As a massive fan of Batman: The Animated Series, I am also a huge fan of Batman Beyond. Although some look at the series as just one big advertisement for toys and video games, I look at it as an epic retelling of the caped crusader within a futuristic metropolitan city, corrupted with even more crime and treachery than ever before. The series is also a huge factor in the DC Animated Universe, also known as the Timmverse, named for Bruce Timm, who created a lot of the prime elements featured in shows like Batman, Superman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, and of course, The Justice League. Without the addition of Batman Beyond, we wouldn't know where Bruce Wayne ends up after dumping the Bat disguise, or who takes on the Bat suit after Wayne retires. It's also pivotal that we observe the relationship between the new Batman, Terry McGinnis and the elderly Bruce Wayne, because we later realize, in the Justice League: Unlimited episode entitled "Epilogue" that Terry is in fact the son of Wayne, conceived during a lab experiment involving Wayne and Terry's parents. I thought it was nice how they flawlessly tied this show into the continuity of the original Batman cartoon, giving a few nods to that masterpiece of a show in several episodes and even bringing back some of our favorite characters, like Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, who has taking her father's place as Police Commissioner by that point, Bane, who is now on life support because of his constant use of venom in the past, as well as Tim Drake, the second Boy Wonder Robin, who's fate is finally realized in the Batman Beyond feature, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Considered to many to be the show that launched Batman's most lethal and deadly villain, the Joker back into his glory, Return of the Joker answers a lot of the questions we had asked ourselves while watching the Batman Beyond television show and digs deeper into the mysterious events that follow Batman: The Animated Series, exploring Bruce's live scarring confrontations with the Joker as well as a complex character development and psychology that only Batman and anything to do with Batman can bring to the party. Because, within such a vivid, imaginative animated dimension like the DC Animated Universe, there is no greater hero, no greater individual that makes us show so much compassion, so much sympathy than Batman, for his story, and the horrid things he must observe before his eyes, is hands down the most tragic tale ever to be told in both cartoons and comic books. And his tragic story is progressed further in this wonder of an animated flick, which I think is up there with Mask of the Phantasm and many of the great Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Beyond episodes Kids WB and Fox had to offer. It is surely dark, comtemporary, and displays Batman in a different picture frame, a picture frame of many different colors, themes, and character arcs.
As you would guess by the title, the Joker is back, and even more compelling than ever. And Mark Hamill is once again the king of voicing the Joker, the man who was once Luke Skywalker giving the Joker that funny, humorous tone of voice that cracks you up and makes your bones shake all at the same time. And the Joker does a lot of strange things in this film, then again, doesn't he always do things that are strange and outlandish. For craps sake, THE MAN HAS PET HYENAS! If that isn't a bit odd, than I don't know what is. But there was one scene in this film that cemented the Joker for me entirely. It's a scene that is very reminiscent of the Joker's torture scene in The Dark Knight, you know, where he tortures the Batman impersonator on live television? In the film, the Joker has paired up with some of Terry Batman's most powerful villains, the Jokerz, becoming their leader and talking them into taking part of his evil doings. However, one member of the Jokerz becomes furious with the Joker, demanding that he can leave the group at once. Then the Joker does the unexpected, he pulls out a gun and holds it up to the guy's head. As the guy pleads for mercy, the Joker pulls the trigger, and if you know the Joker, you know that he has a few BANG guns lying around his hideout, so a long BANG flag comes flapping out. The guy is relieved that the Joker is letting him live, and just as he turns around, WHAMMO! The Joker shoots him right in the chest, sending him flying upon the dining table in front of all of his companions. WOW! I mean, just WOW! Never before have I seen a scene that was so gruesome and horrifying, and after seeing that scene for the first time, my jaw literally dropped to the floor. I never really understood what exactly goes through the Joker's mind until that point, and what goes through his mind isn't exactly pretty. He's a cold, calculating menace that will eliminate anyone who stands up to him, and when he doesn't get what he wants. He can do one of two things. He can wine and scream like an infant or he can beat up and take his anger out on others. Just look at how he treats Harley! I love that scene though, even though it is blood freezing as all heck, and if you have seen some of my videos at Warp 8 Productions, you know that I liked to use that scene at the end of my videos when the Warp 8 logo would appear.
I think the relationship between Terry and Bruce is at it's greatest in this film. Of course the two have had quite a few great moments throughout the Batman: Beyond television series, but the pillars of their friendship are at their highest in Return of the Joker, the two shocked and unclear as to what to do about the Joker's reemergence. Bruce forbids Terry from going after the Joker, and tells him to hand over the Batsuit, Terry not doing so, creating quite a controversy between the two that lasts throughout most of the film. Still angry at Bruce, Terry has a talk with Commissioner Gordon, who, as I mentioned earlier is Barbara Gordon, Gordon revealing some of the secrets we have long wondered about in previous years. And what follows is my favorite scene out of the entire Batman Animated Universe, and while we're at it, my favorite scene out of the DC Animated Universe in general. It is through this scene that we learn the ghastly truth, the truth about Tim Drake and what really happened to the Joker all those years ago. It is truly a disturbing scene that shocks me everytime I watch it, but I will surely think positive as I describe the scene for you all. The Joker kidnaps Tim Drake, and through terrible torment and experimenting, turns Drake into his one miniature self, a Joker Junior as he entitles him in the film. For several weeks after, Batman and Batgirl search for Robin, and one night, the Joker invites them to his hideout to see what has become of their Boy Wonder, Joker Drake revealing himself for the first time to Bruce and Barbara.
