Return of the Joker

Yesterday I got a card at a video store and rented an animated film I've wanted to see for a while: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, based on the Batman Beyond animated series.

The TV series is set 40 or so years after the previous Batman animated series. Bruce Wayne is an old man, retired as Batman, and reclusive. But after his father is killed, high school student Terry McGinnis signs on to become the new, high-tech Batman, with a suit which lets him fly and gives him great strength. The series mostly focused on McGinnis' own adventures, and his own cast of villains. Only two of Wayne's villains returned during the series: Mr. Freeze, and Ra's al Ghul, both plausible choices as their powers made them long-lived.

Return of the Joker brings the clown prince of crime into the world of the future - despite the fact that Batman had seen him die forty years earlier, his body on hand as proof. Is this new Joker - who hasn't aged a day - the genuine article, somehow? Or is he an imposter? Whoever he is, his gang is stealing high-tech equipment for some sort of scheme.

This is a more intense story than your typical animated adventure: The Joker is shown in all his maniacal and twisted form, Joker venom (which contorts the face of his victims into a death's-head smile) and all. Plus we see the Joker's final scheme when Wayne was still Batman, with the twisted horror he inflicts on someone close to Batman, and the repercussions thereof. It's shocking stuff, but effective and necessary to raise the stakes high enough to make the story worthwhile as a movie-length feature. (And despite this, I hear that there were about 2 minutes cut from the film to tone it down; apparently the current "director's cut" version restores this footage.)

The cast of voices includes a number of familiar names, including Mark Hamill (reprising his role as the Joker; any resemblance between his work here and his work as Luke Skywalker is purely coincidental), Angie Harmon, Dean Stockwell, Teri Garr, Melissa Joan Hart, and Henry Rollins.

The story's at its best in its dialogue ("Flag pole!") and its laying of red herrings. With several scenes worth repeat viewing and strong music, it's clearly the best of the Batman Beyond ouvre, and a satisfying conclusion to the series. (Too bad the current Justice League series hasn't been anywhere near as successful.) While this isn't a film for younger children, it's a must-see if you're a Batman fan.

I hear they're working on turning Batman Beyond into a live-action TV series. Not to mention there's the Birds of Prey series due out sometime this year (I really need to figure out when), which reportedly will also have a Batman connection. Comic books are big business these days.

Can you believe that my journal is nearly 5 years old?

I've been trying to decide what I'd like to do to mark the occasion when it arrives in about six weeks. I'm thinking of taking a page from Ceej's journal (wot, another one?) and polling my readers for input or thoughts that I could run as a special anniversary entry. Haven't yet decided what to do, though. Any ideas?