Review - Batman vs. Robin

Batman vs. Robin should come as no surprise given the push of the by-now talismanic presence of Damian Wayne in DC Comics. Following his death and subsequent rebirth, the fan outrage and overall loyalty to the son of Batman has been surprisingly vocal with many believing his stints under the tutelage of Bruce as well as Dick Grayson have developed him into one of DC's best assets. While Scott Synder and Greg Capullo's Court of Owls gets a treatment that deviates a lot from the comics, DC comic scribe JM De Matteis (more recently known for his Phantom Stranger and Justice League: Dark books) offer a decent subversion but more so, an action packed thriller into the dynamics of the Bat-family.

While Talon (the main protagonist) and his Court comes off a bit reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's universe (including Bruce's terrible choices in lovers), this proves to be one of DC's most sexually charged (subtly so) ride to date. Topping it off is another stellar round of fight sequences and smooth animation styles that, along with the character depictions, harken back to anime. It's a good fit for the DCU's violent style of animation. However, nothing's really improved much on but that's because DC's topped this game consistently for quite some time. As the Court invades Gotham, they manipulate Damian Wayne into rebelling against his father (with ease I must say) and this allows the audience a lot of time to take in the idiosyncracies of Bruce's inner circle. 

There was a missed opportunity to include more members of the Bat-family, but Nightwing figures prominently as well as Alfred. Big up to the Batwoman, Batman #666 and Teen Titans easter eggs also. The story feels like a lot of sub-plots we've viewed before being mashed up so it's nothing too original or groundbreaking. Talon's a badass but again not a villain that seems one to be invested in, despite all the moral conflicts and rage at heart. The characters are giving time to develop, which hinges on the 80 minute run-time, and this is a big plus. The plot does seem fly-by and convenient at times with holes but you can't expect something too perfect with these adaptations. For example, invading the cave or escaping the mansion shouldn't be easy, right? Nor should commandeering the Batmobile. That aside, the story's gruesome and does offer treats for readers of the books for the last five years. Dollmaker (Weird Al Yankovic) jumps in the fray as well for a plot that, as usual has a sound voice cast, and proves to be a great visual drive in terms of battle and ass-kicking. While the plot gets muddled at times and character motivations waiver here and there, ultimately Batman vs. Robin is another step in the right direction for DC Animation. Something tells me here that the Death of Bruce Wayne is comng soon. 

Rating: 4 / 5