While Batgirl takes on Harley Quinn, and sends her down the shadowy abyss where she is grievously injured, Batman goes to confront the Joker, as the Joker shows him the "home movies" he made showing Drake getting experimented on and turned into the monster he is now. The Joker also reveals that Drake revealed some secrets to him, the Joker now knowing of Batman's true alter ego, Bruce Wayne. And then, as the Joker taunts Batman about his parents' death and says that he is nothing more than a "little boy in a play suit crying for mommy and daddy", the Joker gives off his greatest line ever.
"It'd be funny it weren't so pathetic....nah what the heck, I'll laugh anyway. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Than, out of the shadows, Batman swoops in through a glass windows and starts beating the living lights out of the Joker, the Joker taking the upper hand shortly after and evening stabbing Batman with a small knife. As he pulls out his gun, he thinks for a moment, tossing the gun over to Joker Drake to finish Batman once and for all. As Joker Drake points the gun at Batman, the Joker yells for him to "DO IT!" kinda like Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars, however, Tim Drake's allegiance resurfaces, and he instead turns the gun on the Joker, killing him upon impact. Drake than breaks down crying, scarred by the horrific events that he had been apart of, as Batgirl rushes to his side, comforting him and telling him everything is going to be alright. It's a very emotional scene towards the end, and you can really sense what is going through each and every character's mind. When a character was shocked or infuriated, you could really feel it and see it upon their face, really showing how cartoon characters can carry a lot of emotion on their faces and postures. And when Drake breaks down crying, you can really feel his pain and his grief knowing that he will never live the same life again. The villains also carry a lot of emotion as well, both the Joker and Harley Quinn desperate to ruin Batman's life and threaten the ones he cares about, even his sidekicks. When the Joker taunts Batman about his parents' death and that fact that Tim Drake is now his, you see how selfish and cold hearted he really is, not caring one bit as to how much pain, suffering, agony a person must go through to become one of his allies. You see, that's what makes the Joker so cynical. He knows how Batman operates, he knows what Batman is up against, he knows that Batman often works with others to lock up criminals within the walls of Arkam Asylum. And most importantly, he knows of Batman's many weaknesses, and as any great villain would, he takes advantage of them, grabs them by the throat, flips them upside down and shakes them until the important elements come through. And that's exactly what he does here, he takes advantage of one of Batman's pupils to make Batman vulnerable, to make Bruce Wayne vulnerable and anything to do with Bruce Wayne vulnerable, although it would be his greatest mistake, for he dies shortly after and anything he was planning to do dies with him. That my friends solidifies the whole movie for me. If this entire film was focused upon this scene and this scene only, I would love it just as much and maybe even a little more, for it allows us to travel deeper into the minds of some of our favorite characters, to feel sorry for some of the characters, and in a way, wish that we were one of the characters to either ruin the reign of an enemy or help a friend in peril. That's one of the many things I observe in these kind of films, character development that goes far beyond the characters themselves.
Anyone who has seen this film knows that there was a considerable amount of violence and gore featured in the film's original cut, particularly in the scene I just talked about. A censored version of the film was released in it's place, many fans enraged over this version and even going as far as to starting a petition for the original cut to see release. Eventually it did, and it received a PG-13 rating, making it the first animated Batman movie ever to receive that rating. And I for one think the rating is quite suitable, for young children might be a little disturbed by some of the scenes and might run in fright over some of the scenes. Then again, a lot of the scenes from the original Batman films were scary, the scenes with Jack Nicholson's Joker, the scenes with Danny Devito's Penguin, the scene where the Penguin bites the guy's nose, the scene where the fake penguins dump the dead Penguin's body into the water, the scene where Batman pulls out his credit card, the original Batman films were surely filled with a lot of AHHHHHHHHH moments. And this film is certainly filled to the brim with shocking animated scenes that will make kids run into their bedrooms and hide under the covers with Mr. Snuggles. The voice acting in this film is at it's best, but that's common in all DC Animated productions. Kevin Conroy's voice of Bruce Wayne is still very fitting, even though he is voicing an elderly Bruce as opposed to the young, troubled Bruce we saw in The Animated Series and movies. Will Friedle, who you all know as Eric Matthews from Boy Meets World and Lion-O from the Thundercats reboot, does a pretty swell job providing the voice of Terry McGinnis, making both Terry and Batman cunning and swift in their own right, although they are just one person. As I said before, the voice of a character can really add depth to that character, make the character much more realistic and likeable. Even the villains can be likeable, for even though they are so evil and cunning, they each have their own certain trademarks, trademarks that make them the villain they are. What would the Penguin be without his many dangerous umbrellas or Mr. Freeze without his giant oversized freezing gun?
