The 1980's saw major changes within the comic book industry.
Creators like Alan Moore were approaching the superhero genre with radical new
ideas through DC titles such as Watchmen
and Swamp Thing. Meanwhile, Frank
Miller injected his own unique sensibilities into Marvel's Daredevil and took the series into dark and gritty territory. He
seemed the perfect fit for Batman. Miller would make history with a one-two
punch with two stories about the beginning and the end of the Caped Crusader's
career.
In 1986, DC released the four-issue mini-series, The Dark Knight Returns, focusing on an
aging Bruce Wayne forced to come out of retirement to defend a Gotham City
overrun by violent street gangs and corrupt officials. Batman goes toe-to-toe
once more with the Joker and Two-Face and even exchanges fisticuffs with
Superman. A year later, Miller would write, Batman:
Year One featuring art by David Mazzucchelli, which has been adapted into
an animated film by Warner Premiere and producer Bruce Timm.
Batman: Year One opens
with the arrival of Jim Gordon (Bryan Cranston) to Gotham City along with his
pregnant wife Barbara (Grey DeLisle). Gordon wonders how he can possibly raise
a child in a city where the police are rotten to the core. He witnesses the
department's corruption firsthand through the brutality of his partner
Detective Flass (Fred Tatasciore) and a trigger-happy SWAT commander (Stephen
Root). Gordon has no one to turn to as Commissioner Loeb (Jon Polito) is in bed
with mob boss Carmine Falcone (Alex Rocco).
Bruce Wayne (Ben McKenzie) has also returned home after
studying and training abroad for a dozen years. Inspired by a bat that crashed
through his window, Bruce dons the bat costume to strike fear into the cowardly
and superstitious criminal underworld. Inspired in turn by Batman, prostitute
Selina Kyle (Eliza Dushku) becomes Catwoman.
Batman: Year One is
a far cry from the colorful adventures that have become a stereotype of the
superhero comics. This is a realistic, film noir take on the Batman mythos that
humanizes the the Dark Knight and his long-time ally, Jim Gordon. Both men are
fallible. Burdened by the job and surrounded by dirty cops, Gordon seeks solace
in the arms of his new partner Sarah Essen (Katee Sackhoff). Bruce Wayne isn't
the lean, mean fighting machine he would later become. Bruce's first attempt at
fighting crime ends with him being shot in the shoulder by police officers.
Another outing, this time in full Batman regalia, is equally disastrous as he
is almost killed by a trio of burglars on a narrow fire escape.
The imagery of Batman:
Year One will be easily recognizable because the story served as a
blueprint for the Christopher Nolan films. Many of the characters such as Flass,
Commissioner Loeb, and Carmine Falcone feature prominently in Batman Begins along with a sequence
where Batman uses a sonic emitter to attract a swarm of bats to aid in his
escape. Selina's young friend, Holly Robinson (voiced by Bill Mumy's daughter,
Liliana) appears very briefly in The Dark Knight Rises.
Ben McKenzie from The
O.C. has big shoes to fill as he follows in the footsteps of previous voice
actors like Diedrich Bader, Bruce Greenwood, and the phenomenal Kevin Conroy. He
does a fair job at times, but doesn't have the gravitas needed to pull off the
noir dialogue. Luckily, the emotional weight of the picture is carried by Bryan
Cranston who gives an excellent performance as the world weary Gordon. When the
inevitable reboot goes into production, Cranston would be great choice to fill
Oldman's shoes. Character actors like Jon Polito, Stephen Root, and Alex Rocco
are welcome additions and Eliza Dushku provides the right amount of sexiness
for Catwoman. Speaking of the Batman's famed femme fatale, the DVD and Blu-ray
feature a short cartoon starring Catwoman and written by Paul Dini.
Batman: Year One is
one of the best offerings from the DC animated line. It would be THE best if
not for the brief runtime. At just over an hour, Batman: Year One could have used an extra ten or fifteen minutes to
flesh out certain characters. Sarah Essen gets very little screen time while
Catwoman feels shoehorned into the narrative. Still, the filmmakers have
crafted a faithful adaptation of the original comics and the animation is
beautiful.
Rating: *** (*****)
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