And this is not anything to do with not liking Batman. I happen to love Batman, right from the 60s series(camp but compulsively colourful fun) to the animated DC movies with Batman:The Animated Series being the real jewel in the crown. This said, I happen to not be a fan of the The Batman show. It is not a terrible show, it has its good moments, but I do prefer more darkness and Gothic pathos when it comes to Batman and there are elements that take some getting used to. I happen to think The Batman vs. Dracula is much better. It is not perfect, Joker's character design like the show does take a lot of getting used to, in all honesty I never really warmed to it, and Peter Stormare while voicing Dracula with just the right smooth menace has an accent that is very inconsistent. However, the animation is really great, much smoother than the show's and has much more atmosphere. There is also a haunting music score, smart intelligent writing that has a much mature tone than the show and some exciting action sequences, though there perhaps could have been more. The story is very dark and compelling, with some both intense and moving moments and perfectly paced. I would have liked to have seen the Vampyric lore element further explored but that wasn't enough to harm the story. The characters are great, Batman is much darker and more brooding, Penguin as always is great fun, he was a bright spot of the show always, and Joker is more menacing and twisted than ever before. Dracula in design may be more Ras Al'Ghul than Dracula, but is still a more than worthy adversary to Batman. The voice acting is very good too, Rino Romano sounds more comfortable and brooding, Tara Strong is a likable Vicki Vale. Tom Kenny voices Penguin with great enthusiasm without ever overdoing it while Kevin Michael Richardson's voice for Joker is in keeping with the character's more twisted personality here, it didn't work in the show for me because that psyche wasn't really explored. All in all, a very good movie and much better than The Batman show. 8/10 Bethany Cox
47 Reviews
Good vampire film, animated or not
minamurray17 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This review comes from a fan of Gothic vampire stories like Dracula, and someone who has sporadically enjoyed Batman in comic books but never cared about the film series - including Dark Knight. Batman VS Dracula: The Animated movie (2005) is refreshingly old-fashioned and successfully atmospheric story where Dracula has his Gothic style, including preference for eeriely beautiful graveyards. This is not some trashy upstart like vampires from cooler-than-thou garbage Blade - and to put it bluntly, the word "cool" makes me think sleazy bully who tortures fat nerds and sleeps in his own filth when drunk. One typical mistake - Dracula burns in sunlight, unnecessary twist added by movie makers in 1922 - is used in the film, but that does not affect the atmosphere, of course. Animated or not, this is one of the best vampire films of the decade, which has been full of trash.
Two legendary bats, one movie
kyle-mcdonald10 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Let me start off by saying that I've always been a huge fan of both batman and Dracula. I've seen pretty much all of the batman movies, TV shows, and played all the video games. I have read the Dracula novel, and have enjoyed watching many of the film adaption's. Since I've enjoyed batman through my entire life and have also been a horror movie fan, I was delighted to hear of this original idea of putting the two legendary bats in one movie. I must say although not the best batman nor the best Dracula movie it definitely did not disappoint.
Gotham is as usual, full of villains and Bruce Wayne continues to struggle balancing his personal life with his duty as the batman. It's an ordinary night until suddenly Batman gets the call that the Joker and the Penguin have escaped from Arkham Asylum and the chase is on. Following the events of the night the trail of the Peguin has gone cold and he has strangely disappeared. As the nights continue to come and go, people mysteriously disappear without a trace, and all of a sudden a dark and grim man arrives and everything is not well as the man turns out to be the Batman's greatest challenge of them all, the one and only...the legendary...Dracula.
The first thing I noticed about this was the originality and cleverness of placing these two famous bats in one movie in a really interesting storyline. we see how Bruce is having difficulty in finding time for his personal life as he never gets to spend anytime with his love interest Vickie Vale as every time he does get time he gets time with her duty calls. The best part of this story is how we see Batman be met with such a challenge, that even he thinks he can't over come, but he never gives up and continues to drive for the answer to the question on how to defeat the indestructible Dracula. One thing I found disappointing in the story was the lack of twists and turns, of course there was a few but not near as many as I had hoped for. The biggest let down I felt was the number of stand offs between Batman and Dracula, I was hoping for more but in the end the climax of the film really made up for it.
The voice over cast did a wonderful job in this cartoon such as: Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne/The Batman, Peter Stormare as Dracula, Tara Strong as Vickie Vale, Tom Kenny as Peguin, Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker, and Alastair Duncan as Alfred. Each actor does a great job as there character especially Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker, I've always found he does and excellent job although not as good as Mark Hamill but he is not far off. I found myself mildly disappointed with Peter Stormare as Drcula it seems as though his accent keeps changing in different parts of the movie, given this he still does a good job but it could have been better. All other voice actors do and excellent job.
I love the character designs in this cartoon, I'll always prefer the Batman: the animated series design but this one never disappoints me. I like the Dracula in this, although it mainly follows the original movie design it adds a new original spin on Draula as when he attacks his prey he seems to turn into a gargoyle looking creature which really looked cool in my opinion. My all time favourite design in this cartoon was the vampire Joker, the fangs, the more sinister looking eyes, the way he goes crazy over blood, everything about the vampire Joker really put the biggest smile on my face.
When the movie came to an end I was not disappointed, although I seen many places for improvement, I seen many more things that made a good enjoyable movie. From the great storyline, originality, great voice over cast, and pretty good action sequences, this movie is fun and great for anyone who is a fan of Batman and Dracual. So make sure you rent or buy the Batman vs. Dracula.
Overall rating: ******* out of **********
***1/2 out of *****
Gotham is as usual, full of villains and Bruce Wayne continues to struggle balancing his personal life with his duty as the batman. It's an ordinary night until suddenly Batman gets the call that the Joker and the Penguin have escaped from Arkham Asylum and the chase is on. Following the events of the night the trail of the Peguin has gone cold and he has strangely disappeared. As the nights continue to come and go, people mysteriously disappear without a trace, and all of a sudden a dark and grim man arrives and everything is not well as the man turns out to be the Batman's greatest challenge of them all, the one and only...the legendary...Dracula.
The first thing I noticed about this was the originality and cleverness of placing these two famous bats in one movie in a really interesting storyline. we see how Bruce is having difficulty in finding time for his personal life as he never gets to spend anytime with his love interest Vickie Vale as every time he does get time he gets time with her duty calls. The best part of this story is how we see Batman be met with such a challenge, that even he thinks he can't over come, but he never gives up and continues to drive for the answer to the question on how to defeat the indestructible Dracula. One thing I found disappointing in the story was the lack of twists and turns, of course there was a few but not near as many as I had hoped for. The biggest let down I felt was the number of stand offs between Batman and Dracula, I was hoping for more but in the end the climax of the film really made up for it.
