Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000 Video) User Reviews

Batman for a new generation...

[Cephyran · 8/10 · 19 November 2004]

A lot of the Batman cartoon versions are better than the live versions, and Return of the Joker is one of them. Set in the Batman Beyond universe (between twenty and thirty years later from when Bruce was in his prime), this movie introduces a young boy named Terry who is given the honor of becoming a Batman for a new generation. At the same time, the Joker, who was long thought dead, resurfaces and causes no end of trouble for our heroes.

I've also had the chance to watch a big chunk of the series, and it's always neat when a video release like this is a continuous piece of the series. The voice acting is well done, the story is compelling and dynamic, and the physical limitations of the real world are easily evaded with the animation medium. This makes Batman a lot more agile, swift, and sneaky then he ever could be in the movies. Anybody who's followed the show has probably seen this, but if you haven't, it's definitely worth a watch.

the Return of the Joker - better than the 'Beyond' series, almost as good as Phantasm!

[Quinoa1984 · 8/10 · 16 August 2008]

The first thing that stands out about Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker is its structure. Unlike some of the other animated Batman movies (SubZero, Mystery of the Matwoman), this one comes closer to the likes of Mask of the Phantasm to actually feeling, however in short running time, like a real feature-length movie and not simply four episodes strung together. This is important since we can get wrapped up in the mystery behind the re-emergence of the Joker and it feels fluid and without a cliffhanger-type end every several minutes. The second thing that marks this as above-average animated Batman fare is the quality of the history of two series, original animated and Beyond, and how sharp the writing and voice performances go along with the (PG-13) action and cartoon violence. The filmmakers could've just thrown in old characters like Joker and Harley Quinn and Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake just for the hell of it. But it all fits a story that's worth telling, if only for the fans looking for that awesome coda to the first series.

It's hard to try and not spoil how the Joker, fifty years into the future, re-appears with his gang the Jokerz when Bruce Wayne is now an old man and Terry McGinnis is the new young Batman. Without saying too much, the Jokerz are stealing some high-tech equipment, and something smells fishy on top of the conniving Jordan Price possibly double-crossing Wayne, who is taking back control over Wayne enterprises. But when the Joker himself crashes Wayne's party, McGinnis and Wayne try and investigate what's going on- who he really is, since he's supposed to be killed- and where he'll strike next. The writing and crafting of the mystery, and the eventual truth, is told creatively and with the kind of absorption Batman fans crave (it IS Detective Comics after all), but also impressive is the animation done mostly with computers and not skimping on making the action fairly intense (the subtraction of a good deal of the blah heavy metal music from the show is a plus here).

And lest not forget Conroy as Bruce Wayne, always a sturdy presence, and Mark Hamill as the Joker. They're probably two of the most iconic voice actors of their time just on the basis of their work in the Batman animated saga; Hamill especially gives it his all, and even puts in double-time on the voice of Jordon Price (which for a little while begs the question of him being involved in the crimes), as the clown prince of crime and mayhem. It's such a good performance that it makes up for some standard work by other voice actors (however fine) by Dean Stockwell and Angie Harmon. With just his voice he projects this iconic villain for all its worth, and ranks up there with Nicholson and (now) Ledger as the wonderful if varied versions. Somehow, even in the drama, Hamill manages to get a couple of laughs out of the audience with this Joker. Funny, since it's one of the most dramatic Batman stories yet. 8.5/10

Quite good

[blackcircles · 8/10 · 1 December 2000]

I've never really been that wild about this Terry kid, or this new costume. He seems to rely more on his Iron Man-like costume than his intellect and deductive skills, as the original Batman did. Having said that, my favourite part of Return of the Joker was when Barbara Gordon flashed back and remembered the last time Batman fought the Joker. That is an absolutely marvelous scene. You feel the concern and horror thunder through Batman as he's confronted with the atrocities Robin has endured, as well as his hatred and fury towards the Joker. The people in Warner Brothers animation have thankfully returned to drawing the Joker with the detail they had when Batman the Animated Series started. And as much as I don't really like him, Terry's climactic fight with the Joker is definitely worth checking out. As a previous comment said, it's a pleasant surprise.

What a spectacular movie!

