266 reviews
When "The Killing Joke" is actually about the source material, it's a decent adaptation. It's dialogue-faithful, the tone is good, and really, if they've gotten Conroy and Hamill as the two leads, you know they're taking this seriously. And that infamous scene is incredibly effective.
But it's that first half-hour that doesn't work. It's tacked-on and certainly doesn't do Batgirl or Batman any favors (the latter of whom just seems a tad creepy). This is (for better or worse) the Joker's origin story, incendiary though it is, and I can understand why they'd want to flesh out Barbara's character; but it still doesn't work because Batman doesn't recall her horrific fate later on in the movie. She's no longer relevant beyond the shock value. The intentions were there, but it could've been done better.
Within this running time, there are 45 minutes of good movie. Skip the first 30 and you don't miss a thing.
6/10
But it's that first half-hour that doesn't work. It's tacked-on and certainly doesn't do Batgirl or Batman any favors (the latter of whom just seems a tad creepy). This is (for better or worse) the Joker's origin story, incendiary though it is, and I can understand why they'd want to flesh out Barbara's character; but it still doesn't work because Batman doesn't recall her horrific fate later on in the movie. She's no longer relevant beyond the shock value. The intentions were there, but it could've been done better.
Within this running time, there are 45 minutes of good movie. Skip the first 30 and you don't miss a thing.
6/10
- Smarmelade
- Jul 21, 2016
- Permalink
- straightace
- Jul 25, 2016
- Permalink
- timdalton007
- Dec 2, 2016
- Permalink
Goddamn it.
I really wanted The Killing Joke to be DC Animation's return to greatness.
The parts that are actually The Killing Joke are great, but I just can't ignore the first 30 minutes. It felt like a random episode of a completely unrelated Batman TV show. I get that they wanted to make Batgirl more sympathetic and an actual character in the movie, rather than just a plot point, but honestly, who cares? Who gives a crap about Batgirl? She doesn't matter, she's irrelevant to the story. The Killing Joke is supposed to be about Batman's relationship with The Joker. Instead, it felt almost as If Barbara Gordon was the main character. If they didn't want to just do a direct adaptation of the novel because it'd be too short, I get it, but find another way to expand it.
But still, like I said, as soon as the actual movie starts, it's great. Hamill and Conroy were obviously great. They stole the show, specially Hamill. I didn't like Commissioner Gordon's voice though, it sounded weird.
Overall, good movie, but it should have been great.
I really wanted The Killing Joke to be DC Animation's return to greatness.
The parts that are actually The Killing Joke are great, but I just can't ignore the first 30 minutes. It felt like a random episode of a completely unrelated Batman TV show. I get that they wanted to make Batgirl more sympathetic and an actual character in the movie, rather than just a plot point, but honestly, who cares? Who gives a crap about Batgirl? She doesn't matter, she's irrelevant to the story. The Killing Joke is supposed to be about Batman's relationship with The Joker. Instead, it felt almost as If Barbara Gordon was the main character. If they didn't want to just do a direct adaptation of the novel because it'd be too short, I get it, but find another way to expand it.
But still, like I said, as soon as the actual movie starts, it's great. Hamill and Conroy were obviously great. They stole the show, specially Hamill. I didn't like Commissioner Gordon's voice though, it sounded weird.
Overall, good movie, but it should have been great.
The complete first half hour was completely unnecessary, it may have intended to add emotional weight to when Barbara got shot, but the studio could have encapsulated that in a much better way. The main antagonist of the film failed to show up until half way through the movie which made the first half utterly boring. In addition, the needless sexualization of Batgirl and her 'special' relationship with Batman was also among the list of unnecessary items that were in this movie, this also contributed to ruining the characterization of Batman. The Joker was on point as one would usually expect. However, in summation the movie fails to capture the magic that the comic presented us with.
- SpandanNath
- Jul 22, 2016
- Permalink
OK... I'll be honest: I was waiting something great and I didn't get it. Maybe because of the very high expectations that the movie just couldn't reach. There was a couple of things that bothered me. I think the important part was too short (about 45 minutes), they gave too much emphasis to the Batgirl prologue, I mean, the Joker appeared 30 minutes after the movie initiated, for God sake! Yes, there was some things from that part that I thought were interesting, I'm sure some people will hate them though. I was very uncomfortable with the inconsistency of the art style, sometimes The Joker looked amazing, sometimes... not very good; besides, the animation was very weak in several scenes, I mean like 10 fps and that's unacceptable Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy's work was the best of the movie, I can't complain about that. It was OK. But they could do it a lot better.