The voice over cast did a wonderful job in this cartoon such as: Rino Romano as Bruce Wayne/The Batman, Peter Stormare as Dracula, Tara Strong as Vickie Vale, Tom Kenny as Peguin, Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker, and Alastair Duncan as Alfred. Each actor does a great job as there character especially Kevin Michael Richardson as the Joker, I've always found he does and excellent job although not as good as Mark Hamill but he is not far off. I found myself mildly disappointed with Peter Stormare as Drcula it seems as though his accent keeps changing in different parts of the movie, given this he still does a good job but it could have been better. All other voice actors do and excellent job.
I love the character designs in this cartoon, I'll always prefer the Batman: the animated series design but this one never disappoints me. I like the Dracula in this, although it mainly follows the original movie design it adds a new original spin on Draula as when he attacks his prey he seems to turn into a gargoyle looking creature which really looked cool in my opinion. My all time favourite design in this cartoon was the vampire Joker, the fangs, the more sinister looking eyes, the way he goes crazy over blood, everything about the vampire Joker really put the biggest smile on my face.
When the movie came to an end I was not disappointed, although I seen many places for improvement, I seen many more things that made a good enjoyable movie. From the great storyline, originality, great voice over cast, and pretty good action sequences, this movie is fun and great for anyone who is a fan of Batman and Dracual. So make sure you rent or buy the Batman vs. Dracula.
Overall rating: ******* out of **********
***1/2 out of *****
The Batman in it's purest form.
RoninDeVamas23 October 2005
I have to say, I was rather surprised by how dark and intense "The Batman vs. Dracula" was. I had heard that there was more blood and the fights were intense, but this was beyond words. All of the characters were terrific, and we see the evil, twisted psyche of Joker that is mostly absent from "The Batman" series; in a way, he's even more insane in this movie than any other I have ever seen.
Anyway, I really enjoyed how this movie flowed. At first it's somewhat fast paced, but to the point and it remains consistent, so the viewer doesn't really get confused at all. Then it mellows out, giving time for the story and characters to develop. Each character has their niche, some of whom will make your skin crawl (this is especially the case for Joker).
All in all, this is DEFINITELY NOT for children. Watching this will give them nightmares for nights on end. Even I have flashes of the most awe- and terror-inspiring points of the film.
Honestly, I'm at a loss of words at how well this movie played out. Normally I'd use better words, but I can't at the moment. I'll just say that this would be a perfect Batman movie for any fan or non-fan.
Anyway, I really enjoyed how this movie flowed. At first it's somewhat fast paced, but to the point and it remains consistent, so the viewer doesn't really get confused at all. Then it mellows out, giving time for the story and characters to develop. Each character has their niche, some of whom will make your skin crawl (this is especially the case for Joker).
All in all, this is DEFINITELY NOT for children. Watching this will give them nightmares for nights on end. Even I have flashes of the most awe- and terror-inspiring points of the film.
Honestly, I'm at a loss of words at how well this movie played out. Normally I'd use better words, but I can't at the moment. I'll just say that this would be a perfect Batman movie for any fan or non-fan.
If Looney Tunes did Batman...
CuriosityKilledShawn8 November 2007
Although it is rather serious in tone and deals with vampires and the undead, The Batman vs Dracula just seems to childish and too cartoony to be really effective. The color pallet is suitably drab and washed out and it does have a decent amount of atmosphere but I can't help but think that it could have been better if it just didn't seem toned down.
I prefer the 90s series of Batman, which had an overwhelming amount of darkness and Gothic pathos. This new THE Batman series appears to be reconfigured to appeal to kids who weren't even born in that decade. I know it's a cliché to moan that animated shows were always better when my age-group were kids, but it's so true.
The Penguin and The Joker (now looking like a cross between Krusty the Clown and The Predator) escape from Arkham (there's something new) and make their way to a hidden treasure trove in the cemetery. But the bird stumbles upon Dracula's tomb (why he is in Gotham is not explained) and resurrects him by accident.
But The Batman doesn't approve of a Vampireman stalking his streets and a drawn-out conflict with a predictable and hokey ending fills up the rest of the movie. It's fun, it's entertaining, but it's just not the Batman I'm used to.
I prefer the 90s series of Batman, which had an overwhelming amount of darkness and Gothic pathos. This new THE Batman series appears to be reconfigured to appeal to kids who weren't even born in that decade. I know it's a cliché to moan that animated shows were always better when my age-group were kids, but it's so true.
The Penguin and The Joker (now looking like a cross between Krusty the Clown and The Predator) escape from Arkham (there's something new) and make their way to a hidden treasure trove in the cemetery. But the bird stumbles upon Dracula's tomb (why he is in Gotham is not explained) and resurrects him by accident.
But The Batman doesn't approve of a Vampireman stalking his streets and a drawn-out conflict with a predictable and hokey ending fills up the rest of the movie. It's fun, it's entertaining, but it's just not the Batman I'm used to.
Better than you would think
doctorsmoothlove24 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
While not at the level of its predecessors, this is a worthwhile film that reminds viewers what they enjoy about Batman. This incarnation of Bruce Wayne shows him in his earliest years as the Dark Knight. Something particularly laudable about the film is how it accurately portrays Bruce's expected difficulty in defeating Dracula given his lack of experience. Fans of the comics may recognize the concept from the early 1990's story where Batman becomes a vampire. While not a representation of the comic (nor is it intended to be), the film still gives fans a depiction of a dream fans have had given the dark nature of both characters. Who hasn't sometime pondered what it would be like for Batman to fight vampires?
The animation is cell-shaded which gives it a much clearer look. The darker areas appear darker than they usually would. This is one way that The Batman vs. Dracula is better than its famous precursor Return of the Joker. The animation is more fluid. As well as appearing darker, the storyline is much darker than "The Batman" cartoon show is. I haven't seen all of the series (only a few episodes from seasons one and two) but I found the series to be very childish and repetitive. It lacked a darkness that would entice an older audience. That's why this film really surprised me. It has blood (although it isn't red), and Batman actually has difficulty defeating Dracula. Batman must work like a detective to defeat Dracula and has to capture a vampired Joker to use for this purpose. As for vampire lore, the film is a bit lacking. It depicts Dracula as married to Carmilla from the La Fanu story. It also violates vampire lore in stipulating that a vampire can be resurrected after it is killed via exposure to sunlight. However, it does follow the plot of several vampire movies. Dracula visits Bruce Wayne's manor for a party and gives him his name backwards, as Dracula does to other protagonists in several film adaptations. Also Dracula's fixation with Vicki Vale is similar to Stoker's Dracula's fixation with Mina Harker. I was very surprised and pleased with this homage to previous work. However, the film does make a few inconsistencies, but they're ultimately inconsequential. The only gripe I have is the screen play. There are several immature lines and situations, from the joker belching after drinking blood from the blood bank to Vicki Vale stating that she likes her meat cooked. The intensity of each situation with such dialog is ruined, but the corny speech is designed to appeal to the child audience.