Now the music is very fitting for each scene, and as the voices do to the characters, the music adds depth, dimension and layer to each scene's surroundings, each scene's color and mood, helping build up for the climatic events that are yet to come. And I couldn't go without mentioning that the music for both Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Beyond are some of my favorite scores from television shows, each very fitting for the characters and the events caused by the characters and their decisions. In the final scenes of the film, Terry Batman is able to track down the Joker, and it is revealed that the Joker is in fact Tim Drake, Drake transforming into the Joker right in front of Terry Batman. The Joker explains that he implanted a micro chip within Tim in the experimenting all those years ago, a microchip containing all of the Joker's memories and personality. It's a pretty shocking twist, and perfectly ties in with the scene I described earlier, further progressing on the Joker's relationship with Tim Drake and his ambitions to keep his crime spree going. Angered over what the Joker has done to Tim, Terry Batman attacks the Joker, and a climatic final battle unfolds. The final battle between Terry Batman and the Joker is just as good as all the other scenes I had mentioned throughout the film, and I thought the relationship between the two couldn't be any better. The Joker hates Batman and Batman hates the Joker, and they would be willing to do anything to bring one another to a deadly end, for better or for worse. And Terry Batman even goes as far as to taunt the Joker himself, laughing and mocking his laughable catchphrases, just before the Joker becomes enrages and starts torturing Terry Batman. Eventually, Terry Batman shocks the Joker, destroying the microchip and returning Tim back to his old self. In the final scene of the film, Tim is in a hospital bed, and he is joined by Bruce and Barbara. As Terry walks out, Bruce gives him some helpful advice, saying that it's not Batman that makes his life worthwhile, but the other way around. And with that extra push, Terry fully understands his duties as Batman and will do anything to purify them, keep them at their prime, use them to better what terror might unfold within Neo-Gotham. And as many Batman films end, this one ends with Terry Batman flying through the city, confident and ready to take out some of Gotham's most terrifying adversaries. And it took him the entire film to build that confidence, that inner strength to go just about anything.
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a feast fit for any life long Batman fan. If you are a fan of Batman: Beyond, you will love every nook and cranny of this film, and if you are a fan of the original Batman animated series, I still say this film is worthy to watch. It is filled with many homages to the original cartoon and adds in many glorious things to help tie up loose ends. The character development is what makes this film this film, and each character is solid, not wooden, each with a different backstory and different view of aspects. When characters were upset, you could feel upset, and when a person was angry, you could really feel the anger building up within their insides, a feeling of hatred and vengeance. But I think the moral of this entire film is to let go, let go of the past, move forward to accomplish no things, and let me be the first to say, that isn't easy. It was hard for Tim Drake to let go of the past, especially when he had a microchip containing the Joker's memories within him, and it was hard for Bruce Wayne to move on from those horrible events as well. And with the Joker's rise to power, it all came back to them, the pain and the despair, however, in order for them to overcome the Joker in the end, they had to let go, they had to let go of the past and move on into the future, building an inner strength that can only be accomplished by doing so, building an inner strength that will allow them to discover things that will lead to the Joker's downfall. Terry McGinnis also learns to let go in this film, for at times, he was often filled with hatred and fury, particularly aimed at the Joker and Bruce, however, he had to come to a realization and throw that hatred and fury down the toilet, discovering who he really was and what he must accomplish in the process. Terry became a lot stronger by the end of the film, and would use his powers as Batman like he never used them before, to defend Neo-Gotham from crime and treachery, to prevent criminals and adversaries from making the city crumble to pieces. And even if he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders, he can still be Terry McGinnis at all times, even with the Bat suit upon his body. He can still be the person he wants to be and do the things he wants to do, as with all superheroes who take on an alter ego, an ego of an average ordinary citizen among the Earth, an average ordinary citizen who is trying to find his place in the world. I compare Terry McGinnis to myself in a lot of ways, for at times, I often feel like I will never amount to anything or that everything I do will backfire on me one way or the other. But no matter how stormy the weather is, we can always get back onto our feet and keep moving forward, keep striving for what we want, and as long as we strive for our dreams with pride and self-confidence, saying NEVER GIVE UP to ourselves, anything is reachable. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker helped me realize that in a way, and helped me realize that the world of superheroes is, in many ways, not too different from our very own, even if there are many glorious things that one may think is impossible to bring into the real world. This film helped me realize that we will always have people who care for us, people who want to help us, people like Batman, who will always be there to defend us from what troubles stand in our path.