So obviously when i first heard about this movie, i was really pumped, and kept up with updates as it came closer to the release.
I've always loved the PG-13 animated Batman movies, and of course I hear about this one's R rating I'm wow this is going to more amazing than any ever before it.
So the time finally comes and of course I go to the one night theater showing.
Strong start, love it, some good action, funny moments. But then I notice that all the bad guys say "freaking" quite often. Was this a prelude to the rest of the movie?
Yes. It was. The R rating was a total scam. There's some brief bloody shots, like 2 actual curse words (mild too), an IMPLIED sex scene, an even what was to be considered the most controversial part of the original comic...was completely censored as well. It was PG-13 by my standards. "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Assault on Arkham" were both PG-13 and had WAYYY more blood, violence and language than this did. (Assault on Arkham also had more sexual scenes and still remained PG-13). It was just really disappointing.
The plot was really loose too. When the movie ended I was like..."wait what?" There was no climax. The rising action just quickly crashed into the falling action and ended. This just goes to show that not every comic looks good on the big screen.
Really the only thing I liked was the fact that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill were in it.
Would I recommend it? It's worth a watch, I guess. Just as long as you go into it thinking, "This is a PG-13 movie."
If you want to watch something better as far as PG-13 Animated Batman goes, "The Dark Knight Returns" (not to be confused with "The Dark Knight Rises"), "Assault on Arkham", and "Under The Red Hood" are all three very amazing movies.
I've always loved the PG-13 animated Batman movies, and of course I hear about this one's R rating I'm wow this is going to more amazing than any ever before it.
So the time finally comes and of course I go to the one night theater showing.
Strong start, love it, some good action, funny moments. But then I notice that all the bad guys say "freaking" quite often. Was this a prelude to the rest of the movie?
Yes. It was. The R rating was a total scam. There's some brief bloody shots, like 2 actual curse words (mild too), an IMPLIED sex scene, an even what was to be considered the most controversial part of the original comic...was completely censored as well. It was PG-13 by my standards. "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Assault on Arkham" were both PG-13 and had WAYYY more blood, violence and language than this did. (Assault on Arkham also had more sexual scenes and still remained PG-13). It was just really disappointing.
The plot was really loose too. When the movie ended I was like..."wait what?" There was no climax. The rising action just quickly crashed into the falling action and ended. This just goes to show that not every comic looks good on the big screen.
Really the only thing I liked was the fact that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill were in it.
Would I recommend it? It's worth a watch, I guess. Just as long as you go into it thinking, "This is a PG-13 movie."
If you want to watch something better as far as PG-13 Animated Batman goes, "The Dark Knight Returns" (not to be confused with "The Dark Knight Rises"), "Assault on Arkham", and "Under The Red Hood" are all three very amazing movies.
- sdmeshotto
- Aug 1, 2016
- Permalink
One of the most acclaimed graphic novels of all time has now come to the big screen. Not only is this one of the most acclaimed novels ever but it's one of the most controversial. The story is basically an origin tale for the infamous Batman villain, The Joker. When this movie was initially announced back at the beginning of 2016 there was some serious hype surrounding it. Especially when it received an R rating. One thing that really made me nervous though was how quickly this actually released. Obviously, it could've been in production long before it was announced back at the beginning of the year, but after seeing the film, I don't think that's the case.
The first thirty minutes of the film is a kind of prelude involving, mostly, Batgirl. It talks about how she came to quit being said superhero and draws a thread between her and Batman. Now, this story is controversial for a reason. Not only does it explore tough themes but it shows the details of these horrible things. The story in the graphic novel is brutal, uncompromising, and pretty tough to get through.
However the film is just the opposite. It tries hard to retell the story seen in the novel, yet any emotional drama is all but lost. This mainly has to do with the length of the film itself. Being only 80 minutes, it's rather short. As I said, the first thirty minutes revolves around Batgirl. And this segment of time is absolutely the worst to sit through. It's tedious, overly long, and so cliché and predictable that there's nothing remotely enjoyable.
While, this part of the film is undoubtedly the worst from a storytelling standpoint, there are a number of things that remained consistently bad throughout. Most notably was the animation. From a studio like Warner Bros you'd expect some decent art work, but not here. The back drops nor art design is well put together. It's clunky, with no style to be found.
