When I first heard about this movie, I had reservations. The Batman series was straight forward action with too little character depth. Every villain was an evil mustache twirling master martial artist, yet Batman was always able to overpower them. I guess I was hoping for something closer to the Paul Dini, Bruce Timm style complex Batman.
Anyway, this movie started out somewhat similar to a series episode, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum and the Penguin uses the distraction and some deft martial arts to make his own escape. Having a lead on a hidden treasure, Penguin goes to a very Gothic cemetery and finds more then gold, but Dracula's remains. Accidentally reviving him, Dracula proceeds to build an army of the undead, targeting Batman partially for using his image to scare criminals, partially because Batman rules the night of Gotham, and that's his territory.
Yeah, I was a little hesitant when I first heard of this story, and the first few minutes didn't do much to dispel those feelings, but it quickly changed into something more entertaining and complex then the series ever achieved, not Bruce Timm, but perfect within its own universe.
Probably the best part of this movie is that Batman has trouble with Dracula's vampire minions, and is completely outmatched by Dracula himself. This means he has to rely on intelligence and improvisation, in addition to plain martial arts skill to defeat him. Batman shows great humility in that luck was the only thing to prevent Dracula's victory in their first encounter.
Make no mistake, this is not a kids movie. Years ago, censors were hesitant to allow a violent Batman Beyond movie go through without changes. This movie has scenes and violence even more intense then the original, uncut version of that movie. You feel the impacts of some hits and see the characters painful reaction. One scene in a blood bank involves vials raining down on the combatants, it is in almost black and white to lessen the image but there is no mistaking what is happening.
Voice work is impressive, many stand out and there are no sub-par performances. Peter Stromwell performs Dracula as calculating, piercing, and outright creepy. Rino Romano gives another strong performance, Bruce Wayne is a charming playboy with occasional philanthropic tendencies, Batman is no-nonsense, plain and simple.
Overall, while some things may not be for everyones taste, it is a rousing 90 minutes that keeps up a strong pace and does not let up until after the credits roll.
Overall, if The Batman
