BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS - PART 2 (ANIMATED FILM)
Summary
The second of a two-part animated superhero film based on the graphic novel of the same name, about an aged Batman coming out of retirement in a nightmarish, dystopian version of Gotham City.
Three months after Batman's fight with the Mutant leader the remaining Mutants have splintered into various gangs, including the vigilante Sons of Batman. The Joker, now awakened from his catatonic state and seemingly rehabilitated, asks Dr. Wolper to arrange a guest appearance on a late-night talk show, and Dr. Wolper agrees. The President of the United States contemplates action against Batman. He asks Superman, now a loyal agent of the United States government, to confront Batman. Several ex-mutants, now part of a neo-Nazi gang, try to rob a liquor store but are stopped by Batman. He chases their leader, an imposing woman called "Bruno," through the streets to find out what the Joker's plans are for his talk show appearance. They end up in a sewer system and their fight is interrupted by the arrival of Superman, who easily incapacitates Bruno. Batman, unhappy that he has been interrupted, asks Superman to meet him the following morning at Wayne Manor.
The United States and the Soviet Union become embroiled over the small Latin American island of Corto Maltese, resulting in a diplomatic breakdown. The Soviets, angered at the American military presence in the island, promise full military retaliation. Although the president denies it, Batman has violated an agreement made ten years ago between the Justice League and the United States government in which they agreed to cease their activities. The responsibility for dealing with Batman now rests with Ellen Yindel, who is officially named commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department as James Gordon retires. At the party to commemorate this event, Gordon talks about his alliance with Batman and how he believes it has been ultimately positive, but Commissioner Yindel views Batman as a criminal; her first official act as police commissioner is to put out a warrant for Batman's arrest.
Superman and Batman meet at the ranch of Wayne Manor to discuss the current situation. Superman asks Batman to go back into retirement, fearing that he may endanger innocent people by flouting the will of the government. Batman points out that not all the heroes cooperated with the government's measures, particularly Oliver Queen, formerly Green Arrow, and that they are all equally guilty. Superman warns that he may be ordered to stop Batman, but Batman seems unafraid. The United States and Soviet forces in Corto Maltese engage in combat and Superman is deployed to fight against the Russian forces. Meanwhile, one of the Joker's former cronies, Morrie, prepares a special lipstick for him for an unknown purpose. On the night of the Joker's talk show appearance, Commissioner Yindel and her police force is on hand on the studio roof, expecting Batman to arrive. Morrie sends a pair of flying robot dolls into the television studio, spewing gas from their mouths. Batman and Robin fly to the roof in a cloaked helicopter and Batman jumps out to attack the police. At first he deals with them handily, but soon finds himself being chased by Yindel and her men.
The Joker and Dr. Wolper make their appearance on the talk show, and the Joker calmly threatens to kill everyone in the room. Suddenly the Joker breaks a coffee mug and uses it to slit Dr. Wolper's throat. The robot dolls fly in and spread the Joker's gas throughout the studio, killing the host and every member of the studio audience and freezing their faces in hideous grins. Meanwhile, Robin hacks into Batman's helicopter and uses it to rescue him from the police. They are able to escape from the police helicopters. Superman continues to battle the Russians off the coast of Corto Maltese, easily destroying their aircraft carriers. The Joker escapes the studio and confronts Selina Kyle, now the head of an escort agency. He applies his lipstick and kisses her; the lipstick has a sort of hypnotic effect on Selina, forcing her to obey his commands. Batman watches new coverage of the Joker's killing spree and vows to stop him. The Joker has one of Selina's employees apply the hypnotic lipstick to a congressman, thus manipulating him into stepping out onto a building ledge and demanding a full nuclear strike on Corto Maltese. When the police try to stop him he slips and falls to his death.
Batman disguises himself as a police lieutenant and finds out from Commissioner Yindel that they traced the cause of the incident with the congressman to Selina. Commissioner Yindel soon realizes who Batman is and tries to give chase, but he escapes her again. Batman and Robin reach Selina's escort agency before the police and find her bound, gagged, and dressed as Wonder Woman. She tells them about the Joker and his lipstick, and soon Batman and Robin determine that the Joker has fled to a nearby fairground. Commissioner Yindel and her men break into the escort agency and attack Batman and Robin, but they manage to escape yet again, although Robin nearly falls to her death in the process.
They find the Joker at the fairground, and the Joker sends Morrie and the robot dolls to deal with Robin while he faces Batman himself. Batman chases the Joker throughout the fairground, who keeps killing despite being impaired by a batarang in his eye. Robin prevents Morrie and his robots from blowing up a roller coaster and fends off Morrie himself, accidentally killing him. The Joker leads Batman into a hall of mirrors, where he tries to use a little boy as a human shield. Batman attacks Joker but gets shot in the chest in the process. With both combatants heavily injured, the fight continues when the Joker leads Batman into a tunnel of love. Batman confronts him there, explaining that he feels as though he's allowed hundreds to die by allowing the Joker to live. After a brutal fight with several vicious injuries on both sides, Batman ends it by breaking the Joker's neck, leaving him paralyzed. The Joker still believes he has achieved a sort of victory by making Batman lose control, and commits suicide by further twisting his already-broken neck, making it appear as though Batman has killed him. Batman succumbs to his injuries and passes out.