I found this film to be caught between its goal of entertaining children and its desire to appeal to an adult audience. The scene in the blood bank is very frightening, too much so for children. however, the Joker's belch when drinking blood is perfect for children's humour. So, while the film isn't great, it's far better than you would expect, and it's worth a viewing.
The animation is cell-shaded which gives it a much clearer look. The darker areas appear darker than they usually would. This is one way that The Batman vs. Dracula is better than its famous precursor Return of the Joker. The animation is more fluid. As well as appearing darker, the storyline is much darker than "The Batman" cartoon show is. I haven't seen all of the series (only a few episodes from seasons one and two) but I found the series to be very childish and repetitive. It lacked a darkness that would entice an older audience. That's why this film really surprised me. It has blood (although it isn't red), and Batman actually has difficulty defeating Dracula. Batman must work like a detective to defeat Dracula and has to capture a vampired Joker to use for this purpose. As for vampire lore, the film is a bit lacking. It depicts Dracula as married to Carmilla from the La Fanu story. It also violates vampire lore in stipulating that a vampire can be resurrected after it is killed via exposure to sunlight. However, it does follow the plot of several vampire movies. Dracula visits Bruce Wayne's manor for a party and gives him his name backwards, as Dracula does to other protagonists in several film adaptations. Also Dracula's fixation with Vicki Vale is similar to Stoker's Dracula's fixation with Mina Harker. I was very surprised and pleased with this homage to previous work. However, the film does make a few inconsistencies, but they're ultimately inconsequential. The only gripe I have is the screen play. There are several immature lines and situations, from the joker belching after drinking blood from the blood bank to Vicki Vale stating that she likes her meat cooked. The intensity of each situation with such dialog is ruined, but the corny speech is designed to appeal to the child audience.
I found this film to be caught between its goal of entertaining children and its desire to appeal to an adult audience. The scene in the blood bank is very frightening, too much so for children. however, the Joker's belch when drinking blood is perfect for children's humour. So, while the film isn't great, it's far better than you would expect, and it's worth a viewing.
Entertaining
jenkothetarheel2 June 2020
While this movie and the animation used in this batman series isn't the best; it is still fun to watch. It may not be on the level of Kevin Conroy's batman but I still enjoyed this approach. The fight scenes are good and I also like how swiftly and ninja(yes I know he really is a ninja) like batman moves; along with the depiction of Dracula. Batman still broods, Alfred is still witty and the joker is still a psycho.
Surprisingly Excellent
lycanthropic_nerev10 December 2006
I got this expecting a usual icon vs. icon movie like Alien vs. Predator, good in theory, but really only good for a few laughs over how goofy it is. Unexpectedly, I received a very good movie. Dracula was very well done as an aristocratic noble/bloodsucking Nosferatu. Batman has his typical gadgets and intelligence, also using his ability to view every angle to not completely ignore the obvious like most vampire movie heroes. Having an enemy that was truly more powerful than Batman was a welcome reprieve after a seventeen years of watching the invincible superman on my television. I suggest getting this movie as soon as possible.
The Bats fight it out!
tankace26 July 2016
The Batman vs. Dracula came out just four months after Batman Begins and it received immediately mixed reviews by critics. I thing that they were comparing it with the feature film and that is wrong ,of course the feature film is going to be better (not always ,but usually) ,so it like putting a young boxer against John Sena, yea no ,he don't even stand a chance. But to the point is it good?
At first this is a direct to video film of the Batman series of 2004, which follows Bruce Wayne in his first days as The Bat as his rogue gallery comes in to view and he must faces them. This was my third series with Batman (or fourth) after the Justice League and Batman Beyond. When I was young, I though that it was awesome and flawless, but nowadays I think that, though not perfect it still holds up and it is a good series. So the title said all Batman vs. Dracula, which starts when the Prince of Darkness is awaken and now the Dark Knight has to find out who to stop him. A simple ,but awesome premise.
The animation is good, not to the level of Justice League ,but still good. As for the voice cast they do their best and I give them that. In short not to bad and it has some awesome fight scenes!
As a animated film of the DC, it isn't from the best but is enjoyable and if you are a big fan of the Caped Crusader give it a watch, it will be fun, if you disliked it, no hard feelings.
At first this is a direct to video film of the Batman series of 2004, which follows Bruce Wayne in his first days as The Bat as his rogue gallery comes in to view and he must faces them. This was my third series with Batman (or fourth) after the Justice League and Batman Beyond. When I was young, I though that it was awesome and flawless, but nowadays I think that, though not perfect it still holds up and it is a good series. So the title said all Batman vs. Dracula, which starts when the Prince of Darkness is awaken and now the Dark Knight has to find out who to stop him. A simple ,but awesome premise.
The animation is good, not to the level of Justice League ,but still good. As for the voice cast they do their best and I give them that. In short not to bad and it has some awesome fight scenes!
As a animated film of the DC, it isn't from the best but is enjoyable and if you are a big fan of the Caped Crusader give it a watch, it will be fun, if you disliked it, no hard feelings.
The Batman vs. Dracula: Who saw this coming?
Platypuschow30 December 2017
So yeah, Batman vs Dracula was a thing! Twice actually but the first is a very obscure 1940's film I believe.
Here Penguin accidentally raises the legendary vampire from the dead who then goes on to make an undead army which also comprises of everyones favorite villian the Joker.
From the outset I realised how poor the voice work was, even Peter Stormare didn't sound on form and Joker sounded/looked ridiculous.
Yes the story is decent enough but I found myself struggling to take the whole thing seriously. Batman vs Dracula? Really!
I can confidently say I've seen considerably worse DC animated movies but consider this nothing but a novelty Batman movie and nothing else. You need to suspend disbelief and just roll with it.
Coming next year Spiderman vs Scooby Doo and the much anticipated Justice League vs The Goonies.
The Good:
Peter Stormare
Fitting soundtrack
The Bad:
Bizarre incarnation of Joker
Weak voice talent
Here Penguin accidentally raises the legendary vampire from the dead who then goes on to make an undead army which also comprises of everyones favorite villian the Joker.
From the outset I realised how poor the voice work was, even Peter Stormare didn't sound on form and Joker sounded/looked ridiculous.