It looks like they took the animation from a rough draft of the animated series and colored it in. This issue becomes even more clear whenever it attempts 3D animation. The other blaring issue that continues through the film is the music. Which is completely contrived and formulated to the point of it being so cliché that is, in fact not cliché.
As the film ended, a crowd that once cheered for the lights dimming, was left in stunned silence. Not a good stunned silence like you get after watching 'Gone Girl', this type of silence is the kind where people don't know what they just saw. For me, this had to do with the complete lack of any emotional resonance. When it attempts to recreate the power of the novel it fails.
It doesn't commit enough to the drama of the story. Even with its R rating it doesn't draw the same toughness the novel does. It lacks the rawness that the novel has to make it's audience queasy. It's not graphic enough to be disturbing and it's not lighthearted enough to be fun. It just bounces from scene to scene with little connecting one to another. The best way to describe it is that it goes from this scene to that scene and than it ends. That's about it. This is one film that should have been great. All the pieces are there. It has a great studio behind it, an excellent voice team, and a brilliant story. But it lacks the emotional power that the novel has. Even though it has its R rating it doesn't fully commit to it, or anything for that matter. Without coherent direction and the overall first draft vibe of the film it's hardly the experience we've been lead to believe it is.
The first thirty minutes of the film is a kind of prelude involving, mostly, Batgirl. It talks about how she came to quit being said superhero and draws a thread between her and Batman. Now, this story is controversial for a reason. Not only does it explore tough themes but it shows the details of these horrible things. The story in the graphic novel is brutal, uncompromising, and pretty tough to get through.
However the film is just the opposite. It tries hard to retell the story seen in the novel, yet any emotional drama is all but lost. This mainly has to do with the length of the film itself. Being only 80 minutes, it's rather short. As I said, the first thirty minutes revolves around Batgirl. And this segment of time is absolutely the worst to sit through. It's tedious, overly long, and so cliché and predictable that there's nothing remotely enjoyable.
While, this part of the film is undoubtedly the worst from a storytelling standpoint, there are a number of things that remained consistently bad throughout. Most notably was the animation. From a studio like Warner Bros you'd expect some decent art work, but not here. The back drops nor art design is well put together. It's clunky, with no style to be found.
It looks like they took the animation from a rough draft of the animated series and colored it in. This issue becomes even more clear whenever it attempts 3D animation. The other blaring issue that continues through the film is the music. Which is completely contrived and formulated to the point of it being so cliché that is, in fact not cliché.
As the film ended, a crowd that once cheered for the lights dimming, was left in stunned silence. Not a good stunned silence like you get after watching 'Gone Girl', this type of silence is the kind where people don't know what they just saw. For me, this had to do with the complete lack of any emotional resonance. When it attempts to recreate the power of the novel it fails.
It doesn't commit enough to the drama of the story. Even with its R rating it doesn't draw the same toughness the novel does. It lacks the rawness that the novel has to make it's audience queasy. It's not graphic enough to be disturbing and it's not lighthearted enough to be fun. It just bounces from scene to scene with little connecting one to another. The best way to describe it is that it goes from this scene to that scene and than it ends. That's about it. This is one film that should have been great. All the pieces are there. It has a great studio behind it, an excellent voice team, and a brilliant story. But it lacks the emotional power that the novel has. Even though it has its R rating it doesn't fully commit to it, or anything for that matter. Without coherent direction and the overall first draft vibe of the film it's hardly the experience we've been lead to believe it is.
- Rendanlovell
- Jul 24, 2016
- Permalink
First, It is important to say that I'm not a geek, a huge HQ fan, or anything like that. So, if you want a review done by an expert, this is not the review for you. Otherwise, if you appreciate an honest review you can keep reading. Batman the killing joke is a great adaptation to the screens of a very successful HQ. The humanity that the plot line conveyed to the joker, mainly at the end of the movie, was surprising. This was the high point of the movie for me. His philosophy that states we should embrace the chaos through madness is well built and you can understand his answer to all the randomness around us. At the end of this movie, you will probably even feel bad for the guy. Perhaps, you might even been convinced that, as the joker says, "we really are just one bad day away from being him". Ps: English is not my first language, so don't mind the mistakes.
- wanderlazaro
- Jul 22, 2016
- Permalink
Batman goes on the hunt for The Joker who is kidnapping and torturing Commissioner Gordon and his family in a similar way to his own descent into madness.
