DC Movie Review: ****^ The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

 Batman (Christian Bale) has been retired for eight years, and has become a recluse mourning the death of Rachel Dawes.  The city has been doing well, having locked up 2000 criminals based on the Dent laws.  But there is evil brewing beneath the surface.  Batman's old nemesis, the League of Shadows is returning.  Not Ta's Al Ghul, but those who think like him are filtrating the city and government.  Bane (Tom Hardy) in particular is the essence of evil.  He breaks people's necks, or rips out their trachea with his bare hands.  

Commissioner Gordon's (Gary Oldman's) wife has left him, but he continues to protect the reputation of Harvey Dent, and lets Batman take the blame for his crimes.  John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn) wants to take over Wayne Enterprises and kick Bruce Wayne out.  Cat Woman/ Selina (Anne Hathaway) steals Wayne's finger prints, and sell them to Bane.  They attack a stock market bank, and using the fingerprints are able to wipe Wayne out of money, and Daggett gets his wish, but Bane ends up killing him.  Bane has bigger goals.  

Gordon is kidnapped by Bane's men, but escapes with the help of new police man, John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).  However Gordon is hospitalized from the trauma.  Alfred (Michael Caine) leaves, hoping he can keep Batman from becoming involved again as Batman.  Batman is older and Bane will certainly kill him.  Batman does confront Bane, and Bane beats him in a fight, injuring Batman's back.  Bane keeps him alive but puts him in an Asian prison.  Meantime he takes over Gotham, using explosives so as to isolate it on Gotham island, trapping the police under ground, liberating all the prisoners who are set up as mob rule.  He comes upon nuclear material from Wayne Enterprises, and having kidnapped a scientist to make it into a bomb.  They hold kangaroo courts presided by Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy) in which the put wealthy people to death.

Batman is in the Asian prison for five months, giving his body time to heal.  He is finally able to climb out of the prison.  He finds that a child of Ta's Al Ghoul was also in the prison and escaped.  The child was helped by a protector.  Batman assumes the child is Bane.

Batman returns to Gotham, and takes on Bane with a different result.  He is able to knock his breathing mask which causes great pain.  However just as he is on the point of victory, an ally, Miranda stabs him in the back, literally.  She worked for Wayne Enterprises but turns out to the Talia Al Ghul (Marion Cotillard), daughter of Ta's Al Ghul.  Bane is the protector.  Talia attempt to detonate the bomb but fails as the signal is blacked by Gordon at the bomb.  Thali takes off to go to the bomb.  Catwoman kills Bane with the bat cycle.  The chase Talia, and finally catch her, but the bomb is going to detonate.  Batman takes the bomb in a bat plane out into the ocean where it explodes, ending the threat and Batman.  Batman had said the remote for the plane was not working, but they later discover it was working.

This movie as very good.  I liked it better as the evil characters played their parts well and were truly evil.  Blake is set up to be Robin as he finds the bat cave. 

Movie Review: ***^ The Dark Knight (2008)

 In the Dark Knight Batman (Christian Bale) gets darker; as does his nemesis Joker (Heath Ledger).  The Joker is without scruples.  He kills even those who for him or with him.  As such he takes over the crime syndicate in Gotham.  He does behave in conventional ways, and this throws Batman off.  Also the district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is being aggressive going after organized crime.  The assistant is Bruce Wayne's interest, Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal).  Joker is very good at getting what he wants.  He takes on the task of killing Batman.  He fails to do this but he does turn turn Dent.  He kidnaps he and his fiancé, Batman's friend Rachel.  He forces Batman to save one of them, and Rachel is killed.  Dent is left as Two-face.  Two-face ends up dead and Batman takes the blame so the people can have a hero in Dent, and the laws against organized crime go into effect.  At the end of this movie Batman becomes the Dark Knight and goes into hiding.

The Joker is really devious and evil, and always seems to be a step ahead.  Hedger plays him very dark.  Michael Cane continues as Alfred the butler and support Wayne and Batman.  Gary Oldman continues as commissioner Gordon.  It is Batman and the commissioner who decide the perception has to be that Batman is evil and Dent is a hero.  Joker had messed with Gordon and his family, kidnapping them.

Movie Review: Batman Begins

This is a very good new beginning to Batman, with a lot of pre Batman explanation. like how he learned his fighting skills.  He actually trains with a group that is against crime, to the point of taking it into their own hands.  Bruce Wayne has a falling out with them, and returns to Gotham with a new goal and sets himself up as Batman.   But the past haunts him. 

