c-blauvelt Review of Batman Beyond: The Movie

Batman Beyond: The Movie (1999 TV Movie)

After giving up his life of vigilantism, Bruce Wayne trains a new Batman.

[6/10 · 27 January 2006]

Batman Beyond: The Movie (1999) by Curt Geda--Batman Beyond: The Movie is the compilation of the first two episodes of the Batman Beyond TV series. The show alternates awkwardly between brilliant exploration of the nature of vigilantism (what it means to be Batman), with insanely over-blown action sequences, and Dawson's Creek-style teenage angst. The premise for the show is that Bruce Wayne ended his career as Batman when he was forced to use a gun for the first time to save his life. Many years went by and in his 80s he is a bitter old man living out his waning days remembering the past, usually by staring at his little museum of super-hero suits, Miss Havisham from Great Expectations-style. After much initial reluctance he begins to train a new Batman, a teenager named Terry McGinnis, whose own father suffered a similar fate to Bruce's parents. The premise of Bruce training Terry to be the new Batman allows for some probing psychological exploration of what it means to be a vigilante who dresses up in a Bat-suit. But the psychology of the characters isn't as richly explored as it could be, due to the emphasis of extraordinary over-the-top action sequences usually involving gang members called the Jokers who pattern themselves on Batman's old arch nemesis. Much of the initial episode focuses on Terry's love interests as well, a waste of time that could have been spent developing more of a relationship between Bruce and Terry. The animation style isn't nearly as compelling as Batman: The Animated Series or Batman: Gotham Knights, with its emphasis on extreme action and characterization. The style of this show leaves no room for nuance, as opposed to the phenomenally detailed, probing nature of the cartoon-noir Batman: The Animated Series. Ultimately, this show leaves the viewer with the same dissatisfied effect of watching a Batman film directed by Joel Schumacher: a lot of fast-paced action and thrills, but little heart. B-