[Kokomadeta · 10/10 · 5 January 2007]

Before watching this, I was expecting a good movie, but it turned out to be a spectacular movie that I want to watch again and again! This film pays true homage to the Batman animated series and explains many questions of what happened to the supporting characters and sidekicks of the original Batman animated series. The animation style for the Joker is that of Batman: TAS volume 1-3 (i.e. Joker: good version). If you're hesitant to watch this movie, go for it. Watch, love, and enjoy. I recommend buying the DVD right away, because it also has some pretty cool bonus features like a making-of feature, and a music video. I highly recommend this movie for a fan of the show, or anyone else who even remotely likes Batman.

A wonderful surprise!

[Skeletors_Hood · 23 July 2002]

When I bought the unedited version of this movie on DVD, I had never watched Batman Beyond in my life, so I knew nothing about the storyline. I wasn't even sure about buying the movie before having seen it, but I am a great fan of Mark Hamill's Joker, so I was sure that even if the movie sucked, I would at least like the Joker.

What I found was a great bit of animation with a surprisingly awesome storyline. I was expecting the comic book cliche of a clone replacement, but the fresh twist had me guessing all the way through. And I was right about loving the Joker, he was still as great as he always was.

If you haven't seen it yet, don't wait. It won't disappoint you.

one word: cool.

[sourapple · 10/10 · 26 October 2001]

when i heard that there's a "new" batman in town, my initial reaction was to roll my eyes. so whenever i see it on tv, i change the channel.

but this is some surprise! we watched in school during a free time and amazingly, i was hanging on every bit of the video. the animation was wonderful, and even the story line and the freaky voice of little joker. if you love batman and love great animation, i absolutely insist you watch this. cool.

Batman Beyond Return of the Joker: Better than most

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 29 December 2017]

I'm not familiar with Batman Beyond, it's on my watchlist but that's not saying much. My watchlist is rapidly starting to look like a phone number.

Set in the future revolving around Batmans protege we see the supposedly dead Joker return from the dead with a gang full of villian siblings. I expected the worst as I really don't like the futuristic setting but it actually isn't all that bad.

This multi-award winning critically acclaimed animated movie has a fantastic rock soundtrack and brilliant voice acting (Including Mark Hamill). It's well paced and a good watch all round.

Truth be told I don't see the unwavering acclaim being justified but it's certainly the best Batman animated movie I've seen for a while.

I really didn't like the payoff, the "Twist" felt cheap and highly unsatisfying. It's like they ran out of ideas and for me it really damaged the film.

Competent enough stuff.

The Good:

Weirdly awesome soundtrack

Mark Hamill

The Bad:

Not keen on the setting

Cutesy villians

Crappy twist

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

I missed the Harley Quinn voice, shame on you Margot Robbie

One of the best DC Animated movies ever made...

[justin-fencsak · 10/10 · 16 November 2018]

I'm about 47 minutes into it, and all i can say is..wow. The voice acting is top notch, the animation well done, and the music and action well paced. It's also the darkest of the batman beyond episodes, given it's pg-13 (unedited version) rating. I bought this for $1 at the local library and it's a good bargain. Definitely not for kids but for cartoon fans of all ages.

"Ah, the new boy. Ears are too long and I miss the cape. But not too shabby. Not too shabby at all."

[drewnes · 7/10 · 30 May 2021]

What I like about the older animated Batman films is that they have this darker feel to them. It is a cartoon, but they touch on some dark elements and I was surprised by how much I liked this. That Beyond suit is so aesthetically pleasing to look at.

A Good Movie That Is Best Watched Uncut

[jeremycrimsonfox · 10/10 · 11 April 2020]

In the year 2040, Terry McGinnis continues to fight crime of Neo Gotham under the mantle of Batman, however, after stopping the Jokerz gang from stealing high tech equipment, he gets suspicious of their actions. However, the Jokerz returned with the console's memory board and gave it to a man sitting on a throne, who reveals himself to be The Joker, who has come back from the dead (as an episode had his remains). After his return as CEO is crashed, Bruce relieves Terry of duty, not wanting him to face Joker due to how dangerous he is, but after the Jokerz attack Terry in a nightclub, and Bruce is hospitalized after an ambush by The Joker leaves him poisoned with the clown's signature toxin, Terry decides to don the Batsuit to find out how the clown prince of crime is back from the grave and what he is plotting for Neo-Gotham.

Yeah, this movie had an interesting development time. Having to be delayed and re-edited after the Columbine massacre started a new backlash against violence in films and video games (because it's easier to pass the buck to those two industries instead of going after the real cause), the film had some scenes changed to avoid mentioning death, change or remove lines of dialogue, and even shorten some fight scenes. However, fans hated the change, and in 2002, after countless petitions, the original, uncut version of the film was released with a PG-13 rating.