One thing that immediately stands out about this film is how much it seems to want to be like the graphic novel that it is adapted from. This is because the dialogue seems like it has literally been taken from the novel itself and copied word for word, this is accompanied by animation that looks like it's just a moving version of panels from the original comics/ Killing Joke graphic novel. It basically seems to be a direct literal adaptation of Alan Moore's famous, classic novel. This might majorly stand out at the start of this film adaptation because the first 30 minutes of the film seem to be a bit slow and just a long build up and introduction to the lives of Batman and Batgirl/ Barbara Gordon and so later plot details are further understood or emotional pain for certain characters is deepened because of this connection with the characters. In fact the connection with the characters in this film isn't really that strong and at times they just seem to be there ,even Batman has this feeling when he is present in some scenes, this can also be said for the character of the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill) he might be one of the best things about the film but he doesn't seem very understandable in his actions and motives until later in the film when his backstory ,if it is even his real one due to the character previously making up many different backstories making him more mysterious and in some cases creepy, is revealed and we see what his life was previously like and what drew him into the state of madness that has made him one of the most famous and iconic on-screen and comic book villains ever. As this is done the character of The Joker gets better and better and more enjoyable and the same can be said for the rest of the film as more is revealed and as more events unravel/ occur the pace gets quicker and the film gets better and more entertaining pulling the audience in and providing a more detective style superhero film which at times feels fresh, new and different.
If you ignore the first 30 minutes then Batman: The Killing Joke is a fresh animated superhero film that not only shows a new side to the character of The Joker but puts him centre stage as the star of the show. Overall it might have a dodgy script and seem like a literal direct lazy adaptation at times but it's an enjoyable film with some highly entertaining moments.
*** <-- Three Stars (Out of Five)
One thing that immediately stands out about this film is how much it seems to want to be like the graphic novel that it is adapted from. This is because the dialogue seems like it has literally been taken from the novel itself and copied word for word, this is accompanied by animation that looks like it's just a moving version of panels from the original comics/ Killing Joke graphic novel. It basically seems to be a direct literal adaptation of Alan Moore's famous, classic novel. This might majorly stand out at the start of this film adaptation because the first 30 minutes of the film seem to be a bit slow and just a long build up and introduction to the lives of Batman and Batgirl/ Barbara Gordon and so later plot details are further understood or emotional pain for certain characters is deepened because of this connection with the characters. In fact the connection with the characters in this film isn't really that strong and at times they just seem to be there ,even Batman has this feeling when he is present in some scenes, this can also be said for the character of the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill) he might be one of the best things about the film but he doesn't seem very understandable in his actions and motives until later in the film when his backstory ,if it is even his real one due to the character previously making up many different backstories making him more mysterious and in some cases creepy, is revealed and we see what his life was previously like and what drew him into the state of madness that has made him one of the most famous and iconic on-screen and comic book villains ever. As this is done the character of The Joker gets better and better and more enjoyable and the same can be said for the rest of the film as more is revealed and as more events unravel/ occur the pace gets quicker and the film gets better and more entertaining pulling the audience in and providing a more detective style superhero film which at times feels fresh, new and different.
If you ignore the first 30 minutes then Batman: The Killing Joke is a fresh animated superhero film that not only shows a new side to the character of The Joker but puts him centre stage as the star of the show. Overall it might have a dodgy script and seem like a literal direct lazy adaptation at times but it's an enjoyable film with some highly entertaining moments.
*** <-- Three Stars (Out of Five)
- JustALittleBitRandom
- Aug 7, 2016
- Permalink
I was a fan of the graphic novel, so I will admit that already set a high bar to please me. I would never have considered watching it but for the voice talents of Hamill and Conroy.
So I got comfortable and watched, hoping to be 'disturbed.' I was...but not in the manner which I had been expecting. It was FLAT. Like a soda you enjoy left open in a warm room allowed to lose every bubble of carbonation as well as achieve a temperature of lukewarm tepid. My mind wished I could somehow spit it out now. But no... It is there now. Any fond memories of the graphic novel...gone. Replaced with this.
Keeping this "spoiler free" was extraordinarily easy as it is already a spoiled mire of good talent and incredible source material wasted.
So I got comfortable and watched, hoping to be 'disturbed.' I was...but not in the manner which I had been expecting. It was FLAT. Like a soda you enjoy left open in a warm room allowed to lose every bubble of carbonation as well as achieve a temperature of lukewarm tepid. My mind wished I could somehow spit it out now. But no... It is there now. Any fond memories of the graphic novel...gone. Replaced with this.
