Batman vs. Robin (2015 Video) User Reviews

A major "hoot"!

[crimson_knight_7 · 7/10 · 10 April 2015]

Batman vs Robin, directed by Jay Oliva and written by J.M. DeMatteis, was an action packed, whirlwind of a ride and a significant improvement to Ethan Spaulding's "Son of Batman". In addition to choosing a life with his father, Bruce Wayne (Batman), Damian (Robin) assists his father's continued fight at night for Gotham's soul as the next Robin. However, Damian finds himself struggling to cope with his father's "no- killing" policy due to the philosophical form of combat training he received under Ra's al Ghul. As a result of this philosophical conflict between Damian, and Bruce Wayne, Damian is forced into a lifestyle of isolation. As Bruce Wayne tightens the noose around Damian's freedom, Damian is sought out by a member of the Court of Owls. While struggling with his own identity, Damian must decide whether he will adhere to his father's morals, or become a member of the Court of Owls.

First I would like to say that this DC animated film was spectacular! The animation was fluid, flawless, and the voice acting was superb. Though I wasn't initially a fan of Jason O'Mara, I have definitely come to appreciate him as the new Dark Knight. With the level of graphic realism as well as the psychopathic trills currently shown in the recent DC animated Batman series, I believe Jay Oliva has perfectly presented us with an accurate portrayal of Gotham's twisted atmosphere. However, the title was slightly misleading as Batman and Robin only fought against each other for a short time. If anything, it should have been called "Batman: The Court of Owls". In the end, Batman vs Robin is an excellent addition to the DC animated series as well as is something every Batman fan will appreciate.

7 Stars.

JUSTICE, NOT VENGEANCE

[nogodnomasters · 8/10 · 17 April 2018]

This film follows "Son of Batman." If you haven't seen that film, you will gather the gist of it in this one. Damian, as Robin opts to venture out on his own to the dismay of Batman. Damian gets mixed up with a powerful group of vigilantes, like Batman known as Owls. The only real difference is that Owls like to kill their prey while Batman does not. Damian must choose between being the assassin he was trained to be or becoming Batman's son.

The cartoon was 79 minutes long. There was a lot of fighting as expected. I still miss the "Pows" but concede its time has past. This film included a lot of Batman flashbacks and questions vigilante justice as being no better than the criminals, but not too hard.

If you didn't like the first one, don't bother.

Batman, Robin and the Court of Owls

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 9 January 2018]

Love animation and have really enjoyed to loved many superhero films, animated and live-action. Of the DC animated films, there are some good ones out there as well as some disappointments and ones that fall in between.

'Batman vs. Robin' is neither among the best or worst of the DC animated films. To me it's somewhere around high middle. Despite the somewhat misleading misnomer that is the film's title, the versus being more of the conflict between father and son over what Robin's path should be rather than some kind of action showdown, 'Batman vs. Robin' is vastly improved over 'Son of Batman' (good idea, weakly executed).

It is not perfect by all means. It has the same faults that quite a number of the DC animated films have, that it needed to be about 10 minutes longer in order for the many characters and the many things going on in the story to be effective. What 'Batman vs. Robin' has over a lot of them is that the story is always compelling and surprisingly dark, darker than usual, and the characters aren't one dimensional, with for example a far more conflicted Damian than portrayed in the other films he's featured in. Talon and the Dollmaker are two of the series' better villains for instance.

Sure, 'Batman vs. Robin' is a little rushed in places, complicated occasionally and Talon's real motivation is anti-climactically handled. On the other hand, the father and son relationship is handled much better here. It's not neglected, while not taking over too much of the story that it neglects the conflict, and has the heart, emotion and tension that 'Son of Batman' did not have so it was easier to invest in it. Batman is more interesting here while Damian is nowhere near as annoying and is more a realistic depiction of a conflicted teenager.

The animation is very good, often great. There are some very nice detailed backgrounds, the characters are designed well and the colours are dynamic and atmospheric. The music is both haunting and rousing, a good fit for the film's mood.

Writing is far from simplistic or childish, quite the opposite, while the story has a few issues but is compelling with some exciting and thrilling action. Saying that the villains are among the best of the DC animated superhero films is saying a good deal, DC have had a very hit and miss track record with their villains (an example of a hit being Joker in 'Assault on Arkham' and a miss being Deathstroke in 'Son of Batman'). The Court of Owls provides very believable, sometimes creepy conflict.