And I have to agree that the movie is best watched uncut. Being a film, it could do anything that KidsWB would never allow an episode of the cartoon it's based on to have, giving it the tone that the fans would expect from Batman. Also, the voice actors return to reprise their respective roles (even Mark Hamill comes back to voice Joker), and they do a fantastic job, and the story is awesome, with many twists, and even a flashback telling the tale of Joker's death (the cause being different depending on which version is being watched, edited or original uncut). This is a good film for any Batman fan, and one best watched uncut (unless you have kids, in that case, the edited version is also good).

Nice story, backgrounds, voicing and tone.

[Vic_max · 6/10 · 16 September 2006]

I was surprised at how well done this animated feature was compared to what I was expecting (a more 'cartoonish', aloof style). The story was very interesting - taking place in the later / twilight years of the power three (Batman, Robin and Batgirl). This setup immediately caught my interest and caused me to want to see the story through. I also really liked the dark colors and tone of the movie - it definitely set it apart from a cartoon for kids. Also very impressive were the visual sets - lots of large buildings and open areas. Somehow these enhanced the sense of alone-ness and darkness to the whole movie.

On the minus side (for me) was the animation style of the characters - definitely 'anime' influenced. I guess I'm used to the older DC comic images, so this was a bit awkward. Also - Robin looked more like a 10 year old boy than anything else - kind of also a minus.

In general, this is a really good story with nice visuals. I'd generally recommend this movie for most, and definitely for Batman fans.

A new Batman doesn't mean less awesome!

[Animany94 · 10/10 · 11 September 2018]

I have a special relationship with the Batman Beyond TV-series, because I grew up with it, but re-watching it brought on a couple of minor disappointing discoveries regarding less memorable villains, but the relationship between Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne was always spot on about how the passing of the Batman persona was hard for Bruce.

Both of those things shine in this mature, dramatic, action-packed movie with the Joker himself back on top of his game and even grimmer than ever.

The highlights shortly summed up, we have an ongoing conflict between the old guard of Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon and the new guard of Terry McGinnis who ends up discovering happenings in Bruce's past he wasn't allowed to know which leads him to act on his own. Brilliant and engaging with dark and edgy subject matter put into it. One of Mark Hamil's best performances ever as a truly menacing madman bent on torturing Bruce Wayne psychologically to make him do what he wnats the least. Has been done in later movies, but this one stands out as one of the best renditions.

The animation took everything good from the series and improved it. The background animation is amazing with the Neo-Gotham seeming way bigger than it did in the series. The action scenes throw fast-paced and fluid movements at us and the slow and menacing scenes between the Joker and his victims just sink in and effectively give you the creeps.

One of my favourite Batman movies along with Under the Red Hood and Mask of the Phantasm.

All in good fun

[Polaris_DiB · 7/10 · 12 September 2008]

What can I say? Lately I've taken my interest in Batman mythology beyond the Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher, and now Christopher Nolan flicks and have really explored the development of the character over time, and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is some damned decent entertainment. I can't say I'm all that familiar with the Beyond series as a whole, being that I lack television, but Batman's new dark avenger underling is certainly a much more interesting person than any of his three Robins.

Let's see... "Return of the Joker" takes place years after the death of the eponymous clown's death. Bruce is old and cannot fight anymore, so his place has been taken over by a 20-something kid with a similar fateful past and a brand new suit. Most of the old villains and accomplices are gone, but there's no lack of crime in Gotham--the town that shall ever be plagued by destruction from the most crazies of crazies. And now the craziest of them! has returned. Joker, yeah, Joker. He of the demented laugh. Violence and brooding vengeance ensue.

The run-time of this video is split pretty much three ways between plot, action, and character-development, but not in an overlapping way. The story, at times, literally stops for characters to have some time to discuss their philosophies or blow each other up, and when the explosions or vengeance-dialog stops, things start moving forward, plot-wise. This isn't a bad thing, actually. It pretty much guarantees most viewers will get something out of this movie they like, and for what it's worth the animation is always interesting enough to maintain visual intrigue.

I like the idea of seeing what happens to the Caped Crusader whence old age hits, and this movie is a pretty decent speculation. Even better, for those debating the variable ways Joker has changed over the years, Mark Hamill's laugh is a good point to rest on. This is a pretty good movie for fans, though a lot of what happens in terms of the back-story and villains might be confusing to those not very familiar with the general mythos.