Yes the story is decent enough but I found myself struggling to take the whole thing seriously. Batman vs Dracula? Really!
I can confidently say I've seen considerably worse DC animated movies but consider this nothing but a novelty Batman movie and nothing else. You need to suspend disbelief and just roll with it.
Coming next year Spiderman vs Scooby Doo and the much anticipated Justice League vs The Goonies.
The Good:
Peter Stormare
Fitting soundtrack
The Bad:
Bizarre incarnation of Joker
Weak voice talent
"I'm....The Batman"
Angelus223 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Non-fans despise this particular Batman show for being entirely in correct, but I like watching it....Its Batman...
The prince of darkness has made his way to Gotham City and now the Batman must stop the legendary Vampire from turning the entire city into his minions. The film itself is corny writing but the show overall has a comic book type of look and the action sequences are done; the new Joker look is a little radical but it suits him.
The introduction of Vicki Vale was brilliantly placed and reminded me of the Burton Batman. Overall the voice actors provide a satisfactory job, a good TV cartoon movie to watch when your bored...
The prince of darkness has made his way to Gotham City and now the Batman must stop the legendary Vampire from turning the entire city into his minions. The film itself is corny writing but the show overall has a comic book type of look and the action sequences are done; the new Joker look is a little radical but it suits him.
The introduction of Vicki Vale was brilliantly placed and reminded me of the Burton Batman. Overall the voice actors provide a satisfactory job, a good TV cartoon movie to watch when your bored...
The Dark Knight and the Prince of Darkness.
sadat_unplugged11 December 2023
When I first heard about this movie, I had reservations. The Batman series was straight forward action with too little character depth. Every villain was an evil mustache twirling master martial artist, yet Batman was always able to overpower them.
Anyway, this movie started out somewhat similar to a series episode, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum and the Penguin uses the distraction and some deft martial arts to make his own escape. Having a lead on a hidden treasure, Penguin goes to a very Gothic cemetery and finds more then gold, but Dracula's remains. Accidentally reviving him, Dracula proceeds to build an army of the undead, targeting Batman partially for using his image to scare criminals, partially because Batman rules the night of Gotham, and that's his territory.
Probably the best part of this movie is that Batman has trouble with Dracula's vampire minions, and is completely outmatched by Dracula himself. This means he has to rely on intelligence and improvisation, in addition to plain martial arts skill to defeat him. Batman shows great humility in that luck was the only thing to prevent Dracula's victory in their first encounter.
Make no mistake, this is not a kids movie.
Overall, while some things may not be for everyones taste, it is a rousing 90 minutes that keeps up a strong pace and does not let up until after the credits roll.
Overall, its Two legendary bats, one movie.
Anyway, this movie started out somewhat similar to a series episode, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum and the Penguin uses the distraction and some deft martial arts to make his own escape. Having a lead on a hidden treasure, Penguin goes to a very Gothic cemetery and finds more then gold, but Dracula's remains. Accidentally reviving him, Dracula proceeds to build an army of the undead, targeting Batman partially for using his image to scare criminals, partially because Batman rules the night of Gotham, and that's his territory.
Probably the best part of this movie is that Batman has trouble with Dracula's vampire minions, and is completely outmatched by Dracula himself. This means he has to rely on intelligence and improvisation, in addition to plain martial arts skill to defeat him. Batman shows great humility in that luck was the only thing to prevent Dracula's victory in their first encounter.
Make no mistake, this is not a kids movie.
Overall, while some things may not be for everyones taste, it is a rousing 90 minutes that keeps up a strong pace and does not let up until after the credits roll.
Overall, its Two legendary bats, one movie.
Fun - but certainly a hack job
dr_foreman22 December 2005
This cartoon movie has a lot going for it - zippy animation, a cool music score, and two of the greatest pop culture icons ever.
Unfortunately, Batman and Dracula don't mix quite as well as they should. Super-hero comic books, fun as they may be, usually stink at doing horror. This movie has that problem, too. Personally, I thought it was silly every time Dracula zoomed around like the Flash or turned into a drooling Nosferatu. His melodramatic dialogue wasn't much good, either - "I'll use your cape for a dinner napkin," indeed! I also had problems with the movie's tackiness. A vampire Joker is fun, but showing him lick up blood from the floor like a dog is in questionable taste.
There's some originality issues here, too. The Vicki Vale subplot is lifted right out of the first Tim Burton movie, and it's become a dull cliché to have the police chase Batman.
Still, I was entertained. This is pacey fun, and it's got a cool visual style. But ultimately it's too fannish. (By fannish, I mean it was obviously written by a fan who cut-and-pasted genre stories together in a somewhat dull fashion.) And how come Bob Kane is credited with creating Batman, but Bram Stoker doesn't get a nod for creating Dracula?
Unfortunately, Batman and Dracula don't mix quite as well as they should. Super-hero comic books, fun as they may be, usually stink at doing horror. This movie has that problem, too. Personally, I thought it was silly every time Dracula zoomed around like the Flash or turned into a drooling Nosferatu. His melodramatic dialogue wasn't much good, either - "I'll use your cape for a dinner napkin," indeed! I also had problems with the movie's tackiness. A vampire Joker is fun, but showing him lick up blood from the floor like a dog is in questionable taste.
There's some originality issues here, too. The Vicki Vale subplot is lifted right out of the first Tim Burton movie, and it's become a dull cliché to have the police chase Batman.
Still, I was entertained. This is pacey fun, and it's got a cool visual style. But ultimately it's too fannish. (By fannish, I mean it was obviously written by a fan who cut-and-pasted genre stories together in a somewhat dull fashion.) And how come Bob Kane is credited with creating Batman, but Bram Stoker doesn't get a nod for creating Dracula?
Delivers what it promises, Batman fighting vampires and all that entails.
IonicBreezeMachine5 January 2022
When the Penguin (Tom Kenny) escapes Arkham Asylum in search of stolen loot at Gotham Cemetery, Penguin inadvertently stumbles upon a hidden tomb that holds Dracula (Peter Stormare). Awaken from a cut on Penguin's hand, Dracula continues his reign of terror as he drains residents of Gotham to regain his strength with intent on enslaving all of Gotham as his undead army. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne (Rino Romano) strikes up a promising relationship with news reporter Vicki Vale (Tara Strong) but finds his life complicated balancing this growing romance against his secret life as Batman, as a Bat shaped figure becomes associated with missing persons with Batman at the center of police suspicions.
The Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 direct-to-video feature that serves as a standalone story related to the animated series The Batman which ran from 2004-2008. Released as a tie-in with the then recent Batman Begins and premiering on Cartoon Network's Toonami, The Batman vs. Dracula was able to go darker than its source TV show thanks to lack of "network standards". Not only are there plenty of scenes of blood and vampires drinking it (though a scene in a blood bank has the lighting altered so the blood looks black) but it's the only time in the continuity of The Batman that we've seen the police use actual guns instead of tasers or tranquilizers. While the movie isn't required viewing with the show and is a very self-contained adventure, it's a solidly entertaining one with some excellent edge.
Peter Stormare is an absolute delight playing the titular Dracula who captures the dark menace of the character as well as the romantic magnetism of the character. Dracula is intimidating in both his "monster" form and his false identity as Dr. Alucard and he's a more than worthy foe to square off against Batman. Rino Romano and Tara Strong do quite well in their roles of Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale respectively, and the chemistry conveyed in their interactions makes me sad the character of Vale never appeared in the actual TV show and only appeared in this film. The action and animation are quite well done playing like a supped up version of the animation you see on the show, but the filmmakers get a lot more ambitious and experimental here as they're allowed to take the macabre elements of their story a lot further than they'd be able to on network TV (see the Spider-Man cartoon's take on Morbius to see how much you had to change for "acceptability"). The sequences of Batman fighting vampires or researching vampire lore strikes all the right notes and gives you every element you'd possibly want from a vampire story (save for some of the racier aspects of vampire war, but it's Batman).
The only real downside is in how detatched the movie feels from the show's continuity and aside from Bruce, Alfred, and supporting appearances by some of Batman's rogue's gallery there's no tie ins to the show's overarching story such as police chief Angel Rojas who served as a staunch opponent of Batman or Detective Yin who was for a time Batman's only ally on the force (though the TV show would give her a similar short shrift in season 3). The ending also feels a bit "too neat" in how things wrap up and it'll be a case of either you buy it or you don't.
The Batman vs. Dracula gives exactly what it promises. With solid animation and voice work the movie gives a more polished version of the already high quality you got from the TV show. Peter Stormare is fun in the role of Dracula and the havoc he wreaks upon Gotham is fun and carries with it the macabre charms we know and love that wouldn't be possible on network TV. The movie does feel like it's maybe too separate from the show as there's no appearances from established supporting players, and while Joker and Penguin show up, the possibilities of this story don't feel as fully exploited as they could've been. Minor nitpicks aside, this is a fun ride that gives you the Batman fighting vampires and delivers on all that entails.
The Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 direct-to-video feature that serves as a standalone story related to the animated series The Batman which ran from 2004-2008. Released as a tie-in with the then recent Batman Begins and premiering on Cartoon Network's Toonami, The Batman vs. Dracula was able to go darker than its source TV show thanks to lack of "network standards". Not only are there plenty of scenes of blood and vampires drinking it (though a scene in a blood bank has the lighting altered so the blood looks black) but it's the only time in the continuity of The Batman that we've seen the police use actual guns instead of tasers or tranquilizers. While the movie isn't required viewing with the show and is a very self-contained adventure, it's a solidly entertaining one with some excellent edge.
Peter Stormare is an absolute delight playing the titular Dracula who captures the dark menace of the character as well as the romantic magnetism of the character. Dracula is intimidating in both his "monster" form and his false identity as Dr. Alucard and he's a more than worthy foe to square off against Batman. Rino Romano and Tara Strong do quite well in their roles of Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale respectively, and the chemistry conveyed in their interactions makes me sad the character of Vale never appeared in the actual TV show and only appeared in this film. The action and animation are quite well done playing like a supped up version of the animation you see on the show, but the filmmakers get a lot more ambitious and experimental here as they're allowed to take the macabre elements of their story a lot further than they'd be able to on network TV (see the Spider-Man cartoon's take on Morbius to see how much you had to change for "acceptability"). The sequences of Batman fighting vampires or researching vampire lore strikes all the right notes and gives you every element you'd possibly want from a vampire story (save for some of the racier aspects of vampire war, but it's Batman).
The only real downside is in how detatched the movie feels from the show's continuity and aside from Bruce, Alfred, and supporting appearances by some of Batman's rogue's gallery there's no tie ins to the show's overarching story such as police chief Angel Rojas who served as a staunch opponent of Batman or Detective Yin who was for a time Batman's only ally on the force (though the TV show would give her a similar short shrift in season 3). The ending also feels a bit "too neat" in how things wrap up and it'll be a case of either you buy it or you don't.
The Batman vs. Dracula gives exactly what it promises. With solid animation and voice work the movie gives a more polished version of the already high quality you got from the TV show. Peter Stormare is fun in the role of Dracula and the havoc he wreaks upon Gotham is fun and carries with it the macabre charms we know and love that wouldn't be possible on network TV. The movie does feel like it's maybe too separate from the show as there's no appearances from established supporting players, and while Joker and Penguin show up, the possibilities of this story don't feel as fully exploited as they could've been. Minor nitpicks aside, this is a fun ride that gives you the Batman fighting vampires and delivers on all that entails.
Fun vampire movie
elonmusk-is_a_moron1 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I kinda wish I had given a chance to The Batman 2004 series.
Back then, when it was still on air, I was a bit biased, being a big fan of the 1992 series and Batman Beyond.
I used to find the more new designs "ugly" and I dismissed the series entirely because of that.
Nowadays, I appreciate the cartoonish designs way more. (Though I'm still not used to the Joker redesign, even after all this time)
I remember when the imdb forums still existed that there were discussion towards the violence of this movie. Despite being a movie for kids, it showed some blood and didn't try to censor the fact that vampires suck blood (Unlike the 90s Spiderman series which made vampires suck "plasma")
I honestly don't know why blood is still a big taboo in animated shows for children produced in the west: Many anime shows from my childhood had blood, and some PG animated movies used to have some blood too, but for some reason any cartoon showing blood is automatically labelled "TV-14" and deemed inappropiate for kids nowadays.
That is just silly. Even as a little kid, I knew people bleed when they are wounded. While the excessive restrictions allowed some clever creativity from the writers of cartoons, deeming anything remotely challenging as bad for kids does no favors to them.
Kids are way smarter than most people think.
Back then, when it was still on air, I was a bit biased, being a big fan of the 1992 series and Batman Beyond.
I used to find the more new designs "ugly" and I dismissed the series entirely because of that.
Nowadays, I appreciate the cartoonish designs way more. (Though I'm still not used to the Joker redesign, even after all this time)
I remember when the imdb forums still existed that there were discussion towards the violence of this movie. Despite being a movie for kids, it showed some blood and didn't try to censor the fact that vampires suck blood (Unlike the 90s Spiderman series which made vampires suck "plasma")
I honestly don't know why blood is still a big taboo in animated shows for children produced in the west: Many anime shows from my childhood had blood, and some PG animated movies used to have some blood too, but for some reason any cartoon showing blood is automatically labelled "TV-14" and deemed inappropiate for kids nowadays.