Voice acting is very well done. Not just Jason O'Mara, Stuart Allan and Sean Maher but particularly Weird Al Yankovic and Jeremy Sisto.

In conclusion, doesn't blow the mind but not bad at all. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Thrilling..

[JWick23 · 27 February 2021]

Certainly an improvement over the sequel "Son of Batman" with a better story and chracter exposition this movie was worth the watch.

Solid story with some great character exposition and nice pacing. Very good visuals and music composition. Great voice acting and dialogue/writing. The antagonist was decent and had motives and a detailed background.

Overall an enjoyable movie with great character dynamics mainly between the father and son and a solid execution.

Memorable: No. Rewatchable: Yes

Misleading title

[aryansinha-29170 · 7/10 · 26 July 2018]

Batman vs robin is too misleading title for the movie . But apart from that it's very good movie and adapted the court of owls arc very well . I find the court of owls very creepy . Sometimes movies feel like batman's forgetting his moral code like decapitate talons alfred using shotguns wasted nightwing but his action sequences are interesting . But it should have been more

Improved Sequel

[jakobgf-95 · 7/10 · 27 August 2015]

I must say that i was a little bit skeptical before watching this one. "Batman vs Robin" is a Sequel to the 2014 DC animated movie "Son of Batman" and while i definitely enjoyed watching that one i didn't really think it was good. The sequel is also based on parts of the comic book " Court of Owls" from the "Night of the Owls" Storyline and as someone who read the comic i must say that it combines those two stories pretty good.

The biggest difference to the source material is Damian who, once again, seems more to be the protagonist rather than his father. So the writers realized that it would be better to make him more likable than in the first movie where he was basically an almost unbearable prick. But here he's a little more like an actual child and it works for the most part especially when Bruce tries to build a relationship with him. Their scenes together are the best in the movie along with the good action which extremely profits from the great animation.

The writing, in general is pretty decent and the voice actors do a great job portraying these characters especially Jason O'Mara who is probably my second favorite Batman by now, after Kevin Conroy of course.

I won't spoil it, but i want to mention that i really like the ending of this movie. It's not written in a way that this type of story normally ends with and it's also a bit emotional showing that Bruce and Damian really care for each other. It also leaves a bit open ended to set up a sequel which i normally don't really like that much but i'm okay with it here because i'd like to see another movie from this series especially when the third one improves as much on the second one as this one did on the first. Because then we probably could talk about the best animated Batman movie up to this point.

2nd best in the series

[idennis32 · 7/10 · 9 April 2015]

Batman vs Robin is a sequel to Son of Batman and is the 4th(5th if u count Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox) animated movie in the DCAFU. Unlike Son of Batman, Robin is front and center. Focusing on his relationship with his father, Damien must choose to follow his father's teachings or become the assassin he was meant to be. The Court of Owls are the big baddies this time and they're creepy and menacing. Batman is back and he must learn to let his son be who he wants to be instead of turning him into something he's not. The Talon, the Court's main assassin, is great though he does some very extreme things. Nightwing returns in a bigger role than the last movie and acts as the voice of reason during the story.

Everything in this movie is way better than Son of Batman, but has its flaws. The fights are insane and are creative. The acting is superb portraying Damien as a strong character instead of a whinny brat. The movie is full of Easter eggs so keep a close eye out. Some scenes are way to dark for an animated movie, specifically the flashbacks. Some of the fights are very bloody and very graphic. This is a good movie, so much better than Son of Batman and Justice League: Throne of Atlantis but not as good as Justice League: War. I give it 7/10 stars.

Fight Choreography

[keetwosuccess-12573 · 9/10 · 10 April 2021]

Yes there are some issues with power levels that others have mentioned but I don't care because the fighting was sick. Batman popping off on Robin, Batman and Nightwing fighting together, Talon beating up on Nightwing. All excellent fight scenes.

Robin with his rules, Bruce with his regulations

[HafizhMaulana21 · 7/10 · 17 November 2022]

Damian Wayne experienced difficulties in following the rules of "no killing" in accordance with the teachings of his father, Bruce Wayne. On the one hand, the presence of the Court of Owls, who operates in secret in Gotham City, becomes a place for Damian's search for identity in getting past his regulatory problems. Meanwhile, the Court of Owls is a new threat to Batman in Gotham.

