Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fig... Read allBatman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?
- Awards
- 5 nominations
- Batman
- (voice)
- …
- Robin
- (voice)
- …
- Harvey Dent
- (voice)
- Hernando
- (voice)
- Don
- (voice)
- Lana Lang
- (voice)
- Ellen Yindel
- (voice)
- (as Maria Canals)
- Joanie
- (voice)
- (as Catherine Cavadini)
- Morrie
- (voice)
- Anchor Carla
- (voice)
- (as Grey DeLisle)
- The Mayor
- (voice)
- Mackie
- (voice)
- Joker
- (voice)
- Merkel
- (voice)
- Son of Batman
- (voice)
- …
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe red phone that the Commissioner uses to contact Batman has the same design and beeping tone that the one from the 1960s TV series had.
- GoofsThe mutant leader bites Batman's shoulder from behind, but the bite wounds seen later are curved like they would be if the bite came from the front.
- Quotes
Mutant Leader: [picks up Batman out of mud] You finished, old man.
Batman: [headbutts Mutant Leader in broken nose] You don't get it, son. This isn't a mud hole. It's an operating table. And I'm the surgeon.
- Alternate versionsA version was released on October 8, 2013 entitled 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Deluxe Edition'. This version combines both parts into a single 148 minute movie. however it cuts out the newscast part from the opening scene of Part 2.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Comic Book Issues: The Dark Knight Returns Movie (2013)
Rarely does an adaptation surpass the original source material. But Dark Knight Returns part 1 is just such an example of an animated movie that is not only true to its source material, but expands upon it. The original was great; the animated adaptation makes it better. The story will sound familiar to anyone who watched Christopher Nolan's "The dark Knight Rises". It has been years since Batman went into retirement. Billionaire Bruce Wayne now drifts from day to day hoping that the people of Gotham can take care of themselves. But now, a new threat emerges: The Mutants. A vast gang of street thugs led by their grotesque but incredibly strong and savage leader. Despite his age, Bruce is forced to become Batman once again to save his city. But can the aging crime fighter stand up to a threat that is faster, stronger and more powerful than he has ever been? And what happens when Batman comes face to face with his old nemesis Two-Face? Beyond the narrative lies a thorough deconstruction of the Batman character, especially when played opposite the two main villains, Two Face and the Mutant Leader. Both villains serve as a dark reflection of Batman himself. Like Two Face, Bruce Wayne and Batman are presented as two separate personalities fighting for control. But is Batman truly just a mask Bruce wears? Or is it the other way around? And as for the mutant leader, both he and Batman operate as a symbol to inspire others to action. One a symbol of chaos and crime, the other a symbol of hope and justice. But if the mutant leader's extreme acts can rouse Batman to return to vigilantism, so too can Batman's actions rouse criminals to return to their old ways (as one character claims in the story).
The characters are brought to life by a fine voice cast who nail their roles perfectly. Peter Weller of Robocop fame takes the role of Batman; a role that may comes across as a monotone baritone at first. But Weller infuses Batman's voice with nuance and subtlety which fits the character well. The only downside is that despite wanting to show a dichotomy between Batman and Bruce Wayne, Weller uses the same tone of voice throughout the whole movie; Compared to previous voice actors, like Kevin Conroy, who used different speech patterns and tones for Wayne and Batman.
A lot of deep themes about the nature of heroism vs vigilantism abound in this tale, all of which were in the original comic but just expanded upon in the animation medium. On that note, the animation presented here is the perfect balance of fluidity and art detail. Iconic frames, memorable battles and atmospheric scenes are replicated faithfully. Movie goers will be able to see many scenes that Nolan's Batman trilogy lifted from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, including a fight scene illuminated intermittently by a gun's muzzle flash. Its only downside is that Warner decided to use its generic color palate rather than replicate the muted tones and heavy grays colored by Lynn Varley in the original artwork.
Fans would be pleased at how true to the original this is and how it expands on the original, smoothening out the rough edges while adding a whole new dimension to the characters. The action is intense and beautifully animated, accompanied by an epic score by Christopher Drake. This is a true ADAPTATION that does not translate the comic wholesale but translates the comic while making full use of the animated movie medium.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Kỵ Sĩ Bóng Đêm Trở Lại (Phần 1)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $3,500,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 16 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1