Spoiler Alert: Batman Gotham Knight, Part 1 · 3:35am Sep 1st, 2014
: Back in 2008, DC released their third original animated movie. Gotham Knight, which exists in a similar-but-not-identical continuity to the Nolanverse, was the first original animated Batman movie. It's an anthology of six segments, each directed by a different director and each animated in a different style, although they're supposed to work together as a whole. Oh, and it's all done in anime. And Kevin Conroy voices Batman throughout. 
: How did it turn out? Let's find out.
: Saw Batman: Gotham Knight yesterday.
: The first segment is called "Have I Got a Story for You," which, I must say, is a FABULOUS way to start off the anthology. Given that each segment has a different art style, and that there is very little transition between the segments, we're going to be frequently reminded of this film's nature as a work of fiction. So starting off with a piece about the nature of storytelling is VERY appropriate.: The segment is based off of Batman #250, a popular issue that had already been homaged in Batman: The Animated Series. The basic outline involves several kids telling stories about what they think the Batman really is. In this case, each of the kids has met Batman before, and thought that he was, respectively, a shadow creature (which leads to some FANTASTIC animation), a bat mutant, and an armored superhero. The common thread between the stories being that none of them are entirely accurate....
....an' that they all happen in the daytime. Ya'd think the kids would have a clearer understandin' 'a who Batman is if they could see 'im so clearly.
: The next segment is called "Crossfire," and centers on Detective Crispus Allen, later known as the ghostly Spectre, and Detective Anna Ramirez, who we shall refer to as not-Renee Montoya. Batman drops off a criminal he defeated during the last segment, who is called, I kid you not, the Man in Black.
....seriously, even I can't reduce myself to make a joke off of such an obvious prompt!
: The detectives then drive the Man in Black ta Arkham....in a normal car wit'out a divider. An' if THAT weren't stupid enough, wouldn't it be a beat cop's job ta do prisoner transfer?
: Also, after the events of Batman Begins, Arkham takes up the entire island that it was stationed on. So yes, Gotham officials once again cut off an entire area of the city to turn into a prison. And there wasn't even an evil conspiracy behind it this time; they LEGITIMATELY thought this was a good idea! Gotham really is doomed, isn't it? Props, though, for making the place as freaking scary as possible.
: Allen and not-Montoya argue over whether Batman is good for the city or not before getting caught in the crossfire of a gang war. Hence the title. Batman saves them, then asks if they're part of Gordon's personal squad, which they are. Batman says that Gordon is a good judge of character, complimenting them while implying that Gordon's trust in HIM is substantiated as well.
Next segment!
I loved this movie. Saying right now
2418822 It has its good points and its bad points. I think I would've been more impressed if I had watched it before good animated superhero films were common place. Or if I had ever watched an anime more exotic than Astro Boy.
2418870 I guess I loved it more because it IS based on Nolan's universe. So seeing Croc in there was a bonus and it all felt kind of natural there, despite Croc. Also my ONLY gripe is seeing a CLEARLY young Bruce, like mid 20's Bruce, with Conroy's voice. That was wrong
2418896 That is true; while the film is clearly not entirely canon with Nolan, having a kinda-Nolan Croc and Deadshot is pretty cool.
And, yeah, as much as I like Conroy and as much as I loved the young Bruce look, they don't quite fit. It's like chocolate and pizza; just because they're both good doesn't mean they're good together.
2418905 I guess the main gripe I had with the Nolan movies was the lack of references to other villains. I mean we got Zsasz in Begins, but that was like a cameo at best. All those times we saw Scarecrow come back we could have gotten a DIFFERENT villain, like a minor cameo to start things off with. This movie kinda made up for that a little with me. I mean, yeah it's not exactly canon, but it's close enough.
2418926 Eh, after the overabundance of characters in X-Men films, I've become a little more chill to a universe with less characters. Still, these extra characters are nice.
I loved the Have I Got a Story for You episode of Batman TAS
2418965 Funny thing is, even though it's called a tribute and even I called it a tribute, Bruce Timm actually had no idea that the comic story existed before he wrote the episode. He came up with the premise all by himself. Great minds think alike and whatnot.
For my personal money, while seeing animated 1950s Batman and DKR Batman is cool, I prefer the versions of the story that don't even assume that he's human. The urban legend element of the character was always one of my favorite aspects of him.
2418982 true, but the 50s one is arguably the most enjoyable
2419008 Yeah, but it lost it's novelty for me a little when they made an entire show about animated 1950s style Batman.
2419016 true, true.
And I like Brave and the Bold
2419020 I don't want to geek out to hard on it, but I like it too.
Since nobody else appears to have noticed, I'll be the first to give you credit for making that title card. Nice job.
2418935 Yeah, it's just Nolan set up such a cool take on the Batman mythos, the uber realistic thing, made me wanna see what other vision he had for different villains. Like Riddler, I could see as a hacker, stealing loads of money and putting the city on lock down due to hacking in, only willing to relinquish control until someone manages to solve his riddles, all in an attempt at a grand show of his intelligence or something like that.
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUmHx61wtTQ]
2419543 Thanks! Spent last saturday afternoon making that. I'm pretty proud of it.
2420212 That would be pretty cool. I've seen someone on deviantART do an interesting spin on what Riddler would've been like in the Nolanverse.
fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/353/f/1/the_dark_knight_trilogy_epilogue___the_riddler_by_kinjamin-d6yixzi.jpg