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 Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker :: 0790749416
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| Some diehard Batfans have been slow to warm to the animated series Batman Beyond even though it was created by the same team responsible for the excellent Batman cartoon of the early '90s. The Dark Knight should be a brooding avenger in a noir-nightmare Gotham City, the purists argue, not some smart-aleck teen four decades in the future, with jet packs, invisibility shields, and other sci-fi gizmos loaned him by an elderly Bruce Wayne (voiced, excellently as always, by Kevin Conroy, his stony bass given a raspy hint of old age), now confined to hobbling about on a cane and monitoring his protégé's activities from the Batcave. Between its respectful reexamination of the "tortured hero" mythos and its sleek, anime-inspired look, this feature-length movie should go a long way toward quieting their complaints. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they've brought back the most legendary figure in the Rogues Gallery (voiced by Mark Hamill, deliciously deranged), but exactly how and why the Joker has managed to turn up 40 years after his last meeting with Batman still as youthful and diabolical as ever is explained not only logically but terrifyingly as well. The secret behind his arrival is perhaps the saddest, grimmest twist any purported "kids' show" has dared to attempt. (Parents may well want to preview this tape before screening it for the very young.) Once again, Warner Brothers' cartoon Batman has outshone all the live-action films, never allowing the thrilling action set pieces or flashes of wry humor to drown out the drama, even tragedy, of the all-too-human superheroes. --Bruce Reid Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
Reviews
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Author: Guest
I know that several reviews have already mentioned this, but this movie is defniately not for small children. The PG-13 rating should be taken seriously. I'm a 30 year old woman, and some scences creeped the hell out of me. But if you're a die-hard Batman and Joker fan, this movie is a treat.
The animated series has, in the past, had to tone down the actions of its villians because it was a childrens show (although they did get away with ALOT.) This movie allows the Joker to be portrayed as he is in the graphic novels-a cruel, unrepentant monster who finds humor in random violence and chaos, except when it comes to Batman, where that violence is always coldly calculated and focused.
The Joker is back, 40 years after Bruce Wayne hung up the cowl, and the clown hasn't aged a day. Just how he's managed to do that involves an ugly tale from the old Bayman's past. The Joker really has it in for the Robins. For those who follow the GN's, he beat Robin 2 (Jason Todd) to death with a crowbar, and he perfroms some gruesome torture on Robin 3 (Tim Drake) in the aforementioned flashback (this is what I mean by the PG-13 rating.) And all this is just to make the Dark Knight feel some serious emotional pain. But what he doesn't realize is he's dealing with a brave new Batman, one who manages to turn his own murderous wit on him.
Mark Hamil goes all out with the character Joker. He's sleek, charming and utterly frightening. If you are a Joker fan, this is a definate must for your collection.
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Author: Guest
Trying not to give away much of the plot I would just like to say that this is quite a shocker. The Joker stoops to new depths of human degradation to an almost pornographic level. His gut churning atrocities on Robin defies some unspoken moral code. Yet, this is an example of just how uncontrollable evil can manifest itself and deprave the soul.
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Author: Guest
Let me say that I am a big fan of both the campy Batman and the Dark Knight version! That being said, this particular tale should only be viewed by teens to adults as it isn't your "Adam West" Batman.
Years after retiring from being Batman, Bruce Wayne (now an elderly man) now mentors Terry McGinnus as the new Batman. After many successful adventures together, Terry faces off with THE greatest enemy of the original Batman: THE JOKER!
Here is the catch however, The Joker died years earlier right in front of Batman but somehow he's returned! This mystery involves several twists and turns and a painful trip down memory lane for both Bruce and his former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon (who is now the police commissioner/taking her deceased father's old job) as they must tell Terry what happened the night The Joker died in order for him to stop his reign of terror once and for all!
This story is from the storyline of Batman: The Animated Series/Batman Beyond and it is by far the most intense and dark. Even darker than Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (though I consider "Mask" to still be the best of the Batman animated films).