That is just silly. Even as a little kid, I knew people bleed when they are wounded. While the excessive restrictions allowed some clever creativity from the writers of cartoons, deeming anything remotely challenging as bad for kids does no favors to them.
Kids are way smarter than most people think.
Enjoyable superhero horror
Milk_Tray_Guy2 October 2021
Penguin stumbles on Dracula's remains (relocated to Gotham some time after the events of Stoker's novel), and accidentally revives him. Dracula vows to take over Gotham. But first he must remove the one obstacle to his ruling the night... the Batman!
Obviously inspired by the DC Elseworlds comic Red Rain (1991), this sole spin-off feature from The Batman 2004 animated TV series has a much darker tone than the show. It features the voices of Rino Romano as Batman, Peter Stormare as Dracula, Kevin Michael Richardson as Joker, and Tom Kenny as Penguin. Character designs are generally very good (I'm not a huge fan of this Joker's look, but it kinda works here). Backgrounds range from very good to fantastic (with Arkham Asylum and Gotham Cemetery looking like they've been pulled straight from a 1940s horror movie). Voice acting is spot-on (with Richardson's performance definitely helping to make this Joker easier to take). And although this isn't the DCAU, there are some apparent influences from Burton's movies; the design of the Batcave, Wayne Manor looking very similar to the one in Batman Returns, Penguin's 'flipper hands', and Vicki Vale (voiced by Tara Strong) being Bruce's love interest. There's also, interestingly, a line that Nolan used three years later in The Dark Knight, as Joker tells Batman 'You complete me'. Animation is smooth throughout. And Alfred (voiced by Alastair Duncan) gets a badass moment!
This isn't aimed at young kids. The 'turned' humans rising as vampires are pretty creepy, a scene paralleling blood-lust with drug addiction/withdrawal is very on the nose, and some vampire destruction is pretty graphic.
Well worth a watch. 7.5/10.
Obviously inspired by the DC Elseworlds comic Red Rain (1991), this sole spin-off feature from The Batman 2004 animated TV series has a much darker tone than the show. It features the voices of Rino Romano as Batman, Peter Stormare as Dracula, Kevin Michael Richardson as Joker, and Tom Kenny as Penguin. Character designs are generally very good (I'm not a huge fan of this Joker's look, but it kinda works here). Backgrounds range from very good to fantastic (with Arkham Asylum and Gotham Cemetery looking like they've been pulled straight from a 1940s horror movie). Voice acting is spot-on (with Richardson's performance definitely helping to make this Joker easier to take). And although this isn't the DCAU, there are some apparent influences from Burton's movies; the design of the Batcave, Wayne Manor looking very similar to the one in Batman Returns, Penguin's 'flipper hands', and Vicki Vale (voiced by Tara Strong) being Bruce's love interest. There's also, interestingly, a line that Nolan used three years later in The Dark Knight, as Joker tells Batman 'You complete me'. Animation is smooth throughout. And Alfred (voiced by Alastair Duncan) gets a badass moment!
This isn't aimed at young kids. The 'turned' humans rising as vampires are pretty creepy, a scene paralleling blood-lust with drug addiction/withdrawal is very on the nose, and some vampire destruction is pretty graphic.
Well worth a watch. 7.5/10.
Good and interesting concept but the simple writing almost ruins this.
Boba_Fett11388 September 2007
This is an enjoyable enough movie to watch and to kill some time with but its not on par with most of the other animated Batman movies.
I was slightly disappointed by the animations. Normally they try for a full length movie to give it a bit more flair and drawn out details. This movie just simply looked liked an extended "Batman" TV-series episode. I also didn't really liked Dracula's look. He was way too monstrous looking. How can you take this guy for a respectable gentleman that goes by the name of Alucard (weak, dumb, overused), in his human form?
The fight sequences between Dracula and Batman are pretty nice to watch, since Dracula has far superior powers as Batman. It shows how vulnerable Batman is and that makes his character very humane and realistic, unlike many other 'super-heroes'. The choreography and action animation in those sequences are also really fine. Yes, the acting is really the best thing about this movie.
I really hated the musical score and I missed the Batman theme in it as well. Wasn't Shirley Walker available?
The story isn't that much interesting. I mean Dracula's tomb lying right underneath Gotham City and all...Some real lazy writing in this movie. It's a pretty cool concept and all, Batman versus Dracula (voiced by Peter Stormare) and couple of vampire minions and the Joker and the Penguin (though you can wonder what the purpose of those two in the movie is) but I just feel that the execution could had been a better one. The story now instead sort of feels like a modern update of the whole Dracula story. It's a story thats handled much better in the "Blade" movies, to which this movie obviously shows some resemblance as well. Pehaps a bit too many and obvious ones for my taste. No, there isn't really much originality in this movie.
Watchable, but certainly not an highly recommendable one.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
I was slightly disappointed by the animations. Normally they try for a full length movie to give it a bit more flair and drawn out details. This movie just simply looked liked an extended "Batman" TV-series episode. I also didn't really liked Dracula's look. He was way too monstrous looking. How can you take this guy for a respectable gentleman that goes by the name of Alucard (weak, dumb, overused), in his human form?
The fight sequences between Dracula and Batman are pretty nice to watch, since Dracula has far superior powers as Batman. It shows how vulnerable Batman is and that makes his character very humane and realistic, unlike many other 'super-heroes'. The choreography and action animation in those sequences are also really fine. Yes, the acting is really the best thing about this movie.
I really hated the musical score and I missed the Batman theme in it as well. Wasn't Shirley Walker available?
The story isn't that much interesting. I mean Dracula's tomb lying right underneath Gotham City and all...Some real lazy writing in this movie. It's a pretty cool concept and all, Batman versus Dracula (voiced by Peter Stormare) and couple of vampire minions and the Joker and the Penguin (though you can wonder what the purpose of those two in the movie is) but I just feel that the execution could had been a better one. The story now instead sort of feels like a modern update of the whole Dracula story. It's a story thats handled much better in the "Blade" movies, to which this movie obviously shows some resemblance as well. Pehaps a bit too many and obvious ones for my taste. No, there isn't really much originality in this movie.
Watchable, but certainly not an highly recommendable one.