Batman vs Robin presents stories and problems about fathers and children that are fun to watch. The storyline and conflict run dynamically. The emphasis on the "no kill" rule is emphasized at the beginning of the film's opening so that the conflict feels convincing from the start. The conflict between Bruce and Damian is indeed interesting to watch. Both are characters that have different characteristics and perceptions. The existence of the Courts of Owls who are the villains also adds complexity to Bruce's problems. The two conflicts that occurred also ran in balance so that there was no inequality. Supposedly, the existence of the Courts of Owls could have been introduced further. The plot twist at the end of the movie isn't too bad and wasn't too surprising to me.

Damian and Bruce's character development as father and son look good but are still lacking in strength. Bruce's role as a parent is less visible and deep. Meanwhile, Nightwing's presence here is a character that can balance the story in giving an introduction to the character of Bruce Wayne. The comparison between Robin's stubborn character and Bruce who appears cool shows that there are two characters with different styles.

Overall this film is interesting and fun. The conflict between Damian and Bruce becomes an epic story in the course of DC animated films in the future. The introduction of the Courts of Owls and Talon becomes its own strength and attraction in this film, especially as a place where Damian finds his identity. Action fight between Batman and Robin also looks good.

Good with unreal fights

[shakedatjunk · 8/10 · 8 August 2021]

Some of the best fight choreography ever put on screen animation or live action. Movie itself was also good with but some minor gripes. I even teared up once.

8.2/10.

Definitely worth a watch

[Milk_Tray_Guy · 7/10 · 25 September 2021]

Voice acting is good. Jason O'Mara starts to grow into his role as Batman, Stuart Allan continues well as Damian, David McCallum's Alfred is entertaining; although Jeremy Sisto's performance as Talon, whilst being fine in itself, doesn't quite fit the character design. Nice to see the Court of Owls. Fight choreography is very good. There are pacing issues, with the storytelling feeling at times very compressed, as though they were suddenly told the runtime had been cut by 10 mins. Overall though, a step up from Son of Batman. 7/10.

Stronger sequel

[masonsaul · 9/10 · 28 February 2022]

Thanks to a more personal and emotional story for its title characters, Batman vs. Robin is a stronger sequel that's emotionally satisfying, dark and surprisingly violent even if the court of owls are kinda wasted.

Jason O'Mara and Stuart Allan both give even better performances this time around due to their characters relationship and struggles being front and centre. Jeremy Sisto is a solid villain, mostly because of his extremely imposing voice.

The animation has also improved slightly with some really impressive fights throughout that are undoubtedly some of the best in the animated department. The music by Frederik Wiedmann is once again good without being too memorable.

Bats, Owls, Things of That Nature (💙, 🖥)

[aberrsary · 7/10 · 23 June 2021]

Watched this directly after Son of Batman and loved this one too! The narrative around the Court of Owls feels rushed amd poorly explained; the role of the Court of Owls in Gotham, as well as their motivations felt lacking. But the relationship between Damian and Batman felt very strong and interesting, and developed well throughout the story.

The fighting abilities were all wrong

[jmiguel77 · 5/10 · 23 May 2020]

Nightwing was a complete pushover, talon could kick Batman's and Nightwing's ass but was defeated by Robin? Complete nonsense

I'm the Evening's Entertainment. Can I get a Volunteer from the Audience?

[CowherPowerForever · 7/10 · 15 April 2015]

The DC Animated Universe continues with another Batman title that also features Damian Wayne(aka Robin). The previous Batman centered film was Son of Batman, and that film got some hate. I didn't hate that film, but I do admit it was not on par with some of the recent DC animated films. The same can be said of Batman vs Robin. The film is fun with some great voice acting, and so many amazing action scenes, but the story with the Court of Owls is just not as good as it could have been. The Following is my review of Batman vs Robin.

This story was written by J.M. DeMatteis based on the comic book from Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder. DeMatteis has only previously wrote TV series for the DC animated department. For example Justice League and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I'm not that knowledgeable on The Court of the Owls, but after watching the special features on the Blu-Ray for this film, it sounds like an interesting idea. Those ideas do not play out that well in this film. I am not claiming the story is bad, it certainly is not, but after recent DC animated efforts like The Flashpoint Paradox, War, and Throne of Atlantis, this film is easily a step down in terms of story. The film is still worth a watch, but not really for the story. I enjoy what the Court of Owls could bring in the future, but on this effort, their story isn't much interesting.

