Batman: Gotham by Gaslight...a review (or rant...whichever)
*SPOILER ALERT!*SPOILER ALERT!*SPOILER ALERT!*
Do NOT read further if you don't want to know the grisly details....you have been warned
I'm a big fan of the DC animated moves. They weren't all winners, (Gotham Knight, I'm looking at you), but all were entertaining. One of my favorite comics I wanted to see as a movie was Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. A tale that transports Bruce Wayne and pits him against Jack the Ripper in Victorian Age Gotham City. The story was tight, the mystery well thought out and the action well executed. I was so excited when DC announced that GbG would be their next offering. Then my wait was rewarded with...this. The animation was good and kept the gothic creepiness f the graphic novel, and I could even excuse the inclusion of Selena Kyle and Pamela Isley...but not the rest. Let's start with the Batsuit. In the GN it looked home made, visible stitching along the mask and his cloak had a rough edging to it making it resemble the scallops of a bat's wing. The three throwing daggers he had on his belt in the GN looked more like mini billy clubs and he never used then referring to using a very modern looking batarang. Now I might have been able to over look that mess if they had done the story justice....but no. In the GN it was revealed that Jack was an old family friend of the Wayne's from Jolly Old England who had fled his native land to slice-n-dice his way through Gotham's fallen women. What we got in the movie, however all connection to Jolly Jack was gone in favor of besmirching a iconic character, Jim Gordon. Yup...they turned Commissioner Gordon into a sadistic creep who, not only murdered the street ladies, but also a Sister Leslie Tompkins, Alienist Hugo Strange and an old crazy lady. On top of all that, he tortured his own wife, so she became just as nuts as he was. To make matters worse, three street orphans were added to the mix, becoming Alfred's assistants, at one point, and Bruce Wayne's wards at the end, Dick, Jason and Todd...the names of those who, in regular continuity, would become Robin. Why? Who the hell knows. And the end...WTF? Bruce gets accused of being the Ripper, thrown into prison,,,escapes...kills the Commissioner (well..he kinda kills himself after Batman cuffs him to a burning Ferris wheel car), and he just rides off into the sunrise with Selena, Alfred and the boys....with no explanation or closure leaving me going, "Watdafuq did I just watch?"
I'm a big fan of the DC animated moves. They weren't all winners, (Gotham Knight, I'm looking at you), but all were entertaining. One of my favorite comics I wanted to see as a movie was Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. A tale that transports Bruce Wayne and pits him against Jack the Ripper in Victorian Age Gotham City. The story was tight, the mystery well thought out and the action well executed. I was so excited when DC announced that GbG would be their next offering. Then my wait was rewarded with...this. The animation was good and kept the gothic creepiness f the graphic novel, and I could even excuse the inclusion of Selena Kyle and Pamela Isley...but not the rest. Let's start with the Batsuit. In the GN it looked home made, visible stitching along the mask and his cloak had a rough edging to it making it resemble the scallops of a bat's wing. The three throwing daggers he had on his belt in the GN looked more like mini billy clubs and he never used then referring to using a very modern looking batarang. Now I might have been able to over look that mess if they had done the story justice....but no. In the GN it was revealed that Jack was an old family friend of the Wayne's from Jolly Old England who had fled his native land to slice-n-dice his way through Gotham's fallen women. What we got in the movie, however all connection to Jolly Jack was gone in favor of besmirching a iconic character, Jim Gordon. Yup...they turned Commissioner Gordon into a sadistic creep who, not only murdered the street ladies, but also a Sister Leslie Tompkins, Alienist Hugo Strange and an old crazy lady. On top of all that, he tortured his own wife, so she became just as nuts as he was. To make matters worse, three street orphans were added to the mix, becoming Alfred's assistants, at one point, and Bruce Wayne's wards at the end, Dick, Jason and Todd...the names of those who, in regular continuity, would become Robin. Why? Who the hell knows. And the end...WTF? Bruce gets accused of being the Ripper, thrown into prison,,,escapes...kills the Commissioner (well..he kinda kills himself after Batman cuffs him to a burning Ferris wheel car), and he just rides off into the sunrise with Selena, Alfred and the boys....with no explanation or closure leaving me going, "Watdafuq did I just watch?"