--PolarisDiB

Adequately entertaining...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 26 June 2019]

While I am not overly keen on superhero movies or movies set within superhero universes, then I will still sit down to watch them when given the chance. And since my nine year old son wanted to watch "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker", then of course I sat down to watch this 2000 DC animated movie with him.

I've never really liked this particular future Batman much, nor the drawing style that they use here. So that was working against the enjoyment of the animated movie for me.

I will say that they definitely had a very impressive ensemble of voice actors to perform the voices in "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker", with the likes of Mark Hamill, Dean Stockwell, Melissa Joan Hart, Henry Rollins and Frank Welker.

Storywise then I found "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" to be somewhat average. It wasn't particularly outstanding, nor was it a drag. However, it is not a movie that will leave any lasting impressions on me, nor is it a movie that will finds its way to my screen for a second viewing.

For fans of future Batman, then I am sure that the 2000 animated "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" movie is a blast.

'Batman' has never been so good!

[jellyneckr · 4 July 2001]

I do not know why this was a direct-to-video release. It was very exciting and I think it would have done pretty well in theatres. I rented BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER because I love the BATMAN BEYOND television show and I loved BATMAN BEYOND: THE MOVIE. The first couple of scenes seemed a little too much like the television show, but as soon as I saw the new Joker, I knew this was going to be Batman like we have never seen him before. This was so different from the show in so many ways and had such great animation. It was a fast-paced animated thriller. It was intense. I loved it. A few days later, I bought it on DVD and listened to the filmakers' commentary. I had no idea that so much work was done on this movie in such a short time. Sadly, none of the filmakers' mentioned the cuts that were made by Warner Brothers due to the amount of violence. I think it would be really interesting to see the footage that was cut from the movie. Hopefully, Warner Brothers will come out with a version that contains the cut footage some day. Until then, I'll just enjoy the movie the way Warner Brothers released it. It is one of the best animated movie I have ever seen. I hope there are some more BATMAN BEYOND movies in the future.

A definitive end to The definive Batman series

[devinhaslebacher · 10/10 · 19 June 2021]

This is the end all of Batman The Animated Series and it's beautiful and dark and disturbing and certainly not directed at children. It ends The Animated series Joker storyline, and brings the original Harley Quinn storyline to an interesting conclusion. What a wonderful movie. As a Batman fanatic I can honestly say this is the perfect conclusion to both the animated series and Batman beyond.

THE BEST

[yoavsh-21736 · 10/10 · 4 May 2020]

I saw the movie a year ago and I steel LOVE IT/ highly recommend.

Animation trumps live again...

[Gislef · 7/10 · 25 January 2001]

Once again, we discover that when the folks behind a Batman movie actually carry about the characters and the story, and not simply spraying their neuroses and subconsciouses across the screen (i.e., the Tim and Joel team), the product is far superior.

The only real flaw with the movie is that Terry McGinnis/Batman still isn not as interesting a character as Bruce Wayne. They do try to establish this a little more, digging back into Terry's motives, but there's still the feel that they're doing a youth-oriented bad boy just for the target audience.

Batman/future's limits are another source of irritating. He's supposed to have the strength of ten men, but the Joker beats him up readily. It's also been shown he has a built-in electro-shocker (last used against Inque in "The Call"). So why does he need the Joker's joy buzzer?

That leaves it to the "old" cast to carry the story. Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy are in top form, and the Joker/Batman relationship is explored with some great dialogue between the "new" Batman and Joker. Angie Harmon doesn't do much for me voice-wise as Gordon (why did they replace Stockard Channing?).

The story is just convoluted enough, with a plot twist that might actually throw you. It fills in some of the backstory, but leaves other areas (what happened to Dick Grayson?) unanswered for future movies and episodes.

Overall, a superior product.

He's baaaack...

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 8/10 · 14 November 2009]

I watched this not having seen a single episode of the show, and much to its credit, I had no trouble at all following the film. The plot is excellent, interesting, well-thought out, and develops rather nicely throughout, with a twist that will keep you guessing. This is well-paced, and there is an immense amount of the awesome, well-choreographed action. While quite intense and exciting, this doesn't overwhelm or overstimulate the viewer. The characters are well-written, credible and consistent. Every acting performance is great, with Hamill's take on the Joker taking the cake, as always, with the sheer maniacal quality to it, and his endless enthusiasm. The psychology is all accurate. This has well-done 2D animation and marvelous design. This builds the mood expertly, and the bleak atmosphere of Gotham is captured beautifully. The music is cool, and in general the audio is spot-on, with every effect sounding just right. There is a bit of violence in this, and I understand that it is stronger in the Director's Cut. I recommend this to any fan of Batman. 8/10