The film was directed by DC Animated regular, Jay Oliva. Oliva is known for directing other DC Animated films such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 & 2, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, and Justice League: War. Oliva usually delivers top quality with the animated films he directs. The same can easily be said here. The animation looks fabulous, and the action scenes are wonderful to watch. The voice acting is once again an amazing aspect of the film. The stars of the film are Jason O'Mara(Batman) and Stuart Allan(Robin). Troy Baker, Kevin Conroy, Jeremy Sisto, and even Weird Al Yankovic. The talented voice actors have always seemed to work well together in these films, and the same can be said here. With the story of the film falling short, it is good to know that the action and the quality animation keeps our interest over the course of this eighty minute film. While it certainly is not up there with his recent works overall, this is still a worthy film to watch for comic book animated films.

The film was composed by Frederik Wiedmann. Wiedmann scored previous DC animated films such as Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Son of Batman, and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Wiedmann's effort once again is nothing short of great. It is original and he often brings something different to each one of his scores that I have heard. It adds a great deal of depth to the film as well. Wiedmann does a fantastic job in this area of the film, and cannot wait to hear his work on upcoming DC projects.

Overall, even though the story is not as good as it could have been, with quality animation, great acting, and a great score, this effort is not to be missed. I'm sure most will find it not up to the level on previous works from DC, but the film is still enjoyable, and makes you excited for their next film.

I will also be going over the Blu-Ray special features as well. This home video release has brought back the Audio Commentary from the creators of the film. The audio commentary is covered by Mike Carlin the creative director, Jay Oliva the director of the film, and James Tucker the supervising producer for the DC animated films and TV shows. These audio commentaries are a good insight into the making of the overall film, and these guys have all done one of these in the past, so they know what to talk about. This commentary is loaded with funny and informative information. A must listen for any fan. The film also features two featurettes. The first is "The Mythic Court of Owls" which just goes over the back story of the Court of Owls and how it is similar to the Illuminati and the Freemasons. This featurette runs at 32 minutes long. The second and final featurette is "The Talons of the Owls". This is just more back story on the many Talons over the course of generations and what they all do. This featurette runs at 14 minutes. There is also an inside look at the next DC animated film, Justice League: Gods & Monsters. Which runs at 11 minutes. There are also 4 TV episodes from various DC animated shows. This runs total at 88 minutes. Even if you don't find the story all that well made, the bonus content on the Blu-Ray is well worth the price, especially if you can track down a copy of the Steelbook, which features amazing artwork.

7/10

Very dark, but good

[rprince-832-6294 · 7/10 · 19 April 2015]

-Batman vs. Robin (2015) movie review: -In honor of the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice teaser trailer, I thought I would review this recent animated film from the DC Universe. Batman vs. Robin, which I am assuming follows the comic series, follows Damian Wayne, one of the latter Robins, who struggles with the moral issue of killing, which Batman enforces against, and outside influence from a dangerous secret society The Court of Owls.

-Wow that was dark. I don't follow any of the animated Batman series, or other animated Batman films, or the Batman comics, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

-The story was well told and, although sometimes forced, compelling. It stayed on track too, which I appreciate.

-The pace was good. Very good.

-The voice acting was fine. The kid who played Robin did a good job as young Robin. The lead Owl guy was good, but generic. The guy who plays Nightwing (Original Robin gone independent) was good. I honestly though the voice for Batman was the weakest of the bunch. Strongest of the bunch? 'Weird Al' Yankovic as The Dollmaker. You'll see….

-The characters seemed pretty accurate to what I know about them, and I enjoyed watching the internal struggles they had. I also liked that they had one of each type of Batman villain, a complete psycho and an organization trying to take order through chaos.

-I didn't really care much for the music, but it seemed above par for an animated Batman film.

-Other than that I don't know what else to judge, mainly because I know little about the comic it is based on. I will say is just seemed way too dark for animated. I think it was darker than the live action Batman films, minus The Dark Knight of course.

-An entertaining, more mature take on a Batman comic that keeps the audience interested the entire time? Totally worth Netflix rating. I honestly wouldn't pay to see it because of the overall darker tone though. For example: -Batman vs. Robin holds a PG-13 rating for a good amount of language, violence, and suggestive material throughout. That is why I didn't enjoy it as much.

Good Excitement for Ardent Fans; Entertaining for Casual Viewers as well

[DareDevilKid · 7/10 · 19 April 2015]

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)

Rating: 3.2/5 stars

More a mash-up of two of the most highly regarded Batman stories in the last 20 years than its title implies, "Batman vs. Robin" stands alongside the better efforts of Warner Bros. / DC's direct-to-video animated endeavors.