Keeping this "spoiler free" was extraordinarily easy as it is already a spoiled mire of good talent and incredible source material wasted.
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
*** (out of 4)
An already bad situation for Batman turns even worse when he realizes that the Joker has escaped and is on the streets again.
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE pretty much came out of nowhere and become a huge hit to fans and critics. I guess it's easy to see why so many positive vibes would go towards this animated film and especially since so many people were unhappy with BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. With that said, as good as this film is I still think it has been overrated by some who are calling it a masterpiece.
Still, there's no question that this is a highly entertaining movie that manages to keep you glued to the personal drama effecting Batman and there's also the great rivalry with the Joker. These aspects is what keeps the film moving at such a good pace and I really thought the Joker character was highly entertaining and sinister just the way he should be. Mark Hamill does a very good job with the vocal work on the Joker and I thought Tara Strong was also very good with Batgirl.
The animation is top notch as you'd expect and the screenplay allowed the darkness of the city to blend in with the characters. This darker approach is something that "some" people don't like but I thought it was perfectly suited for the animation. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE is a darn good film and one that more people should check out.
*** (out of 4)
An already bad situation for Batman turns even worse when he realizes that the Joker has escaped and is on the streets again.
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE pretty much came out of nowhere and become a huge hit to fans and critics. I guess it's easy to see why so many positive vibes would go towards this animated film and especially since so many people were unhappy with BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. With that said, as good as this film is I still think it has been overrated by some who are calling it a masterpiece.
Still, there's no question that this is a highly entertaining movie that manages to keep you glued to the personal drama effecting Batman and there's also the great rivalry with the Joker. These aspects is what keeps the film moving at such a good pace and I really thought the Joker character was highly entertaining and sinister just the way he should be. Mark Hamill does a very good job with the vocal work on the Joker and I thought Tara Strong was also very good with Batgirl.
The animation is top notch as you'd expect and the screenplay allowed the darkness of the city to blend in with the characters. This darker approach is something that "some" people don't like but I thought it was perfectly suited for the animation. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE is a darn good film and one that more people should check out.
- Michael_Elliott
- Sep 17, 2016
- Permalink
- darkreignn
- Nov 6, 2020
- Permalink
First off, this is not the best Batman movie there is. Neither is this the best Joker movie. But it is a good movie. I don't understand the First Act of the movie, it is weird and there had nothing except a little bit of character development that was not really required. Other than that I don't have, pretty much, any problem with this movie. I love the Joker in this movie and the story they created for him. I like the character arcs and I like the Batman.
But what I find absolutely incredible about this movie is its ending, trust me you will not be able to predict its ending no matter how many predictions you have. And I loved that about this movie. if you like Batman and if you like comic book movies you definitely should watch it. I mean, I enjoyed it and I think you will. So yes, give it a watch.
But what I find absolutely incredible about this movie is its ending, trust me you will not be able to predict its ending no matter how many predictions you have. And I loved that about this movie. if you like Batman and if you like comic book movies you definitely should watch it. I mean, I enjoyed it and I think you will. So yes, give it a watch.
- deepumpoudel
- Jul 22, 2016
- Permalink
This was staged to be the darkest batman ever but i have seen darker mainly "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1&2". It wasn't bad it just didn't deliver promises, Mark Hamill was perfect as always in the role of joker. There is a end credits scene that teases future films. IMO: it is a good film i would even stretch to call it a great film (compared to DC's releases this year) but if you are looking for a dark and gritty i would recommend Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 and for live action i would recommend Christopher Nolan's trilogy my favorite character in this film was either bat-girl or joker as they shined the most out of anyone. its R rating was earned due to partial nudity a heavily implied sex scene (it doesn't show us anything) and gore. 7/10
- rippermaster-121-980673
- Jul 22, 2016
- Permalink
I am not much into Batman, but I wanted to watch this because of all the hype of it being R-rated and because I liked the trailer. It is a bit longer than an hour and in it there are only defective people. The R-ratedness was not really something that I noticed, really. Maybe because I am from Europe. It just seemed a normal violent hero movie.
I could go into the Joker origin story, I could understand the senpai fixation of Bat-Girl, I could even get Batman's uberdominant stance - I mean, it's his signature mark. What I couldn't get was the ending. It completely went as nuts as Joker himself and deconstructed the entire Batman universe.