He awakens just in time to see Commissioner Yindel and her force inspecting the tunnel. He asks Robin to ready the helicopter and manages to hide to avoid detection. The Joker's body bursts into flames when one of the police officers touches it. Commissioner Yindel finds Batman and a fight ensues, with Batman setting off explosives to distract and incapacitate the police. The fight continues outside the tunnel as the injured Batman stumbles through the police blockade while Robin blows up the police cars with the helicopter's missiles, providing cover fire for Batman. Amidst the chaotic fight Robin manages to get Batman out of there and back to the Batcave. Alfred tends to Batman's wounds, proclaiming that he will live. The mayor of Gotham authorizes the use of state troops to capture Batman, whom Commissioner Yindel now believes is a murderer.
The President of the United States announces that U. S. forces have forced the Soviet army out of Corto Maltese, but that they have retaliated by firing a nuclear missile at the island. Superman intercepts the missile and drags it into the upper atmosphere. It detonates, sending an electromagnetic pulse earthward, disabling all electricity across the United States, including Gotham City. Superman is caught in the very center of the explosion and is sent hurtling towards the earth in an emaciated state. He soon manages to recover some of his strength, seemingly by drawing energy from the earth itself. Batman awakens and quickly deduces what has transpired. He and Robin mount horses from the Wayne ranch and ride them into the city. Widespread looting and anarchy swiftly takes hold in Gotham City, leaving the police powerless to intervene. Gordon is out on the street during all this, witnessing his neighborhood as it descends into madness.
The Sons of Batman hold a meeting, planning to take advantage of the blackout to violently take over the city. They are interrupted by Batman, who takes control of the group and asks them to help him enforce law and order in the city. He asks them to dispose of their guns, calling them "the weapons of cowards." The Sons of Batman rally behind Batman. During the confusion, a large number of Mutants manage to escape from police custody and run amok, setting fires wherever they go. A brutal fight between a group of looters and Mutants is interrupted by Batman, Robin, and the Sons of Batman, who incapacitate combatants on both sides. Gordon gets his neighbors to stop looting and organizes them into putting out the fires spreading throughout their neighborhood. Batman recruits volunteers from the looters and Mutants in order to help him and the Sons of Batman. Commissioner Yindel, viewing Batman's actions from afar, decides not to intervene. Gordon is horror-stricken to find his apartment building is on fire, as he believes that his wife is still inside. However, he finds that she made it outside safely, and they embrace.
One week later the United States finds itself in the grip of a nuclear winter. Every city in the nation except Gotham has fallen into anarchy, and martial law does nothing to stem the tide of violence. Batman's influence and leadership has prevented Gotham from falling into ruin. In some places, electricity begins to come back on line. The president, feeling embarrassed by the example set by Gotham City and Batman, orders Superman to stop Batman by any means necessary. Meanwhile, Batman tracks down Oliver Queen, now an embittered one-armed vigilante still illegally fighting crime. He is particularly bitter at Superman and wants the opportunity to get a modicum of revenge on him, which Batman promises. Both he and Batman know that the government will deploy Superman to kill him. While outside with Carrie, Batman receives a message from Superman in the form of the word "where?" carved into the ground with his heat vision. Batman asks Superman to meet him in Crime Alley.
Batman and Alfred prepare a robotic exoskeleton to augment his strength; Batman is counting on the fact that Superman has not yet fully recovered from the nuclear explosion he endured. He also takes a pill which will have some sort of effect on him within the hour. The army evacuates Crime Alley and blacks out all news media. Batman and Robin drive the Batmobile through the street, observed by the military. He implies to Robin that he will not survive his confrontation with Superman. Superman arrives and Batman begins his assault with a series of automated missiles, which succeed in shooting Superman out of the sky. Meanwhile, Alfred activates a series of explosives to destroy Wayne Manor in less than nine minutes. Robin attacks Superman with the Batmobile's cannons, but Superman tosses the vehicle aside. Batman then attacks with a sonic gun to overload Superman's super-hearing. When this fails, Batamn hooks up his exoskeleton to the city's power grid and uses the city's entire electrical mainframe to electrocute Superman. Alfred takes a last wistful look at old photographs of Bruce and his parents before leaving the manor.