6/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Only By the Night
RainDogJr7 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Unlike the "Batman Beyond" series I haven't watch a single episode of "The Batman" series but similar to "Batman Beyond" I decided to watch its movie without being an "expert" of the series. I have found all the animated Batman films at least fun to watch at so I never considered like a true risk to purchase "The Batman vs. Dracula" on DVD. It looked really interesting to me and in a way it was going to be the stuff that can make me going after "The Batman" series or just not.
First, the movie looks really great with those wonderful colors and it begins like the special stuff it is with, in the first minutes, the Penguin and the Joker once again free in Gotham. I liked a lot the design of these characters and I do like this Joker a lot. Also, the guy who has been dubbing, in Spanish but not in Spain!, the Joker in the past animated stuff ("Batman: The Animated Series" and in the movie "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker") was working on this one again (I'm not sure in the series but at least he is on this one). I usually dislike watching dubbed films however I usually prefer cartoons in their dubbed version and I don't know the name of that guy who makes the voice of the Joker but he does a terrific job. Anyway, in order to have the character Count Dracula in Gotham the writer Duane Capizzi could have make pretty bizarre theories of how in the hell Dracula's body is in Gotham but actually we have a pretty simple idea and to have Dracula in Gotham delivers pure and absolute fun for us. Basically the Penguin is the one to blame; is really funny his first meeting with Dracula and for obvious reasons the Penguin ended as the servant of the master. I liked a lot the design of Count Dracula, some blood and he is back again, some more blood and he is again the elegant Count. The story of Dracula in Gotham is quite simple but what else could have he done apart of making many citizens vampires? The story works and delivers some terrific moments with the fight of the bats; one this one Batman finds a really major enemy. We have also a love story that is simple and predictable, basically Dracula wants to "change" Bruce Wayne's new love interest for his own and dead girlfriend Carmilla. I saw this one with my cousin and both were like "damn Batman is a really great but to find the cure of vampirism?", he does success but he will need a little more for Dracula. On this one both the Joker and the Penguin delivers the funniest moments. The Penguin has a very unfortunate end, basically nobody remembers being a vampire so nobody will believe the vampire story of the Penguin. Poor Penguin!!!
This movie was more than just a decent introduction to "The Batman". It does have some flaws but also I found it as a terrific 85 minutes Batman movie.
R4 DVD: it does have some extra material; a short featurette about the facts and superstitions behind the vampires. Is narrated by Batman meanwhile he is doing his own research on the subject, is the classic stuff and for example if the superstition is that vampires are damaged by garlic the fact is that if humans eat garlic we secrete a toxin that repels blood sucking mosquitoes. Other extra is the tour to Gotham with interactive menus for 3 places of Gotham (for example if you select the Arkham Asylum and then you select the Penguin you watch a video related to him). Is a really good extra and also there are some previews (including of Season 2 of "The Batman) and a featurette with the dubbing actors. Really good DVD!
First, the movie looks really great with those wonderful colors and it begins like the special stuff it is with, in the first minutes, the Penguin and the Joker once again free in Gotham. I liked a lot the design of these characters and I do like this Joker a lot. Also, the guy who has been dubbing, in Spanish but not in Spain!, the Joker in the past animated stuff ("Batman: The Animated Series" and in the movie "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker") was working on this one again (I'm not sure in the series but at least he is on this one). I usually dislike watching dubbed films however I usually prefer cartoons in their dubbed version and I don't know the name of that guy who makes the voice of the Joker but he does a terrific job. Anyway, in order to have the character Count Dracula in Gotham the writer Duane Capizzi could have make pretty bizarre theories of how in the hell Dracula's body is in Gotham but actually we have a pretty simple idea and to have Dracula in Gotham delivers pure and absolute fun for us. Basically the Penguin is the one to blame; is really funny his first meeting with Dracula and for obvious reasons the Penguin ended as the servant of the master. I liked a lot the design of Count Dracula, some blood and he is back again, some more blood and he is again the elegant Count. The story of Dracula in Gotham is quite simple but what else could have he done apart of making many citizens vampires? The story works and delivers some terrific moments with the fight of the bats; one this one Batman finds a really major enemy. We have also a love story that is simple and predictable, basically Dracula wants to "change" Bruce Wayne's new love interest for his own and dead girlfriend Carmilla. I saw this one with my cousin and both were like "damn Batman is a really great but to find the cure of vampirism?", he does success but he will need a little more for Dracula. On this one both the Joker and the Penguin delivers the funniest moments. The Penguin has a very unfortunate end, basically nobody remembers being a vampire so nobody will believe the vampire story of the Penguin. Poor Penguin!!!
This movie was more than just a decent introduction to "The Batman". It does have some flaws but also I found it as a terrific 85 minutes Batman movie.
R4 DVD: it does have some extra material; a short featurette about the facts and superstitions behind the vampires. Is narrated by Batman meanwhile he is doing his own research on the subject, is the classic stuff and for example if the superstition is that vampires are damaged by garlic the fact is that if humans eat garlic we secrete a toxin that repels blood sucking mosquitoes. Other extra is the tour to Gotham with interactive menus for 3 places of Gotham (for example if you select the Arkham Asylum and then you select the Penguin you watch a video related to him). Is a really good extra and also there are some previews (including of Season 2 of "The Batman) and a featurette with the dubbing actors. Really good DVD!
Bad writing
shakedatjunk30 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Overall entertaining with some really nice animation. Sometimes the fights were great sometimes they were a little close up with quick cuts. Pretty bloody and dark for a PG movie.
Batman being Batman in his house and in Gotham and talking to Alfred is always great.
The writing here was flat out bad. Lots of plot conveniences and inconsistencies, boring narrative, Alfred not dying or injured from being slashed by Dracula towards the end was also bad. The whole mind control thing was also really dumb even though that's not new.
Bit of a letdown, I was expecting at least a 7.5/10.
Batman being Batman in his house and in Gotham and talking to Alfred is always great.
The writing here was flat out bad. Lots of plot conveniences and inconsistencies, boring narrative, Alfred not dying or injured from being slashed by Dracula towards the end was also bad. The whole mind control thing was also really dumb even though that's not new.
Bit of a letdown, I was expecting at least a 7.5/10.
If I weren't a fan, I wouldn't be this upset
baz-pitt18 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Before I begin, I would like to warn that I am a fan - and I supposed a little prejudiced against this new batman series. However as a fan, I felt as though I had to watch it before casting a summary judgment.
First the good points: In terms of action and animation - top notch. I was impressed with the fight choreography and landscaping. Top marks for scenery and lighting - the use of shadows when dealing with Batman is nearly an art form and they did well here. An interesting side note: When dealing with two characters which use shadows as a motif, it can be challenging - almost like dealing with two sides of the same coin, but it was very well done here. The bat-gadgets: 6/10. They seemed pretty generic - however they did fit with the entire "stream lined bat-stuff" theme - they seemed a little too "a la Blade" - all that was missing was a sword.