Ducard is the person from the past who helped train Bruce Wayne.  Alfred is the butler and Lucius Fox is Bruce Wayne's inside man at Wayne Enterprises.  Rachel Dawes is a district attorney and Bruce Wayne's friend from growing up years.  Jim Gordon is a police officer and becomes Batman's liaison.  And Dr. Jonathan Crane is with the gangs and also working for Ducard and his group.  He is the mask man who uses a toxin to make people hallucinate and thereby he gets them off on insanity pleas.  

The gangs have been smuggling the toxin in for sometime, and putting it in the water supply.  They have stolen a water vaporizer and plan to vaporize the toxin in the air and release the poison toxin into the air.  This will create paranoid people killing each other and Gotham will destroy itself.  Only Batman, and Gordon can turn the tide.  

Batman vs Ducard makes very good conflict.  A cute side bar is the president at Wayne enterprises and Lucius Fox.  When Fox becomes the president he asks the former president, "Didn't you get the memo?"

• 

  Christian Bale

  Bruce Wayne

  /Batman
• 

  Michael Caine

  Alfred
• 

  Liam Neeson

  Ducard
• 

  Katie Holmes

  Rachel Dawes
• 

  Gary Oldman

  Jim Gordon
• 

  Cillian Murphy

  Dr. Jonathan Crane
• 

  Morgan Freeman Lucius Fox  

  
  

DC Movie Review: ****Batman and Robin (1997)

 Batman becomes a team in the movie, which is much better than the predecessor, Batman Forever.  Batman (George Clooney) is joined by Robin (Chris O'Donnell) and Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone.). However on the other side we by Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman.) In this film we also have Alfred (Michael Gough) who is sick and dying.

Mr. Freeze is trying to get large diamonds and using a freeze gone to get his way.  He needs diamonds to perfect a cure for his wife who he has frozen until he finds a cure.  Dr. Isley wants to save the planet by exploited plant science but Bruce Wayne rejects her idea saying people are more important.  She becomes a poisonous plant through a failed experiment and a boss who tried to kill her.  Her sidekick is Bane (Jeep Swenson) who is genetically enhanced muscle.  

Poison Ivy kills Mr. Freezes wife and blames it on Batman.  In so doing she convinces Mr. Freeze to get revenge by freezing the world; he starts with Gotham.  Meantime Poison Ivy is set to stop Batman and Robin.  She lures Robin in with a smell she produces, and attempts her poison kiss, but they were on to her and have a lip guard.  Even so her plant self with vines is more than a match for Batman and Robin.  It is Batgirl who saves the day.  Poison Ivy's lures and smells don't get to her.  

Very intense moment as the three battle Mr. Freeze and his ice gun.  When they convince him that his wife is not dead, but Poison Ivy tried to kill her, Mr. Freeze gives them a treatment for Alfred. 

This movie was better than I thought it was going to be.  There was a corny line from Mr. Freeze towards the first, but the character grew on him.  

DC Movie Review: *** Batman Forever (1995)

 I like most of everything in this movie, excdept for the character of Riddler (John Carry).  He is so over the top it ruins the rest of the film.  Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones) is much better.  Batman (Val Kilmer) does a very good job, and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) also does a very good job.  Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) also does well as Batman/ Bruce Wayne's love interest.  The Riddler discovers that Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same, resulting in much anguish as he and Two Face and their gang attack the house and are able to take Robin and Meridian prisoner.  Which one will Batman save, his new partner or his new love. If not for John Carry I would have enjoyed this movie more.

DC Movie Review: ****Batman Returns (1992)

 Michael Keaton returns as Batmas, and this time has a different nemesis, Penguin (Danny DeVito, but also has a second nemesis/ally Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer.). But the evil behind everything is the money man, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken.)  In a way Shreck creates Catwoman as he kills her, throws her out of a building, but she keeps coming back.  She puts off her meek secretary person and becomes the Catwoman.  Michael Gough plays the butler, Alfred. Penguin is mad at the world, and has been living in the sewers since his parents threw him there when he was a baby.  His hands were deformed.  He finally decides to come out of the sewer, and with some manipulation is on the verge of becoming mayor.  After he controlled Batman's Batmobile, and tried to frame him for murder and being a general bad guy, Batman turns the switch as he recorded the Penguin and plays back his audio when he is making a speech seeking the mayorship.  Penguin had said some mean things to Batman about the citizens of Gotham.  Penguin had planned to have his penguins blow up Gotham, but again Batman hijacks his frequency of control and congrols them himself.  The come down on the Penguin's lair and destroy it.  

