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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Review


Release date: 2012/2013 


Director: Jay Oliva 


Now I am going to get this out of the way, as a creative person, comic book fan, lover of general fiction and human being, The Dark Knight Returns is not only the quintessential Batman story but also among the most important stories of my youth. I can still remember holding my father’s hardback edition as a child and being quite disturbed by this grotesque, gritty art style. That image of Superman and the atomic bomb was a haunting concept for quite some time. 


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It’s a shame that the team behind DC’s animated movie universe did not choose to split their adaptation of the Death and Return of Superman into two parts as they did here, minus a few acceptable narrative changes, Frank Miller’s masterpiece is intact. 

Peter Weller lends his suitably deep voice to Batman and Bruce Wayne, and he excels, offering the wisdom of age, leadership, and a deeply tortured soul. Simply hearing him speak the timeless dialogue versus the Mutant Leader, the Joker and Superman is magnificent. Michael Emerson brings out a new dimension to Miller’s androgynous Joker, voicing him as a strange, almost feminine creep full of quiet menace and insanity. His climactic fight with Batman is just incredible, perfectly paced and with added dialogue to counter the dismissal of the inner monologue of the comics. It's location too, so fitting, in the tunnel of love.  


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The removal of the inner monologue is the biggest change from the source material, and considering Batman’s thoughts were so integral to Miller’s interpretation it’s a wonder the film captures the essence of the work. Certain sequences have new dialogue, whereas others have Batman voice his thoughts. All credit to the writers for making such a big controversial decision and sticking with it. Many of the Dark Knight’s personal hang-ups that are missing are now shown through action, such as Batman cracking his neck and checking his utility belt one more time.


For all of its 80’s leanings, The Dark Knight Returns is an operatic story of a man succumbing to the demons in his head and facing his greatest foes with finality. Culminating with man defeating God itself through the force of pure will, this is a story of climaxes, the severing of Batman’s greatest foes and allies. Despite the grim tone, there is much heart here alongside a sense of tragedy and sadness as the elderly Batman, old, past it, dons the cape one last time as the power that forced him to don the cowl in the first place just will not let go. No better is it emphasized than in Christopher Drake’s phenomenal score. For someone who has written so much Batman music (how long until he reaches the quantity of Shirley Walker’s insane library?) I think that not only has he excelled himself but also composed one of the greatest Batman themes of all time and not a Zimmer or Elfman motif in sight. Elsewhere, incorporating John Carpenter-style synthesizers was a brave but ingenious move that perfectly captures the time period and tone of the comic. Just listen to the pounding drama of the Two-Face sequence, it's a building, foreboding march to one of the most shocking revelations.


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I really could write and write about how great a gift this movie is. But in closing that is how I shall describe this movie. Don’t download it. Buy it. Show Warner and DC that this is what we want. Some viewers brought up with Christopher Nolan's films and the DCU era may find the story's impact lessened because of the number of elements borrowed from it, but I implore you, watch with an open mind and allow yourself to be transported into this timeless place. Heather Ledger’s Joker wasn’t the first to wield a knife you know. 


So, whatever happens to Batman on the big screen from now I can be safe in knowing that the caped crusader’s legacy is still in safe hands and that my Batman, the (in my opinion) quintessential Batman, has been perfectly captured on-screen for the first time. No matter my disapproval of whatever the current movie adaption is changing, the fans have always had the comics to go back and the many stunning DC animated movies. So, excuse me, I’m going to go back and watch the Batman Joker fight all over again. I just need to shiver as I hear that timeless dialogue one more time. 


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