Now here come mild spoilers: Batman almost wants to get killed walking calmly into what is clearly a trap, only to finally catch the Joker and then... he talks to him. The reason for it is because he knows at one time or another he will kill Joker or viceversa. But that pretty much dissolves the reason Batman does anything he does. If he knows jails won't hold the Joker, why is he jailing him all the time?
The entire film underlines the futility of every character's efforts and even life. Batman jails people only for them to always get away, Batgirl does things for the kicks and then she loses them, Joker doesn't understand why a sociopath like him is the joke of the story and the other - Batman - is a hero, the gangsters go through the motions only to be foiled at the end, almost expecting it, and Gordon fails in everything: as a father, as a cop and as an upholder of order.
Bottom line: the joke at the end... it's not funny. I feel it was intentional and therefore my analysis holds ground: this is a story that outlines the pointlessness of the Batman universe and if you look into the story of the writer, it may very well be what he had meant all along. The Killing Joke was supposed to kill Batman, the comic book.
I could go into the Joker origin story, I could understand the senpai fixation of Bat-Girl, I could even get Batman's uberdominant stance - I mean, it's his signature mark. What I couldn't get was the ending. It completely went as nuts as Joker himself and deconstructed the entire Batman universe.
Now here come mild spoilers: Batman almost wants to get killed walking calmly into what is clearly a trap, only to finally catch the Joker and then... he talks to him. The reason for it is because he knows at one time or another he will kill Joker or viceversa. But that pretty much dissolves the reason Batman does anything he does. If he knows jails won't hold the Joker, why is he jailing him all the time?
The entire film underlines the futility of every character's efforts and even life. Batman jails people only for them to always get away, Batgirl does things for the kicks and then she loses them, Joker doesn't understand why a sociopath like him is the joke of the story and the other - Batman - is a hero, the gangsters go through the motions only to be foiled at the end, almost expecting it, and Gordon fails in everything: as a father, as a cop and as an upholder of order.
Bottom line: the joke at the end... it's not funny. I feel it was intentional and therefore my analysis holds ground: this is a story that outlines the pointlessness of the Batman universe and if you look into the story of the writer, it may very well be what he had meant all along. The Killing Joke was supposed to kill Batman, the comic book.
I have been waiting for this movie since i saw the trailer. Movie is well designed and its very well plotted. Obviously it has some disturbing scenes, but that's what make this movie intense.
It more about proving a point. Half the movie is narrated by Bat girl.
Joker wants to prove a point and as always he fails. Its about madness. Which is not by choice.
Epic rivalry between batman and joker, turns into a very mature understanding. But this is a point that they can not go back where they have started.
The joker's past is a really sad. All and all its the one of the best DC movie. I am a Batman fan. Maybe i am biased. But who cares.
It more about proving a point. Half the movie is narrated by Bat girl.
Joker wants to prove a point and as always he fails. Its about madness. Which is not by choice.
Epic rivalry between batman and joker, turns into a very mature understanding. But this is a point that they can not go back where they have started.
The joker's past is a really sad. All and all its the one of the best DC movie. I am a Batman fan. Maybe i am biased. But who cares.
- pcinpocket
- Jul 21, 2016
- Permalink
Before you read this review it should be noted that as of the time I am writing this review I have not read the graphic novel on which The Killing Joke is based.
Going into this movie I was hoping for one of the best Batman films I've ever seen, and while Batman: The Killing Joke was very good, it was also somewhat underwhelming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed myself thoroughly throughout the movie and there wasn't anything in particular that I truly disliked, but I was still left wanting more.
That said, there were still many elements of this film that I greatly enjoyed. Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, returning as the Joker and Batman respectively, gave truly outstanding performances, as to be expected from the two of them. This provided a bittersweet sendoff for Mark Hamill's Joker, as he has said this will be his last time voicing the character.
Speaking of characters, the Joker has been my all time favorite villain for a long time now, and this film does nothing but strengthen that opinion. I will not go into detail in order to avoid spoilers but this film proves to me that there is no greater hero/villain relationship out there than between Batman and the Joker. Batgirl is also given much needed development as she is a very underused character in all forms of Batman media. Even Commissioner Gordon is also given at least a few moments of characterization. However if I had one gripe with any of the characters, it is with Batman being somewhat underutilized as a character until the final act. Now I know that a character like Batman doesn't need much development as he has had so much already in other media, but this movie doesn't feel like a Batman movie as much as it does a movie which just so happens to have Batman in it. In fact, if anything this is a Joker and Batgirl movie, which is fine, as long as the title of the movie doesn't have Batman's name in it, which it does. Honestly this is just my own biased opinion and I'm sure not many people will sympathize with it as there is no real problem with Batman other than this one little detail that I happened to notice.