Batman tries to convince Superman that the authority he is serving is without merit, but Superman breaks free of Batman's hold and their fight continues. At first they seem evenly matched, tearing through buildings with ease, but eventually Superman seems to gain the upper hand. Robin drives off in the Batmobile and is chased by the military. Oliver, armed with his bow and arrows, tries to set up a sniping position on a nearby rooftop, but is chased off by several soldiers. He is shot in the leg but manages to hang upside-down from a fire escape. Just when it seems that Superman has defeated Batman, Oliver fires a Kryptonite-tipped arrow at Superman, bringing him to his knees. Batman explains that he spent years synthetically producing Kryptonite in order to give Superman "a taste of mortality." Robin picks up Oliver and they escape the military pursuit. Batman explains to Superman that he could have easily altered his strategy to kill him, but chose not to. He orders Superman to stay out of his affairs in the coming years, to "remember the man who beat you." Superman notices trouble in Batman's heart, and suddenly he apparently suffers a heart attack and dies. Wayne Manor is destroyed and Alfred suddenly collapses dead from a stroke.
A funeral is held for Bruce Wayne, and his identity as Batman is revealed. With the manor destroyed, all of Batman's secrets are lost forever. At the conclusion of the funeral, only Superman, appearing as Clark Kent, and Carrie remain. Superman is about to walk away when he hears a heartbeat coming from Bruce Wayne's grave. He winks at Carrie to let her know that Bruce is still alive. Bruce, Carrie, and Oliver form a movement of Sons of Batmans and ex-Mutants, establishing an underground base to serve as a new Batcave. Bruce, now forgoing the Batman identity, hopes to work in "quieter" ways, teaching the Sons of Batman all his crime-fighting techniques so they can continue the task of protecting Gotham City. The film ends as Bruce muses that he has chosen a "good life" for himself.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 2012
- RUNNING TIME: 1:15:41
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 109974
- GENRE: Animation
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animation
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sam Register … Executive Producer
- Bruce Timm … Executive Producer
- Benjamin Melinker … Executive Producer
- Michael Uslan … Executive Producer
- Alan Burnett … Co-Producer
- Michael Macasero … Associate Producer
- Jay Oliva … Director
- Andrea Romano … Voice Director
- Ho Se-Il … Animation Director
- Kang Seong-Gi … Animation Director
- Choi Gyeong-Ho … Animation Director
- Yoo Seung-Hun … Animation Director
- Lee Jong-Hwa … Animation
- Lee Han-Hyeong … Animation
- Lee Geon-Sik … Animation
- Lee Jae-Beom … Animation
- Lee Ju-Hyeon … Animation
- Lee Jin-Hae … Animation
- Seong Yun-Mo … Animation
- Hong Gyeong-Pyo … Animation
- Yuk Seongsu … Animation
- Kang Su-Hyeon … Animation
- Kim Jae-Hyeong … Animation
- Kim U-Ijeong … Animation
- Kim Yeong-Su … Animation
- Kim Dong-Nam … Animation
- Jang Hyeong-Seok … Animation
- Son Seong-Deuk … Animation
- Shim Yeong-Hui … Animation
- Park Yeong-Il … Animation
- Park Jin-Yeol … Animation
- Park Jin-Seok … Animation
- Park Hun … Animation
- Jeong Seung-Jung … Animation
- Go Yun-Jae … Animation
- Myeong Ga-Yeong … Animation
- Yu Jae-Ha … Animation
- Bob Goodman … Writer
- Frank Miller … Based on the graphic novel "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" by
- Klaus Janson … Based on the graphic novel "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" by
- Christopher Drake … Music by
- Peter Weller … Voice, Batman/Bruce Wayne
- Ariel Winter … Voice, Carrie Kelley/Robin
- Michael Emerson … Voice, The Joker
- David Selby … Voice, Commissioner James Gordon
- Mark Valley … Voice, Superman/Clark Kent
- Carlos Alazraqui … Voice, Congressman Noches
- Dee Bradley Baker … Voice, Don
- Paget Brewster … Voice, Lana Lang
- Maria Canals (See also: Maria Canals-Barrera) … Voice, Ellen Yindel
- Townsend Coleman … Voice, Morrie
- Grey DeLisle … Voice, Anchor Carla
- Robin Atkin Downes … Voice, Green Arrow/Oliver Queen
- Greg Eagles … Voice, Ben Derrick
- Michael Jackson … Voice, Alfred Pennyworth
- Danny Jacobs … Voice, Merkel
- Maurice LaMarche … Voice, Anchor Tom
- Lex Lang … Voice, Rescued Man
- Yuri Lowenthal … Voice, Son of Batman
- Tress MacNeille … Voice, Selina Kyle
- Michael McKean … Voice, Dr. Wolper
- Sam McMurray … Voice, Anchor Ted
- Jim Meskimen … Voice, President
- Jason Charles Miller … Voice, Axe Fireman
- Conan O'Brien … Voice, Dave Endocrine
- Rob Paulsen … Voice, Rob
- Andrea Romano … Voice, Woman #2
- Tara Strong … Voice, Michelle
- James Patrick Stuart … Voice, Voice Over Radio
- Bruce Timm … Voice, Hydrant Fireman
- Frank Welker … Voice, Mayor Stevenson
- Gary Anthony Williams … Voice, Anchor Bill
- Gwendoline Yeo … Voice, Lola Chong