Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)*This does contain some minor spoilers. I tried not to spoil too much.*
Batman: Gotham Knight is advertised as the missing link between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. There are six stories in total. Each story is by different artists, but they all link together and flow together nicely.
The first story is called, "Have I got a story for you," and involves a boy waiting for his friends to arrive. Once they do, each one of them tells a story about what they saw today and they all saw Batman. Each story is farfetched in its own way as this story capitalizes on teenagers stretching the truth and/or having overactive imaginations. It seems their day isn't finished though as the fight they all witnessed makes its way to that very skate park.
"Crossfire" is the story of Chris and Anna being apart of Lieutenant Gordon's MCU (Major Crime Unit). Chris thinks Batman is a vigilante that takes the law into his own hands while Anna is still unsure about him and is just thankful that good cops that know how to do their job are actually being respected now that Batman has shown up. After taking a recent Arkham escapee back to the asylum, they soon realize they're stuck in the middle of a gang war between Sal Maroni and The Russian.
"Field Test" begins with Lucius Fox showing Bruce Wayne some new gadgets. Amongst them is a harness equipped with an electromagnetic pulse strong enough to deflect bullets. Batman decides to test it out with Maroni, The Russian, and his goons. Everything is going Batman's way until a certain...glitch...happens.
"In Darkness Dwells" has everyone looking for a monster. Killer Croc, to be exact. Apparently, he was the former patient of a certain Johnathan Crane. Coincidentally, one of the reasons he was admitted to Dr. Crane was for his fear of bats. Go figure.
Batman is injured on what seems like any other night he puts on his mask in "Working Through Pain." We're basically shown how tenacious he really is as he struggles with his injuries. We're also shown a few flashbacks of his past and soon learn the difference between exterior and interior pain. There's a way to put pain in its place and this is how Bruce Wayne found out how.
"Deadshot" has come back to Gotham and has set his sights on Jim Gordon, but it looks like he has ulterior motives. Bruce Wayne also gives his views on guns.
Gotham Knight is superb. There's really no other way to describe it. I had my doubts about it, but I think those were blown away during the first few minutes of the film. The animation is fantastic. Everything moves crisply and smoothly. It just seems to flow. And let me just say that it's amazing to hear Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman again. It's like a homecoming in so many ways.
The biggest question you may be asking yourself is how can all the stories actually flow together since they're all done by different artists. The truth is that other than the artistic style changing, you don't really notice anything. The voice cast stays the same throughout the entire film and while each individual story has its own story to tell, they're all connected in some way and flow together nicely.
Gotham Knight is a feature that shouldn't be missed by anybody. Whether you're an anime fan, a Batman fan, or you're just looking for something new to catch your eye, I'd recommend Gotham Knight to anyone and everyone. The animation is beautiful and has a real crisp flow to it while the stories are written incredibly well and will keep you interested. The voice cast is also something worth mentioning. Other than seeing Kevin Conroy come back as Batman, the rest of the cast does a great job as well. My one complaint is that it doesn't really bridge the gap between anything. However, it doesn't really seem to bridge the gap between anything and is just an excellent stand alone animated feature.
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Acclaimed screenwriters including David Goyer (Batman Begins), Josh Olson (A History of Violence) and Alan Burnett (Batman The Animated Series) join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman’s transition from novice crimefighter to Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. Using an arsenal of high-tech gadgetry from Wayne Industries, Batman’s ethical boundaries exist only where he chooses to place them, leaving some fearful of his power. The sharp storytelling, complemented by stylish art from some of the world’s most visionary animators, masterfully depicts the blurred lines of Batman as man, myth and legend.
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