The relationship between Batman and Catwoman is interesting, as it is a love hate relationship.  As people they like eachothr,  but as Batman and Catwoman they always fight.  They are allies towards the end, after she had allied with Penguin, but found him too ruthless.  

Movie is directed by Tim Burton.  It is a fun ride, with interesting backgrounds for Catwoman and Penguin.  Batman stops Penguin and Catwoman gets her revenge on Shreck, and he doesn't have nine lives.

DC Movie Review: ****^ Batman (1989)

 Watching Batman again reminded me how much I loved this movie the first time through.  Batman/Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton struggles with his need to fight crime, after the murder of his parents at the hands of Jack Napier/Joker (Jack Nicholson).  Napier becomes the Joker after he is dropped into a bat of acid when the crime boss (Jack Palance) sets him up.  Batman befriends a photographer, Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger).  There relationship develops, but Joker also wants to possess her.  Joker does get even with the crime boss, and takes over as the boss.  He has developed a poison which makes laugh before they die.  He has plans for a city wide gassing at a party.  Batman interv ees and sends to balloons filled with gas into the atmosphere.  The Joker has a big gun with which he shoots down the Bat plane.  This leads to a big fight.
This movie is very good.  Nicholson is good as the Joker, and Michael Keaton is also very good.

DC Animated Movie Review: Batman: *** The Killing Joke (2016)

 This movie has an R rating, but other places it is TV14.  I feel it is more a TV14.  It has a few bloody animated scenes.  It has the Joker (Mark Hamill) being incredibly bad.  And Commissioner Gordon's daughter/ Batgirl (Tara Strong) is shot and her spinal cord severed, leaving her in a wheel chair.  The Commissioner (Ray Wise) is actually kidnapped, and the Joker does everything in his power to break him, but he doesn't break.  It is Batman (Kevin Conroy) who comes to rescue him.  Batman is torn between needing Batgirl's help and needing her to be safe.  

DC Animated Movie Review: ***Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

 This is an intriguing story.  Batman (Bruce Greenwood) is too late to save Robin (Alexander Martella) from the Joker (Joe DiMaggio).  The Joker beats him to death with a crow bar.  Batman does take him home and bury him.  Years later, a vigilante in a red hood (Jensen Ackles) appears and begins taking out the mob.  One of the mobsters finally breaks the Joker out of jail to protect them.  The Joker arranges for the Red Hood to be put in an awkward position of having to save people from the Joker.  Turns out however this is what the Red Hood wanted.  He is seeking revenge on the Joker, who killed him.  Robin was brought back to live by Ra's al Ghul (Jason Isaacs).  This lead to a classic confrontation.  Nightwing (Neal Patrick Harris) is also involved.  Very good show with lots of action.

DC Animated Movie Review: ***^Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)

I really enjoyed this Batman/Superman movie.  It is a sequel to Public Enemies.  In Public Enemies Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Superman (Tim Daly) stopped a meteor.  In this movie we learn that it was actually a spaceship from Krypton and Superman's cousin, Kara (Sumer Glau) was inside.   She has some difficulty adjusting to her powers as she is no longer n Krypton.  Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg) takes her to home of the Amazons where she can train.  However Darkseid (Andre Braugher) learns of this, and sends his minions to kidnap her.  The Amazons and the minions have quite a battle, but while they battle Kara is kidnapped and her friend killed.

Superman recruits Big Barda, (Julianne Grossman) Darkseid's former underling to take him to the Darkseid world, Apokolips.  Darkseid tries to capture Wonder Woman as an alternative, but fails, and Superman takes Kara home to the farm to meet his folks, and Darkseid is there.  He has incredible power in his eyes; more than Superman.

I liked the cusi showing up.  I thought she was a good addition, and trying to find her place.  

DC Animated Movie Review: ***Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

 This movie asks the question, What would the world be like if Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) became president.  It doesn't go well for Luthor's enemy Superman (Tim Daly), and also Superman's friend, Batman Kevin Conroy).  It seems every superhero in the world has been sent to bring Superan in.

