Setting the Stage
Lets get one thing straight: I'm not a HUGE Batman fan. I like him, sure, but generally, I'd rather watch something involving Ironman before Batman. I love the dark, noir feel of Batman, and I love what it lended to Big O, but BAtman just doesn't STICK with me.
USUALLY.
But I REALLY REALLY enjoyed Gotham Knight!
A 6 legged Chair
For those who do not know, Gotham Knight is a collection of 6 short stories, that are all connected. They tell one semi-coherent story, that basically shows us events that forged Bruce Wayne, also know as Batman, into the person and crimefighter he is today.
I'm going to give you my thoughts on each one, now!
--I HAVE A STORY FOR YOU
This one sets the stage for the movie, being the first. It shows us various tales that are being told by children, about their suprise run-ins with Batman. These tales are all "Larger than Life", as each child tints Batman with how THEY saw him. Hence, Batman transforms into entities ranging from a living shadow, to a man in a human-sized Mecha outfit.
Little do the kids know, that their tales are connected! They figure it out as they speak them to each other, and then, suddenly, as if draw to them like they where a beacon, they get a first-hand meeting with Batman, together...
I like this segment a lot. I find the children's views of Batman to be a fun story telling device. The story is as fluid and shaky as this segments animation style. I've heard many people say they dislike this part, but I think if you take it for what it is, and accept the rather original style, that it is a great entrypoint.
--CROSSFIRE
Two detectives are given the assignment of taking a criminal to Arkham. This criminial was dropped off in commissioner Gordon's office by Batman himself. The police are new to Batman at this point, and there are some people in the force who don't know what to make of him yet. These feeling will have to be faced when the detectives run into trouble on their way back from their simple dropoff...
The last story felt childish, and Batman's portrayal was all over the place. This story presents a great contranst, because this segment hit me as a mature, strong version of Batman and his world. Batman's portrayal instantly became "Man, that's cool!" when he finally showed up here. He really is portrayed as a serious, nearly inhuman threat to the likes of evil. In the 80s/90s "Batman: The animated Series", I remember him saying "I, am VENGENCE! I am THE NIGHT! I... AM... BATMAN!" It never felt truer than here. At the end of this segment, my little brother and I felt we just saw the Batman.
--FIELD TEST
Lucius Fox is Bruce Wayne's techie. Apparently, he makes hardware for Wayne industries, as well as gear for Batman, on the side....
When a special invention is created that will allow Batman to be impervious to small arms weapon fire, will Batman we willing to accept the risk brought about by such technology?
When this skit started, I laughed and pointed "Gah! That's not Bruce Wayne, that's Deathnote's Light Yagami!" Bruce is shown as a prettyboy here, which first the extravagant lifestyle we get to see him lead in this segment. Super-weapons made in his basment, invites to charity functions in his private life, this man is at the cuff of technology and social standing.
Some people call this big "boring", but I think it went a long way into extablishing Batmans complex morality, and it helps us balance the uber-batman we just witnesses in the last segment. It helps show us that there is a real man beneath that stoic form.
--WHERE DARKNEST DWELLS
Batman trudges through the sewers, on the path of Killer Croc. Somehow, this also brings him into contact with Scarecrow, who happens to be in the middle of something like an execution of a holyman...
This segment is fast paces, has "to-the-point" action, and features 2 recognizeable characters from Batmans Rogue gallery. This is also the skit that emphasizes gritty detective work, as well as how much self control it takes to be Batman. In the middle of everything, Batman is infected with a fear toxin, that makes the victim succumb to their fears, seeing frightning imagery created from even the simpliest situations. Yet this doesn't stop the Dark Knight. He manages to make it through the gist of his fights unvexxed, but even Gothams Knight has his breaking point...
--WORKING THROUGH THE PAIN
Ahhhh, this excellent piece arrives! Bats has finally started to lose his fight with the fear toxin, and this allows him to be critically wounded by a gunshot from some vagrant. Losing blood at every step, he starts to dream back to the teachings that gave him his resistence to pain in the first place, hopeing the memories will sustain him long enough for his butler Alfred to retrieve him...
The Flashback segments show us yet another form of Bruce Wayne, this time a young medical volunteer in what appears to be a warzone. While here, Bruce has looked up the teachings of the local cult leaders. They apparently are known for mastering how to work with ones pain.
However, this main sect refuses to take Bruce, for various reasons, but a local outcast decides to take them under their wing...
The back-and-forth from flashback to current time is beautifully done. And the flashbacks themselves tell a story that truly makes Batman into a tragic figure. Within his strengths, we can see his weaknesses. This story "humanized" Batman more than any of the other tales, to me. I was suprised at how "weak" they allowed him to show himself at the very end of this part, because he's normally shown as such a perfected, peak-performance being. At this point, I truly knew this whole experimental work was something special.
--DEADSHOT
Ahhh, the final piece! It takes this experience out with a Bang!
Deadshot is a SUPER Sniper. He's a showboat, too; He enjoys his murderous work, and even signs his kills with a prominently placed empty shell casing. After pulling off a high-profile assassination, he learns that his next target in Gotham city is Batman himself!
The plan he concocts to draw out the Bat works like a charm, and he gets his chance to take down our Hero (which you know isn't going to work!) This results in ending fight scene, atop a speeding train. It's like we're looking at this battle with all the knowledge we recieved from the other segments: Batman is facing a villan that embodies every worry and fear we've seen out of Bruce. Every motion he makes here can be seen as having a deeper meaning; when he is wounded, you wonder to yourself "how would the bullet deflection technology from Field Test have helped him here?" As he shrugs off the pain of the wound, and fights on, you notice the strength he was reflecting on having gained in the flashbacks of Working Through Pain. It's the little points like this that make this whole movie, this experience worth taking.
When you reach the final punch, and the final lines of story, if you've been paying attention, you probably appreciate how well the entire tale was written together. The Cohersion of the story is much greater than the differences of the animators styles, and the fact that each style was used to strengthen the emotions within their stories, makes the movie seem much like a well concieved art project.
Final Thoughts
Even if some of the animation in some of the shorts look like they could have benefited from a BIT more frames of animation, the style of characters and backgrounds here make up for any techical weaknesses in art.
The Music felt like it belonged in an Epic motion picture. It fit the scenery, and felt like a bold reference to the early 90s animations tunes. I had not problems here.
In the end, as if you can't tell, or don't remember the opening lines, I really enjoyed this! Thought I simply rented it from the XBL Marketplace, this is an animated tale I wouldn't mind owning.
My Score: 5 outta 5! It exceeded my expectations!