On an animation level the film is just slightly better than most DC Animation films. But the art is another story. This film does a great job of portraying emotion in it's characters, particularly fear. I can't go any further into that without delving into spoiler territory, so I'll just leave it at that.
Something that I most greatly appreciated about the film was it's ending. I dare not spoil it, but let's just say it left me with goosebumps.
In short, Batman: The Killing Joke is a very good film and worth watching, but not with your kids, this film earned it's R rating, not so much as Deadpool, but it certainly went beyond PG-13. So lower your expectations, rent or buy this film, and enjoy.
The End
Going into this movie I was hoping for one of the best Batman films I've ever seen, and while Batman: The Killing Joke was very good, it was also somewhat underwhelming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed myself thoroughly throughout the movie and there wasn't anything in particular that I truly disliked, but I was still left wanting more.
That said, there were still many elements of this film that I greatly enjoyed. Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, returning as the Joker and Batman respectively, gave truly outstanding performances, as to be expected from the two of them. This provided a bittersweet sendoff for Mark Hamill's Joker, as he has said this will be his last time voicing the character.
Speaking of characters, the Joker has been my all time favorite villain for a long time now, and this film does nothing but strengthen that opinion. I will not go into detail in order to avoid spoilers but this film proves to me that there is no greater hero/villain relationship out there than between Batman and the Joker. Batgirl is also given much needed development as she is a very underused character in all forms of Batman media. Even Commissioner Gordon is also given at least a few moments of characterization. However if I had one gripe with any of the characters, it is with Batman being somewhat underutilized as a character until the final act. Now I know that a character like Batman doesn't need much development as he has had so much already in other media, but this movie doesn't feel like a Batman movie as much as it does a movie which just so happens to have Batman in it. In fact, if anything this is a Joker and Batgirl movie, which is fine, as long as the title of the movie doesn't have Batman's name in it, which it does. Honestly this is just my own biased opinion and I'm sure not many people will sympathize with it as there is no real problem with Batman other than this one little detail that I happened to notice.
On an animation level the film is just slightly better than most DC Animation films. But the art is another story. This film does a great job of portraying emotion in it's characters, particularly fear. I can't go any further into that without delving into spoiler territory, so I'll just leave it at that.
Something that I most greatly appreciated about the film was it's ending. I dare not spoil it, but let's just say it left me with goosebumps.
In short, Batman: The Killing Joke is a very good film and worth watching, but not with your kids, this film earned it's R rating, not so much as Deadpool, but it certainly went beyond PG-13. So lower your expectations, rent or buy this film, and enjoy.
The End
- cronindaniel
- Jul 25, 2016
- Permalink
This movie is awful. As a stand alone movie, it's weak and ineffective. As an adaptation, it's a travesty.
What should be a deep, poignant movie that reflects on the nature of good and evil, why we become what we become, whether free will exists and other fascinating themes, becomes a lame action movie full of fan service, bad writing, bad characterization and terrible pacing.
This movie is doomed by a complete misunderstanding of what made the comic great, a bad writer and total lack of respect for its characters (especially Barbara Gordon).
Everything great about the comic was done poorly or taken out. And all the additions are awful.
A fan of the comic will hate it and a newcomer will just wonder why the hell the comic is considered a masterpiece, if this is the story people raved about for 30 years.
Animation is decent and voice acting is good, so I gave it a 4/10 out of respect for those things.
But this one of the worst things ever produced by DC.
What should be a deep, poignant movie that reflects on the nature of good and evil, why we become what we become, whether free will exists and other fascinating themes, becomes a lame action movie full of fan service, bad writing, bad characterization and terrible pacing.
This movie is doomed by a complete misunderstanding of what made the comic great, a bad writer and total lack of respect for its characters (especially Barbara Gordon).
Everything great about the comic was done poorly or taken out. And all the additions are awful.
A fan of the comic will hate it and a newcomer will just wonder why the hell the comic is considered a masterpiece, if this is the story people raved about for 30 years.
Animation is decent and voice acting is good, so I gave it a 4/10 out of respect for those things.
But this one of the worst things ever produced by DC.
