Alfred (and yes, Weird Al is satisfyingly creepy as the
Dollmaker).
“Batman vs. Robin” is hardly faultless;
its first two acts are clunky and oddly- paced, making much of its character
development feel unfinished. But the
film’s action beats are remarkably generous. The character movements may occasionally
wander into the uncanny valley, but for the most part the animation is fast,
smooth, and fun, particularly during the third act climax when the Court’s
forces descend upon the entire Bat-family.
For those reasons, I’m giving “Batman
vs. Robin” a very tentative recommendation. If you can sit through the underwhelming
two-thirds of Bat-drama before the climax, then go check it out; otherwise,
turn to the comics and see how you feel about them.
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