While I'd argue that Grant Morrison's "Batman vs. Robin" and Scott Snyder's "Court of Owls" comic stories warrant their own movies, screenwriter J.M. DeMatteis (one of the creators behind the brilliant 'Justice League International' comics during the late 80s) does a commendable job tying those stories into a cohesive story.

Bruce Wayne/Batman (Jason O'Mara) is still getting used to the newest addition to his Bat family — his recently discovered son Damian (Stuart Allan). Unlike his other young protégés (read: Robins), Damian was raised by The League of Assassins and his more violent tendencies frequently puts him at odd with Batman's philosophy of 'justice, not vengeance.'

The two also clash over Bruce's reservations over introducing his newly found son, not even to his girlfriend Samantha (Grey Griffin). The combination of these factors gradually lead to Damian feeling trapped within the walls of Wayne Manor when not out on assignment. Batman and Robin's bond is further tested by the arrival of Talon (Jeremy Sisto), a vigilante willing to go to greater extremes than Batman and wants Robin to be his new partner. As Robin considers the offer, Batman learns that a childhood legend of the clandestine Court of Owls and their assassins - the Talons - may be real and could be hatching a plot to eliminate him.

The film is steered by the assured hands of direct-to-video master helmer, Jay Olivia ("Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1", "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2", "Justice League: War", "Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox") – who along with another crackerjack direct-to-video creator, Ethan Spaulding, is keeping the flag flying at full mast in the DC animated universe. As anyone who's familiar with Olivia's prior action/animated classics would expect, "Batman vs. Robin" skews a bit violent — get used to a lot of gratuitous blood sprays — but the man also knows how to stage fluid, easy-to-follow, and extremely realistic action scenes even with multiple combatants. Like the comics, the Talons prove an actual threat to Batman. Olivia even works in a newer Bat accessory in a pivotal fan-pleasing scene.

There are just a few minor problems that hold the movie back from being in the top tier of Warner Bros. / DC's Home Entertainment productions. My biggest gripe is the shoddy treatment of Nightwing (Sean Maher), who is constantly made to look inferior to both Damian and the Owls in combat. Granted the film isn't called Nightwing vs. Robin, but making the original Robin more competent would make everyone else look like elite fighters as opposed to Nightwing being the weak link. As a nice nod to Morrison's storyline where Nightwing assumes the role of Batman and teams with Damian, DeMatties and Oliva give them a few scenes to play up on their relationship.

Additionally, DeMatties and Oliva initially set up a good mystery about the Court's leader, but the payoff is a bit too Scooby Doo- esque as the evil top dog is the only other major character introduced. Talon's character model is also too fashion-savvy to be in sync with Sisto's outstanding voice work.

"Batman vs. Robin" is sure to entertain you regardless of whether you're an old-school Batman follower, an ardent fan who's up-to-date with all the latest development in the caped crusader's comic arcs, a causal follower of a few highly interesting comic issues (more of the graphic novel kind), just someone who's kept abreast with Batman's celluloid renditions, or just a thrill-seeking fan of action movies.

It's the Bond

[KieraLynnR · 9/10 · 23 September 2021]

I love the Bond Bruce he with his kids. A little unorthodox sure, but you can see how much he loves his kids and how much they love him. Every family has its issues, but family is the people you'd lay your life down to protect.

Enjoyable and entertaining but nothing out of the ordinary

[nicolas-232-828687 · 7/10 · 21 June 2015]

One thing going on for DC Universe Animated Original movies is, they're violent. But when in comes to violence, expect nothing less from Batman story lines. Afterall, Bruce Wayne's life was labored in violence.

The movie is a follow-up to Son of Batman, where Damien Wayne now living with his father Bruce, tries to fit in with the code and discipline that his father live by even if it is a total turnaround from what he was raised for by Ra's Al Ghul. Damien still acts the role of Robin against his father's will.

This plot of the story supplements the other plot concerning the Court of Owls. As the Owl's main assassin, Talon uses Robin's differences with his father as a perfect tool to corrupt him and join his group.

Story ends of course where Batman, Robin and Nightwing and the ever reliable butler, Alfred winning against Talon and his group and Robin deciding to seek help elsewhere on what he should really be.

This movie though an animation is not meant for kids. It is dark and violent.

