There's no such thing as too much Batman. This direct-to-DVD movie serves up a solid helping of Gotham mythos that will satisfy fans and may even captivate newcomers interested in the modern retellings of the superhero's tale. A feature-worthy collection of six interconnected stories from six different directors and six different screenwriters—including David Goyer (Batman Begins) and Josh Olson (A History of Violence)—Batman: Gotham Knight bridges events between 2005's Batman Begins and the new The Dark Knight, but it also works as background material to both films, exploring the morality of vigilantism (both in general, and as exemplified in Batman), while also examining the popular image of Batman with the citizens of Gotham. (The opening segment, “Have I Got a Story for You,” takes particular advantage of the film's splendidly stylized animation as it deconstructs the idea of Batman as public icon, a figure at once paradoxically sylphlike and monstrous, yet always intriguing.) Kevin Conroy, renowned for his performance as the Dark Knight in Batman: The Animated Series, returns as the voice of Bruce Wayne, but viewers don't have to be familiar with the other recent animated Batman projects to enjoy this one. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary (by DC Comics exec Gregory Noveck, Batman editor Dennis O'Neil, and Kevin Conroy), “A Mirror for the Bat” featurette on the on the evil denizens of Gotham City (36 min.), the documentary “Batman and Me: A Devotion to Destiny—The Bob Kane Story” on the famed Batman creator (39 min.), and four bonus episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine entry in the Batman saga.] (M. Johanson)
Batman: Gotham Knight
Warner, 76 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.98, Blu-ray: $34.99 Volume 23, Issue 5
Batman: Gotham Knight
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As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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