We’ll take this on half by half. When you think of animated films, you’ll think of in-your-face messages (unless you’re thinking of Pixar of course) told by huggable and adorable characters. But when it’s rated R, you totally change the target audience and the way to present your art to them. Subtle references will be picked up and understood and appreciated, and overall the small details will add to the big picture. That’s really not how this film starts off. Quickly, Batgirl is in conflict with Batman because she thinks he’s being too protective of her by not allowing her to pursue a villain. And Barbara Gordon relates her problems to her gay best friend by saying she is sort of seeing her yoga instructor but that they aren’t really together. To top off this very strangely presented sexual tension that is served with humor that just doesn’t really make the cut, the writers have to make sure the audience is on the same page. When Barbara leaves the library she works at, she listens in to a couple where a guy complains to his girlfriend that she’s being too clingy. It’s moments like these that make me cringe at how directly an outside situation relates to one of the main characters. The dialogue and presentation is sloppy-- only slightly being balanced by Batman yelling his cool phrases “Where is he??” and “I’m going to ask you nicely only one more time.” Don’t lie, guys, you know you read those quotes in your deep, dark, handsome voices.
It should also be of note that I watched this film with Amir Kaskas. This otherwise forgettable guy was useful because he has already read the comic and was able to inform me of how this first half introduction wasn’t in the comic. I guess I understand why they chose the route because of what happens with Barbara halfway through, but it just didn’t generate the development and conflict it hoped to.
This movie gets substantially better in the second half. Although I do feel some of facial structures looked weird at moments, the animation (and this applies to the first half in general as well) is superb. And it provides the most depth ever for Mark Hamill to stretch his laughing chords.
Although still a bit too direct, the writing is some of the best. The Joker gets some great monologues, Batman has cooler lines, and the messages play out so much better. Trying to show there’s craziness in all of us, The Joker formulates an ultimately disturbing plan that tests the body physically and psychologically. And as he does so, the story correlates to an average guy trying to build a family and how his day just continues to get worse. No, it isn’t done with subtlety, but its execution excuses for this.
The problem I will say is with the second half is ironically the story and presentation. I can’t confirm that the comic works it out better, but I presume it does. And I can presume so for a huge reason. I just praised The Joker for some monologues he gets; however, with this as an animated movie, the filmmakers hesitate to add pauses or include more lingering shots. There has to be a flow in everything that is done, so you can’t stay in one spot. Because of this, there’s not as much impact in the moment of the scene, instead it relies more on the audience recalling it in hindsight. That is where the comic would come in handy; you could stay on a page forever or flip back quickly if you think you recalled something. There’s really only one moment in this film where this lingering happens, and that’s the final scene going into the credits. People around us were muttering “Wait, is that it?” “Is it really over?” It’s an ending to either like or dislike, no middle ground. To me it was a special moment that worked prominently and is more of the subtlety I wanted to be presented throughout.
All in all, it’s a special screening that could have had more arguments to see it for the one night instead of just buying the DVD, but when you include a crowd that wasn’t all too pleasant to watch with, the DVD probably would’ve just been better. You will have to endure the first half, and although the second half isn’t perfect, it is still a quality watch. If you haven’t seen an animated Batman film, they have a distinct style that are interesting to watch, and personally from what I’ve seen, Batman: Under the Red Hood is what I would recommend watching.
Okay, the movie included a bad joke, so I have to follow suit. Actually, this isn’t so much a bad joke as it is just a short, black joke. Okay, so I was walking down the street, and I ran into Kevin Hart.
…
And on that note, I’m retiring as a comedian. But speaking of bad jokes and dark characters, Suicide Squad is coming out soon. I honestly have no idea what to make of it yet, and I will await further judgment and see what others think before I decide if I’ll give it a go or not.
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