The action scenes are too physical as you can see Batman and Nightwing being stabbed several times by the Owl's assassins.

The movie focuses on the relationship of Bruce and Damien. It also shows that the Dark Knight being as strong and authoritative as he is have his weakness when it comes to giving discipline to his own son. There were a couple of scenes in the movie where he suggests Damien could be helped by Monks in a monastery somewhere in the Himalayas. This shows that Batman how mighty he may be, may not be ready to be daddy after all:-)

The way Damien Wayne is being projected is little bit exaggerated. Even if he was trained by Ra's, I really do not think he's capable of defeating or out thinking both Batman and Nightwing. The physical built of a 10 year old boy dismantling a similarly trained adult with heavier built is astonishing for a fact. I really think they should have toned down Robin a little bit when he faced Nightwing and Batman. Just saying.

This movie is enjoyable but definitely not better than Batman: Under the Red Hood. Give it a try though.

One of the better films in the DC Animated Universe.

[Kisses_For_Psychos · 8/10 · 7 December 2019]

Taking influence from The works of Scott Snyder as well as Grant Morrison, this film is well put together. It's Honest about what it is, and executes a father and son conflict well, in the context of Batman. This makes the story on a different level, relatable to viewers.

Should be called "Batman & Robin vs The Court Of Owls"

[CrisMovieCorner · 7/10 · 12 April 2015]

This is only the second animated film I have reviewed, still find it a bit weird reviewing them if I am honest, feels weird to not be talking about the same elements specifically the lack of acting you get to see and the fact it is all animated so the visual effects are on a different level in comparison to say Interstellar looks great and real, while the effects in animation are on par with the animation of the rest of the scenes if that makes sense to anybody but me? Ha.

Batman Vs Robin was directed by Jay Oliva a go to name in the DC animated universe working on the likes of "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2", "Batman: Assault On Arkham" and "Justice League: War". Yet again he delivers a thoroughly enjoyable animated film, cementing himself in the DC chair for a while I'd imagine. Teaming up with long time DC writer J. M. DeMatteis who has been working with DC characters since the early '90s, so what a great team to bring together for latest instalment in the franchise.

I was apprehensive at first when Jason O'Mara took over from Kevin Conroy, I mean Kev IS BATMAN, he has been a part of my life as Batman for as long as I can remember. However, O'Mara makes the role his own in a brilliant way, the rest of the cast performed well in their roles, especially Troy Baker as ever he gives a stellar performance. Plus there was a nice nod to the old with Kevin Conroy returning to voice Thomas Wayne, I personally didn't remember going into the film Conroy was returning, so hearing that familiar voice was a nice touch. There was a bit of a let down though, I was hyped to hear "Weird Al" Yankovic voicing Dollmaker, but he seemed to disappear before we even got to really appreciate his comedic style.

The animation is fluid and wonderful to watch,the actions scenes blended seamlessly into the more dramatic scenes, it was brilliant production. The scene may come across a bit gory to some, so if you're planning on watching with your children or allowing them to watch you want to check it out beforehand. The action is reminiscent of Son Of Batman in my opinion, feels like director Jay Oliva took inspiration from the success of that film and added his own elements to it. All the fight scenes are wonderfully executed especially the climatic scene in which we get to see the Bat-family take on some villains.

There is one MAJOR thing I believe they should have done differently and that is calling the film "Batman: The Court Of Owls", the title is a little bit misleading, the story centres mostly on the Court Of Owls. While having a lot to do with Batman and Robins relationship, it is heavy on the Court storyline, there is a fight scene between Batman and Robin, but the main story comes from the Court trying to run Gotham.

Overall, the film was a brilliant watch it really showcased the vast differing dynamics between Bruce and Damian's belief in what is true justice. In recent instalments the franchise of DC Universe Animated films have been pretty good the likes Son Of Batman (REVIEW HERE) and Superman Unbound stand out. I would say this is definitely up their with them. Another brilliant film in the DC Universe Animated series, DC are winning in the animated film world in my eyes, while Marvel are winning live action. It would take an awful lot for me to ever chance my mind on that.

Troubled son and the owls

[guisreis · 8/10 · 13 February 2021]

The story is good, Damian's troubled personality is an interesting problem, the "eyes-wide-shut" Court of Owls is a great collective member for Batman's rogue gallery, and Talon's suit is nice. In my opinion, the script had some bad decisions in its final part, but the outcome was positive anyway.