I would recommend both Mask and this film together as they are the best of the Batman animated films. Still, "Return Of The Joker" ISN'T FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AS THERE IS A REASON ITS PG-13! While there are no graphic or gory scenes in it, the tone is very dark and at times disturbing. I don't have kids but I would not recommend it for young kids. Even the "edited" version still has that dark edge to it.
Overall, this is a great film but again, I'd only recommended it for teens to adults.
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Author: Guest
It's official. Bruce Wayne is finished. He's no longer the charismatic billionaire that romanced Gotham's most beautiful women. Bruce is now in his 80s' and is enjoying retired life. However, Batman is not retired. A modified version of the Bat lies within Bruce's young assistant Terry McGinnis. Under the watchful eye of Bruce, McGinnis is the Batman for the new millenium.
Another niche if Bruce's past has come back to haunt him. A man he thought he killed years ago. The Joker. Yes, the Clown Prince of Crime has returned once more to merry mayhem on Gotham City. McGinnis wants badly to stop The Joker from unleashing his fiendish terror on the city, but Bruce sees to it that Terry hangs up his cowl. But when Joker's latest evil deed nearly kills Bruce, McGinnis will now stop at nothing to defeat The Joker at his own game. With help from ex -Batgirl Barbra Gordon and former Robin Tim Drake, McGinnis is o0ne step closer to thwarting Gotham's resident clown. However, Drake may be harboring a dark conclusion that keeps him Terry getting The Joker. This all leads up to an electrifying conclusion that will stay with you forever.
This is one of the best "Batman" related movies ever. Every bit as good as the excellent 1990s' animated series, "Beyond" ranks up there with the Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan "Batman" movies. The entire voice cast from the animated show returns (including Mark Hammil and his great Joker voice), and "Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker" keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
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Author: Guest
For those of you who don't know the story of Batman Beyond, it is a spin-off of Batman: The Animated Series, widely regarded to be one of the best superhero cartoons in history. Batman Beyond takes place about 40 years in the future. Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) is old and has retired from being Batman, but when evil shows its face again in Gotham City, Wayne trains a new protege, college student and one-time prisoner Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle). In addition to learning martial arts, the new batsuit is equipped with rocket boots, a gliding mechanism, a cloaking device, and magnets on the boots. With Bruce Wayne guiding him, McGinnis takes on crime in Gotham, and the Jokerz, a new gang in town that idolizes the original Clown Prince of Crime, is causing him a lot of trouble.
This movie begins with the Jokerz attempting to steal a high-tech machine, but their efforts are thwarted by Batman. It turns out that the Jokerz have a new leader, a man who claims to be the original Joker (Mark Hamill) from the "cape and cowl days". He looks and sounds exactly like the old Joker, but more importantly, he THINKS just like the Joker, meaning that he is a psychopathic genius.
When the Joker first reveals himself to the Batman duo, Wayne is very reluctant to give Terry any information that can help explain how the Joker might have returned, and he tells McGinnis to leave and that his days as Batman are over. Upon questioning Barbara Gordon (Angie Harmon/Tara Strong), the former Batgirl and daughter of Commisioner James Gordon, who is now commisioner herself, Terry learns of a horrible incident in the past involving the Joker, Harley Quinn (Arleen Sorkin), and Robin #2 Tim Drake (Dean Stockwell/Mathew Valencia) (Dick Grayson, the original Robin had left Gotham to become Nightwing).
For a cartoon movie (and one that is only 75 minutes long) this is actually pretty good. Seeing as how this is my first foray intot the Batman Beyond world, I can't compare it to otehr BB stories, but I feel as if it does continue the mood and theme of its parent show. It is dark, it is violent, and it is intelligent. This isn't for young kids; the Joker is a monster and acts as such. The things he does, both in the past and in the future, are horrific. While I don't see this winning any awards, Batman fans should check it out. As I said, for a cartoon, this is above average storytelling.
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