In the meantime a meteor from Krypton is heading toward earth.  Luthor says he will handle, but a nuclear missile fails to alter its course.  He then tells people he will stop it but in reality does nothing.  So a few people will die. However Batman and Superman are planning on intervening.  But Luthor comes out in an Iron Man type suit.  The other super heroes are starting to see through him.  

Animated Movie Review: ***^Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)

 Adding Harley Quinn (Melissa Rauch)  to Batman's (Kevin Conroy) team makes for an interesting movie.  Quinn is such a loss cannon.  Quinn is the Joker's ex girlfriend.  She has served time in prison and turned a new leaf.  Batman and Nightwing (Loren Lester) recruit her because Poison Ivy (Paget Brewster) is making havoc.  She has teamed with Floronic Man (Kevin Michael Richardson) and they intend to change all creatures to plant creatures, forcing everyone to be green.  However nothing they do can turn Floronic Man from his goal.  Quinn does Poison Ivy in with her tears and big eyes.  But Floronic Man is different, until they realize he is a plant and susceptible to fire.  

Animated Movie Review: Batman: **** Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

 Mask of the Phantasm is a very good animated Batman movie.  A person, the Phantasm (Stacy Keach) dressed like Batman is taking out Gotham's crime bosses.  This feature also talks of Batman (Kevin Conroy) almost being engaged, but his girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany) leaves town and he doesn't see her for several years.  She returns about the same time as the Phantasm showing up.  One of the crime bosses goes to the Joker (Mark Hamill) for protection.  The Joker goes too far and kills the man himself.  

Turns out the criminal element is out to kill Miss Beaumont's father based on past debts.  That is why they left town.  He is the Phantasm.  The mobsters eventually kill him, the Joker.  Miss Beaumont takes his place and goes after the Joker.  

Great movie, and the romance was just not meant to be.  

Animated Movie Review: *** Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

 There is a new actor in town, Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) .  She is attacking Penguin's (David Ogden Stiers) organization who are smuggling weapons to outside the country.  He is preparing for a big shipment.  Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Robin (Eli Marienthal) Are trying to figure out who Batwoman is, even though they have the same aims to a degree.  But in truth there are three women who make up the Batwoman.  Kathy Duquesne (Kimberly Brooks) is the daughter of Carlton Duquesne (Kevin Michael Richardson), Penguin's security.  Penguin's henchman Bane (Hector Elizondo) destroyed the business of detective Sonia's (Elisa Gabrielli) parents, and the tech geek, Rocky (Kelly Ripa) is struggling because Penguin framed her fiancé and he is in jail.  All three are motivated to take down the Penguin.  But it doesn't happen without th efforts of all three, and Batman and Robin.  Alfred (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is valways present and always supporting Batman.  

I enjoyed this animated feature.  Each of the women had their own talents and they worked well as a team.   

Animated Trilogy Movie Review: *** Batman: Son of Batman, Batman vs. Robin and Bad Blood (2014, 2015, 2016)

 This is a Batman (Jason O'Mara) trilogy of animated movies which tell the story of Batman's son Damian/Robin (Stuart Allan) Damian's mother, Talia (Morena Baccarin), and Nightwing (Sean Maher) who previously was Robin but outgrew the costume.  

In the movie Batman's son is living with his mother and grandfather. Ra's al Ghul (Giancarlo Esposito) at a monastery, League of Assassins.  Deathstroke (Thomas Gibson) and his men attack the monastery, leaving it in ruins and killing al Ghul.  Mother then brings Damian to Batman to care for him for a time. 

In "Batman vs. Robin" Talon (Jeremy Sisto) plays a large part; especially in turning Damian/Robin against his father.  He is working with a group called Court of Owls.  However in the end he betrays the court as he is actually working on a way to create immortality, so people can regenerate.  He uses these as his minions.  Robin was actually going to join Talon, but he realizes he is still loyal to Batman and the thought, justice not vengeance.  Leads to a large battle at the end, including Batman, Robin and Nightwing, and even Alfred (David McCallum).  

Finally in the last movie, Bad Blood, we are introduced to two more characters, Batwoman/Katherine Kane (Yvonne Strahovski) and Batwing/Luke Fox (Gaius Charles).  Batman wants to keep the fighting inside the family, meaning he and Robin and Nightwing.  However without the help of others they would not have survived.  Infact Batman is taken captive, and Nightwing and Robin cover for Batman.  They eventually rescue him, but he has been brainwashed with the use of a trigger.  The same trigger has been put in many prominent people.  It is Damian's mother who is actually wanting to control the world as leader of the League of Assassins.  