Well balanced animated Batman film

[KineticSeoul · 7/10 · 22 May 2015]

This is a bit dark for a animated Batman movie and that is one of the reasons I like this movie. For the most part, it seemed to have the right blend of story and action. And even the action is integrated well into the story and for the most part does have a point when it comes to the plot. The relationship between Bruce Wayne and his son Damian Wayne is well done as well. The internal aspect of it just seemed real. It has that bit of tug of war feel going for it. Where although they both respect and love each other they feel that they each need to go their own paths. Thus there is a bit of turmoil and clash between the two. Well just about every family is dysfunctional one way or another. At first I wasn't sure if this movie should have even been called "Batman vs. Robin" because there is just one fight scene between the two. However because of the other non-physical fights I think the title fits in well. Although I didn't feel that this was a super entertaining movie with that rush filled experience from beginning to end going for it. The pacing is done well and even compelling during certain scenes even if some parts doesn't make much sense and there does seem to be few plot holes. The voice acting is fine, although I thought the voice of Batman was pretty average like in the previous DC movies. The characters however just seemed believable and even relatable for a cartoon movie. Overall this is a pretty good animated DC movie that is worth a watch that has a good blend of "Batman and Son" comic book story and Snyder's Talon from the Court of Owls storyline. My main gripe is how Batman comes off pretty weak this time around, getting beaten is just about every fight. And yeah, the fight between him and his son might not really count.

7.5/10

The Same Problems Persist

[dramafreak42 · 4/10 · 3 September 2015]

I used to really look forward to new DC animated films. At this point I kind of dread them. I'm watching them more out of obligation and a desperate hope that they'll get good again than anything else. This continuity based on the New 52 continues to never rise above the level of being mediocre.

There is one thing I'll give this film credit for and that's the villain. It's worth bringing special mention to it because villains have been a major weak point for films in this continuity. Darkseid had no personality and felt more like a boss fight in a video game than a character, Deathstroke was just terrible (really bad voice acting on that one,) and Ocean Master was an idiot. By contrast, Talon is really head and shoulders above any of those other three. He's also superior to the comic book character on which he's based because they changed his back-story into something that isn't just stupid on it's face. Really though most of the credit has to go to Jeremy Sisto, who does fantastic voice work and his casting adds a certain bit of meta-textual weight because he voiced Batman back in New Frontier.

Now that I've praised the best part of this film, onto everything else. Damian is somehow even MORE insufferable than he was in "Son of Batman," I swear the voice actor got worse (to the point that I had to check to see if they recast.) He demands respect and trust from Batman while never giving even a tiny bit of it back (the first thing we see him do is steal the Batmobile and flat out lie to Batman over the radio.) I understand that kids can in fact be like that, particularly rebellious ones. But I will take entertaining story that stretches credibility over a slog that justifies characters I hate because they're more "real." Batman doesn't come away from this very well either. Jason O'Mara so far has been the highlight of most of these films, but I realized something in this one: we've pretty much only heard him do Batman at this point. In this film he spends quite a bit of time as Bruce Wayne and... he's just not great as Bruce. Not terrible but there's very little distinction between the two in terms of the vocal performance (certainly in contrast to somebody like Kevin Conroy.) And also, as in Son of Batman, he stretches the "Batman doesn't kill" rule almost to breaking. When facing off against the ninja style assassins he basically begins using deadly force the instant he sees under a mask and they look slightly less than human. He doesn't know if they're lab creations, some kind of undead, or innocent people infected with something but not knowing that doesn't stop him from blowing one up. Look, having Batman stretch his "no kill" rule because they victims aren't truly human isn't automatically a bad thing. However when the "no kill" rule is one of the major rifts between Batman and Robin then it doesn't work to have Batman play fast and loose with it the same time he's chastising Robin for wanting to break it. It makes Batman hypocritical and nit-picky, which makes me not like him either. This really came to bear during an extended fight between the two when I realized that I did not care who won.

I suppose the other thing I'll say is that the action is good, but that's just not a saving grace anymore. Action in a vacuum can't save a bad product. Action works best when it's in the context of a strong story, and this just isn't that. Overall this isn't really any better or worse than most of the DCAU that's been based on the New 52, but I'm just tired of it not getting any better at this point.

One of the best batman movie

[khaled-alhunaiyan · 7/10 · 21 May 2020]

The story and action are linked in a very powerful way👍👍👍