Chronologically, acts as a fantastic farewell to these iconic series.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 9 June 2018]

'Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker (2000)' sees 'Batman Beyond (1998)' further connect with 'The New Batman Adventures (1997)', and actually serves as a nice transition between the two, by reintroducing Batman (Bruce Wayne)'s most dangerous foe, 'The Joker'. Like with all of the films set in this extended 'universe', this picture doesn't really set-up its world, instead jumping straight into the action with a fantastic set-piece. It's not much of an issue, even though I'm not familiar with this 'Batman Of The Future', and the picture manages to tell you everything you need to know about its world and characters so that you aren't confused, without the need for on-the-nose origin stories or, worse, endless exposition. This is actually quite an achievement and one put further to the test considering my unfamiliarity with the character. Speaking of the character, this new Batman is different enough from the old one that he feels fresh and distinct, a new superhero for a new generation. The inclusion of the original Dark Knight as an Alfred-esque mentor figure is an inspired one, too, and the characterisation is as vivid as ever, flawed and brooding as usual but having these traits amplified by his old age. The narrative puts its focus on a mystery, as the best of the flicks featuring 'the world's greatest detective' tend to do, and it plays out in predictably intriguing and engaging fashion. The enigma isn't one that can be easily dismissed or guessed early and its resolution has ramifications that reach far wider than just finding out who the bad-guy is. The story has some real darkness in it as well, aside from the couple of on-screen killings that caused a PG-13 rating (initially cut for a PG). It's interesting stuff, thematically rich and generally unexpected. Honestly, it's a level of maturity that hasn't been seen in these animated outings since 'Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993).' The picture is wonderfully animated, with some segments making use of single colours to highlight the world's neon-infused technology and other's still pulsing with colour to show the effect of light on the characters. By this point, they really know how to animate impressive explosions. The fights are quite crunchy, too, fast-paced and frenzied. They make use of the new futuristic aesthetic but always remember that there are people involved in the fisticuffs. The way the movie intertwines a past narrative with the present one is inspired, melding the world's of two shows seamlessly into one. I was incredibly invested in its story, characters and central mystery. It is pretty pacy and always entertaining; I had a really fun time with it. It's the last film set in this 'universe' chronologically, and there couldn't be a better way to say farewell to these series. 7/10

The best animated Batman movie since Mask of the Phantasm

[Keyan-the-Eagle144 · 8/10 · 12 July 2018]

Having followed the Batman Beyond show since its series premiere, this was a good spinoff. The cast was excellent, especially Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, and the plot was well done. Plus we get the futuristic Gotham City. It's very much in touch with the cyberpunk themes. Flying cars, supercomputers, urban environments, and really tall buildings with lots of neon. Just like Blade Runner. But with superheroes. Or at least one. And this is also a mystery thriller much like Mask of the Phantasm. What happened to the Joker? And why has he returned? What is his dark secret? Will Batman figure out the truth before it's too late? Just take the time to watch and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's actually pretty darn good.

Great movie.

[kyle-mcdonald · 9/10 · 6 January 2008]

OK well it took me a long while to get this movie but I finally got and got to see and it turned out to be a great sequel to the batman cartoon series and for all the same reasons. It has lots of action in it the storyline to is really good the cartoon effects are good. the voice over actors are really good such as Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Will Friedle as Terence "Terry" McGinnis/Batman, Angie Harmon and Tara Strong as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Dean Stockwell and Mathew Valencia as Tim Drake/Robin. The villains are good such as Mark Hamill as The Joker, Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quin. So I am sure you will not be disappointed with Batman Beyond The Return Of The Joker because it is a really good movie. So make sure that you rent or but Batman Beyond The Return Of The Joker because it is a great movie.

Overall score: ********* out of **********

**** out of *****

Also there is a really good twist in this movie but I am not going to tell you what it is.

A solid only effort for this property

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 7/10 · 18 May 2022]

Many consider of all Batman iterations to be depicted on television that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini's version is the definitive one. The animated series which ran for three successful seasons, had a memorable film score, was quite mature for a kids' cartoon and even had two special features; one theatrically released and the other released on home-video. But that wasn't the end of the character's universe. Superman the animated series was also running in parallel which further expanded the realm of the two characters' worlds. So why stop there? Thus came Batman Beyond, now seen more as a favorite of a select set of fans than a complete success. However, it did reprise the role of the original Batman as a supporting role, which had much of the same traits as the original series. It's also no surprise this series got a special feature too.