Animated DC Movie Review: ***^ Batman The Dark Knight Returns, parts 1 and 2 (2012, 2013)

 Batman (Peter Weller) has been retired for ten years.  However he doesn't like the way things are going in Gothem, so he decides to return to crime fighting, even though he is now in his 50s.  The minions have formed a gang of young people, with a devious leader who is strong and wants to face Batman.  They are committing crimes against people for the fun of "slicing and dicing."  In the meantime Harvey Dent, Two-Face (Wade Williams) has been treated and his face restored (but mentally he still sees it as ugly but now matching).  Batman has to stop his evil intentions.  

But still the minions are waiting and threatening a general attack on the city.  Batman confronts them, but the leader is able to defeat him and send him packing.  He is saved by his new Robin (Ariel Winter) a young woman.  There Alfred, (Michael Jackson) the butler, helps but him back together and reminds him that brawn for brawn he is going to lose.  He has to use his intelligence.  

So after Batman is healed enough, he invites all the minions to a place where he chooses to fight, in the mud which will work to slow the head minion down.  He then proceeds to slowly take him apart, and in doing so wins the respect of the minions.  Part One ends with the minions becoming smaller gangs of vigilantes, following Batman's example.

The Joker (Michael Emerson) enters part two.  His psychiatrist arranges for him to be on a TV talk show.  Commissioner Gordon (David Selby) retires, and the new commissioner is out to get Batman.  Joker of curse, kills his psychiatrist, and then all the people in the studio and the host with his laughing gas.  He seems to really like killing.  Batman has to fight the police to get away, making is so he is too late to save anyone.  Robin again helps him get away.  

Batman is being blamed for troubles in Gotham, and the president recruits Superman (Mark Valley) to fix the problem, even killing him if necessary.  In the meantime the Russians and USA are at odds fighting over an island, and Superman's intervention turns the battle in the USA favor.  

Batman traces the Joker to a carnival.  He makes the tunnel of love a tunnel of murder.  However Batman finally catches up to him, and Batman is witnessed killing the Joker.  The police are hard on his tail now.  Batman barely escapes again, with Robin piloting the Batcopter.  

Russia retaliates with a nuclear weapon, which although diverted by Superman, still explodes injuring SUperman and causing all electronics to go out on the sea coast, including Gotham.  Chaos ensues, but Batman, with the help of the minions is able to restore some sense of order.  

Superman is still coming for Batman.

This movie is very exciting.  Here we have a Superman vs Batman battle.  

Movie Review: ***^The Batman (2022)

 This movie is very entertaining with the Riddler (Paul Dano) creating havoc and leaving his riddles all over town.  It is a very dark version of Batman.  The Batman armor saves him on several occasions. Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) must battle a man no one knows who is leaving riddles and killing notorious gangsters or corrupt politicians.  He puts a bad name on vigilanteism.  

Falcone (John Torturro) is the head of the syndicate.  He is a very bad man who is seldom seen.  He is the father of Selina (Zoë Kravitz) who dresses like the cat woman and is a vigilante in her own right.  She goes after Falcone who is her father and killed her mother.  An un betweener is Penguin (Colin Ferrell) who is done in by the Riddler. 

 They finally catch up to the Riddler when he murders Falcone.  He is arrested and in jail.  Batman visits him in jail and the Riddler taunts him because he didn't figure out his plans, to blow the sea wall and 500 members of his social network will create chaos by shooting the crowds of people escaping.  The 500 wear masks similar to the Riddler's mask.  Batman doesn't stop the explosions, but he mostly stops the shooting.  Selina helps him.  Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) saves the new mayor.  

As I noted the action is very intense.  The dark nature of the movie makes it hard to understand what is happening at times.   

Movie Review: ***^Batman vs Superman (2016)

This movie is a bit confusing.  It seems like they are trying to spend most of the movie explaining why Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill)  have it for each other.  In the end it is blackmail by the part of Lex Luthor (Jessie Eisenberg) that gets them to fight.  It was Luthor manipulating things all along.  Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) also play significant parts.  Senator Finch (Holly Hunter), along with a committee gets blown up by Luthor.  Luthor is a really bad man through this entire movie.  He summons a terrible monster using technology from Krypton.  He also develops a weapon to kill Superman.  Big fight at the end, first between Batman and Superman, and then against the monster.