Batman: Year One Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City intent on fighting the crime that has taken over.

Review: Based on the famous comic book mini-series of the same name, this film attempts to shed light on the up and coming Batman trying to find his identity. From what I can tell, this appears to be a faithful adaptation of the original material which should please hardcore fans. At this point, most should be familiar with the basic plot as it has had bits and pieces put into virtually every Batman media since its 1987 run. While this is an interesting look at Batman's early struggles, there are still flaws and a few plot elements assume the audience already knows the ins and outs of the Batman universe.

Essentially, Bruce Wayne comes back to Gotham after years of training, and he's eager to make a difference. Bruce knows he has the capability to fight crime, but he feels something is missing. Bruce is especially weary after an attempt to infiltrate goes awry and nearly gets him killed. Injured, an unbelievable omen appears as a bat crashes through Bruce's window, thus, inspiring the creation of Batman. Soon after this, Batman reports appear around the city as Bruce makes his presence known. I'd love to say that the entirety of the movie was dedicated to Batman's first fights, mistakes, and triumphs, but realistically this movie should be called Jim Gordon: Year One. It's as if Batman takes a backseat to the rise of Gordon as he must fight the internal corruption within the police. We get a significantly greater understanding of Gordon's situation than we do for Bruce as well. I'm not saying this is a terrible thing, but it feels misleading when you think the story's perspective will be from Bruce and it's not. I suppose a more accurate understanding of the film would be that this is the tale of how Batman became established more than a deep look at his creation.

Though I wanted more emphasis on the man himself, there are definitely great moments like Batman trying to elude the police for the first time when he's cornered in a basement. Or another instance is when he almost gets beat by a few punk thieves, because he approached the situation badly. Gordon too gets a chance to show he's a badass, but he felt overly tough which was another reason why it felt more like his movie. Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, is here too, but she doesn't do as much. Though, there is a ridiculous moment where she holds her own against Bruce which is laughable; she's merely a prostitute in this incarnation yet she's like an ultimate martial artist? Right. Selina does become Catwoman after a certain point, but people think she's like a flunky of Batman which was humorous. Harvey Dent cameos pointlessly, but, again, it's to emphasize how Batman made connections even though it's not elaborated on. Actually, considering how super short this movie is (little over an hour), they could have beefed up these moments; there is an add on with Catwoman having her own adventure, but that still only lengthens the run time by maybe another 15 minutes. Anyway, in the end, Batman helps Gordon, saving his kid, and there is the implication that Gordon knows Bruce is Batman but is okay with this. The final shot is exactly like "Batman Begins" talking about someone calling themselves the Joker messing with the water supply.

The animation is pretty good, the music is nice, and the voice acting is excellent from a lot of recognizable actors. I think fans will appreciate this the most since it is so iconic and the material has been borrowed from heavily over the years. While I think this was a decent stand alone Batman film, I wish Bruce had more screen time with Gordon in the background rather than the reverse. The tiny details that would typically enhance a movie such as this feel tacked on with little explanation for casual fans and viewers. I don't know, I liked this movie, but it's missing something that allows it to be fully accessible. Definitely worth checking out, but there a few aspects to be considered.

Notable Moment: When Selina fights a disguised Bruce. What a bullshit fight. Yeah, Bruce was stabbed and all, but Selina would be dead in like two seconds...come on now.

Final Rating: 6.5/10