- Hellspawn92
- Apr 14, 2017
- Permalink
Although this movie is not perfect by any means, it adapts most of the short graphic novel into a decent animated movie. Performances are amazing as always with Mark Hamill blowing everyone away again. People are however furious with this scene that takes place between TDK and BG, which I don't really see an issue with. In the comics and on some traditional media I do feel some sort of tension between these two and even though it might be a little out in left field it doesn't ruin it at all. I personally really enjoyed the film as an avid comic book reader and fan of Batman. Everyone calm the f*** down, it's just a movie, and it's fine.
- webhead-43310
- Jul 23, 2016
- Permalink
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed in this one. Which is frustrating, because as a whole it was actually pretty good, but there were some problems that really should not have been there. The Killing Joke is my all-time favorite graphic novel. I have read and re-read it dozens of times, so when I heard DC was making a Killing Joke movie, I was ecstatic. When I heard they got Kevin Conroy (the one true Batman) and Mark Hamill (the best Joker ever) for it? I literally ran around squeeing with joy-- and I'm a grown man. When I caught wind of the special, one-night-only event to see it in theaters? I pulled out my wallet and got tickets, because my favorite Batman thing ever was going to be a movie. It's never fair to expect perfection of a movie adaptation, so I let myself go along for the ride as it started with a Batgirl story. I nodded, thinking "Cool, this'll set up the Killing Joke stuff that happens with her to have more emotional weight." And it should have, but then it went in a direction I still feel very uncomfortable with every time I think about it-- spoiler: Batman and Batgirl have sex. Okaaaaayyyy.... Yeah, no, that should only happen in the context of Dick Grayson being Batman when Bruce has disappeared. There is an uncomfortably large age gap, it's not true to the characters, and it's just weird. Even though the story keeps showing us Barbara wanting it, it's still not right because of everything about who they are as characters. Then, after that... interesting... encounter, we move into the actual Killing Joke turf. I will say that section was well-adapted and definitely worth watching. But another complaint about this movie is that the art quality was very inconsistent, and often was downright bad. Did I expect it to look exactly like the graphic novel? No. But did I want it to be at least on the higher-quality end of the scale for DC animated movies? Of course I did, and it was probably the worst looking one to date.
- thesuperskamaster
- Jan 1, 2017
- Permalink
- MackMonMay87
- Jul 25, 2016
- Permalink
I have read the graphic novel from which this film comes, but it has been years and I did not bring anything to this film version other than the hope that it would be a good film. I also didn't care that it got an R-rating in the US; I cannot think of a film that was 'good' simply because it was graphic, and those excited that a franchise got such a rating are really missing the point. Anyway, watching the film was a serious disappointment. The first half was dull and lacking anything that really linked to the second half in a satisfying manner. I really do not care whether or not it is in the source material, for me it was more that it was dull and disconnected. The second half I the film proper and to be fair it is better, but not as good as it needed to be.
There is a real lack of grit and atmosphere in the delivery. For all the time spent with Batgirl, the film could have fleshed out dialogue, horrors, and conflict between the characters. Instead this felt truncated and lacking roots. For all the potential in the led two, there was little delivered but yet just enough to indicate what it could have been. It felt rushed, which may have been true because the film as a whole has a cheap feeling. The animation has little character or depth, and looked basic in both detail but also in movement. Searching online as to why, it seems that the animation was every 4 frames, which contributes to a choppy feel despite reducing cost. The voice work is good throughout, just a shame not to have a better product to deliver.
The Killing Joke had a lot of hype, most of which I ignored. Even with no preconceptions and reasonable expectations though, the film didn't deliver, and feels cheap, rushed, and poorly filled out.
There is a real lack of grit and atmosphere in the delivery. For all the time spent with Batgirl, the film could have fleshed out dialogue, horrors, and conflict between the characters. Instead this felt truncated and lacking roots. For all the potential in the led two, there was little delivered but yet just enough to indicate what it could have been. It felt rushed, which may have been true because the film as a whole has a cheap feeling. The animation has little character or depth, and looked basic in both detail but also in movement. Searching online as to why, it seems that the animation was every 4 frames, which contributes to a choppy feel despite reducing cost. The voice work is good throughout, just a shame not to have a better product to deliver.
The Killing Joke had a lot of hype, most of which I ignored. Even with no preconceptions and reasonable expectations though, the film didn't deliver, and feels cheap, rushed, and poorly filled out.
- bob the moo
- Oct 22, 2016
- Permalink