It’s basically the 90s in comics all over again, when creators thought “maturity” equalled sex and violence. Superman is less about forgiveness and more about shoving tridents down people’s throats. The running time is 1 hour and 20 minutes.īuy a copy of my book, "Straight-Up Blatant: Musings From The Aisle Seat," on sale now at ! Paperback and Kindle editions also available at Amazon.What’s the easiest criticism you can throw at DC Entertainment’s new animated films? Simple: They’re too grim and gritty. Robin is rated PG-13 for intense action and violence, suggestive images and thematic elements. Robin is an all-around quality package, one that comes highly recommended for fans of animated superhero fare.īatman vs. A vintage Bugs Bunny cartoon, Super-Rabbit, is here as well.īatman vs. ![]() The disc rounds out with “From the DC Comics Vault,” which is four episodes from DC animated shows: Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, and Young Justice. You'll also find an 11-minute sneak peak at the upcoming Justice League: Gods and Monsters, which promises to be a darker, grittier take on the League than we've seen in these films thus far. Various experts and DC officials appear to give a more complete perspective on the origin and meaning of the Court. “Gotham City's Secret: The Mythic Court of Owls” and “The Talons of the Owls” are segments (the former 30 minutes, the latter 15) that provide extensive background on the secret society and its place in Batman lore. Robin is terrific entertainment for fans of the DC animated series.Ī solid assortment of bonus materials can be found on the Blu-Ray, starting off with audio commentary from DC Entertainment's Creative Director of Animation Mike Carlin, director Oliva, and producer James Tucker. (In fairness to the young actor, few, if any, kids could pull off such a task.) The film as a whole would have been stronger with a slightly older actor playing this part.īeyond that, though, Batman vs. His attempts at sounding tough are not convincing. Stuart Allen has too much of a chirpy, happy-kid voice to be credible as 10-year-old trained to be a ruthless assassin. The primary flaw here – and it's not a small one – is the weak voice work used for Robin. You even get a cameo from “Weird Al” Yankovic, who plays the villain known as the Dollmaker in the movie's prologue. The action scenes are impressively elaborate it's astonishing how similar they can look/feel to their live-action counterparts. Robin is very nicely animated, with a visual style that reflects the mature subject matter of the plot. DeMatteis doesn't water down the darker elements.īatman vs. The movie gets a lot of drama out of this set-up, and the screenplay by J.M. Robin, partially based on the Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo story arc entitled Batman: The Court of Owls, makes great use of the concept, allowing it to drive a wedge between the philosophies of Damian (who has been bred to seek vengeance) and Batman (who thinks they need to be better than their enemies). Comprised of Gotham's wealthiest and most politically-connected individuals, it operates in secret to make sure the balance of power continues to favor its members. The Court of Owls has always been one of the best concepts ever introduced into the world of Batman. Batman gets wind of what's happening and sets out to prevent it, only to discover that his young charge is seriously considering the invite. The situation comes to a head when a shadow organization called the Court of Owls – which is dedicated to violently eradicating criminals in Gotham – targets Damian for inclusion in their group. He resents his father's attempts to rein him in. Damian is pushing boundaries, sneaking out of Wayne Mansion at night, and coming perilously close to killing bad guys. Bruce Wayne (voiced by Jason O'Mara) now has his son, Damian (Stuart Allen), living with him and working as Robin. ![]() The plot picks up where the last installment, Son of Batman, left off. Bolstered by a compelling story that features one of the most intriguing elements in Batman mythology, the film, which comes to Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on April 14, ranks among the best in the series so far. Robin, the latest in a series of made-for-DVD animated adventures featuring some of the company's best-loved characters. The DC Universe gets a big boost with Batman Vs. Own it on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD & Digital HD April 14
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