The plot to the story is exactly what the title suggests. After several years being gone, Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) learns that his infamous most difficult enemy, the Joker (Mark Hamill) has returned to Gotham. Except now Wayne is too old to subdue his nemesis and it's up to Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) as his new protégé to defeat him once and for all. Written by Paul Dini, the script is well written with reflective character development between Wayne, his past, people he's worked with and whom he works with now. It's also a learning experience for McGinnis as he discovers more about himself and the kind of Batman he is versus his predecessor. And being that Dini had written for the original and new series, it makes sense he would continue the story. The direction was head by Curt Geda who has more experience as a storyboard artist but has also directed episodes for the same set of TV shows. Again, it makes sense he would be involved.

The only fault in the screenplay is the reason for Joker's return. An explanation is given which is great because most of the time, reasons aren't provided. However, once the reason is given it seems the audience must suspend their disbelief in order for it to make sense. It just seems so tacked on as the full justification for the character's resurgence. That's really it though when it comes to narrative execution. The voice acting was always on point with the show and maintains that consistency here in this special. Will Friedle who get his start in Boy Meets World and would also voice Ron Stoppable in Disney's Kim Possible makes a great Terry McGinnis. The attitude is all there and dialog is witty, especially when conversing with Kevin Conroy's elder surly Bruce Wayne. Rounding out the circle is when Mark Hamill enters the picture laughing the entire way as Joker. This is just another reason why fans feel this animated version of the character remains the best one out there.

Playing as supporting characters is Law & Order's Angie Harmon as Barbara Gordon, Dean Stockwell as an older Tim Drake (Batman's 2nd Robin), Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn, Tara Strong and lastly Frank Welker. From a listing like that, it would be hard to see these credible voice actors not giving it their all in a feature like this with such iconic characters involved. The action sequences are entertaining too. Whether it be explosions or one on one physical combat, the scenes capture the energy and weight behind the movements being depicted on screen. Overseeing production was Shôjirô Nishimi as animation director and its likely safe to say this was a critical component as the colors and movements of the scenes are great to view.

Speaking of which the animation in general is well done. Koji Takeuchi served as the animation producer from TMS Entertainment which has handled other productions like Sherlock Hound and even Marvel's Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Someone definitely needs to explain the purpose of four different cinematographers though for an animated film. It makes no sense, let alone one. Lastly the film score composed by Kristopher Carter was a great effort. Resembling much of the brash guitar based score from the TV show, this film score mixes much of that into its cues along some more organic orchestrations inbetween for more serious or somber moments. It's not as striking as the original TV shows film score but it is a fun listen either way. Well worth the experience.

Even though the reason for Joker's return feels a little last minute and cinematography goes unexplained, there's not much wrong with this. It's another solid animated Batman entry with good voice acting, music, animation and story in the Batman list of sagas.

Contender for scariest Batman film (Remember to see the uncensored version!)

[cheesecollector · 10/10 · 5 July 2022]

I'm sure Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker works as a standalone piece, but I don't know if that would make it more or less frightening. I saw it right after finishing the Batman Beyond TV series, and I legitimately worried for the titular character's safety. No one has plot armor in this futuristic world.

The setting, New Gotham, looks great. It made me love cyberpunk as a kid, and it's great fun to watch (and hear - great soundtrack). The new Batman fits right in, and his first appearance here is light, comic book fun. Then he goes down, down deep into the twisted world of the Joker (Mark Hamill).

The Joker is genuinely menacing, and he's clearly got a plan. All of the voice actors are at the top of their game to match Hamill's performance. Laughter is actually a key emotional element, not just a character quirk. It guided me as I followed the carefully-crafted story to its inevitable conclusion.

There's one laugh, one anguished laugh, that may stay with me forever. It's in a crucial scene in both the censored and uncensored versions. I don't know what they were thinking, making a censored version of this. I wouldn't show this to any young kid. It's scary stuff... but Return of the Joker is a 10/10 from me. It has so much depth, and it's a masterful exploration of these characters.

Very powerful - and poignant

[Milk_Tray_Guy · 8/10 · 25 September 2021]

I hadn't seen this in goodness knows how many years. Still holds up, with great performances, art, and animation. I find it sad seeing old Bruce, and how his life turned out, and old Barbara; so, as far as I'm concerned this is just a possible future. But that doesn't detract from what a great story it is. 8/10.