Now here's where it gets ugly: The story. It seems almost impossible not compare it with the animations of the past. (Return of the joker (ROTJ), Mask of the Phantasm (MOTP)) It seems the animated movies are taking the same decline as the movie franchise did. As I warned, I am a batman fan and I cringe when there are blaring inaccuracies - as I did all throughout Batman begins - but when you have horrible errors like there are here... *shudder*.
It seemed like there was little to no research done on the Batman stories to produce something which at least tries to fit the original story. Accuracy aside, there has to be points lost for originality. Most other movies, take an existing villain, add a new element which causes the Bat-Family (in this case Batman and Alfred) an enormous amount of grief, pain and suffering and then get rid of him. MFTP didn't follow this, but the seams were nearly invisible and very well done. Here they could have easily used The Monster of Dr Frankenstein or the Mummy and it wouldn't lose integrity. Character development is nil. They threw in some native characters to remind you that this is still a Batman story just on the off chance you may have seen Blade 1 and 3 and thought "Hmm, this sounds familiar!"
In summation, this movie screams for the return of the old writers Paul Dini and Frank Miller, and with the animation today, come with something which really gets your head twisted like Return of the joker did. As much as I hate to say it that movie set the bar for animated Bat-movies
*Steps down from soapbox*
First the good points: In terms of action and animation - top notch. I was impressed with the fight choreography and landscaping. Top marks for scenery and lighting - the use of shadows when dealing with Batman is nearly an art form and they did well here. An interesting side note: When dealing with two characters which use shadows as a motif, it can be challenging - almost like dealing with two sides of the same coin, but it was very well done here. The bat-gadgets: 6/10. They seemed pretty generic - however they did fit with the entire "stream lined bat-stuff" theme - they seemed a little too "a la Blade" - all that was missing was a sword.
Now here's where it gets ugly: The story. It seems almost impossible not compare it with the animations of the past. (Return of the joker (ROTJ), Mask of the Phantasm (MOTP)) It seems the animated movies are taking the same decline as the movie franchise did. As I warned, I am a batman fan and I cringe when there are blaring inaccuracies - as I did all throughout Batman begins - but when you have horrible errors like there are here... *shudder*.
It seemed like there was little to no research done on the Batman stories to produce something which at least tries to fit the original story. Accuracy aside, there has to be points lost for originality. Most other movies, take an existing villain, add a new element which causes the Bat-Family (in this case Batman and Alfred) an enormous amount of grief, pain and suffering and then get rid of him. MFTP didn't follow this, but the seams were nearly invisible and very well done. Here they could have easily used The Monster of Dr Frankenstein or the Mummy and it wouldn't lose integrity. Character development is nil. They threw in some native characters to remind you that this is still a Batman story just on the off chance you may have seen Blade 1 and 3 and thought "Hmm, this sounds familiar!"
In summation, this movie screams for the return of the old writers Paul Dini and Frank Miller, and with the animation today, come with something which really gets your head twisted like Return of the joker did. As much as I hate to say it that movie set the bar for animated Bat-movies
*Steps down from soapbox*
Good? Yes. Great? Oh Yes.
gohmifune16 October 2005
First off, non-fans of The Batman animated series will be harsh on this, but if you aren't a fan you should still give it a watch. The story is Dracula is causing trouble in Gotham. It's a simple story, which is fine, the movie is only about 80 or so minutes long, but it has time to breath and doesn't drag.
The show, is a very vibrant, action oriented, in your face cartoon, which is fine, it suits the show. As a movie, that presents some hurdles, primarily ta deficit in plot development and the potential for overlong climaxes. Well there are no pacing issues, the movie starts off pretty fast, but manages to keep speeding up at a noticeable, but not problematic, pace, as a good and well thought out movie should.
Voice acting and music is top notch, there were some really strong themes towards the end, and I wish they had put more into the music, but it provides more than enough. I'd buy a score if one were released, as I would also be looking forward to more in the ways of arrangement and music come a second feature.
Many will try to compare this to Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, or Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and some will try to compare this to Batman Begins, which is all fine and good, except that it is quite difficult see beyond in the style in the four movies. And that is what this is, an exercise in style, but much to my delight, it is not style over substance. Though short, the film is quite solid in both character development and tone.
Lastly, where the movie excels is in the action. Do no forget, The Batman is fighting a villain that physically outclasses him, but the fights themselves are well animated, well organized, and visually impressive, as in The Batman's fluid movements, he some how gives an incredible fight.
This is an excellent movie, and I am glad I have seen it. Fans of the show,will love it, and fans of the comic will enjoy a solid representation of the mythic hero if they can remain unbiased. Though it is a bit violent and in your face when it comes to gore, it is a great film, and I eagerly await more. It looks like we have a winner.
The show, is a very vibrant, action oriented, in your face cartoon, which is fine, it suits the show. As a movie, that presents some hurdles, primarily ta deficit in plot development and the potential for overlong climaxes. Well there are no pacing issues, the movie starts off pretty fast, but manages to keep speeding up at a noticeable, but not problematic, pace, as a good and well thought out movie should.
Voice acting and music is top notch, there were some really strong themes towards the end, and I wish they had put more into the music, but it provides more than enough. I'd buy a score if one were released, as I would also be looking forward to more in the ways of arrangement and music come a second feature.
Many will try to compare this to Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, or Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and some will try to compare this to Batman Begins, which is all fine and good, except that it is quite difficult see beyond in the style in the four movies. And that is what this is, an exercise in style, but much to my delight, it is not style over substance. Though short, the film is quite solid in both character development and tone.
Lastly, where the movie excels is in the action. Do no forget, The Batman is fighting a villain that physically outclasses him, but the fights themselves are well animated, well organized, and visually impressive, as in The Batman's fluid movements, he some how gives an incredible fight.
This is an excellent movie, and I am glad I have seen it. Fans of the show,will love it, and fans of the comic will enjoy a solid representation of the mythic hero if they can remain unbiased. Though it is a bit violent and in your face when it comes to gore, it is a great film, and I eagerly await more. It looks like we have a winner.
Probably One of the Worse Adaptations of Batman I've Ever Seen
anathematized_one30 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Maybe I am being harsh here? I know I gave it a 1, but it is not so terrible in every way that it is deserving of a 1. The voice acting for instance is great. The animation is pretty good too, though it's not my style at all (not even close). No no, it is the story and the dialogue that is just so atrocious, so blasphemous, and a total bastardization of Batman in every way that even the lowest rating on here of a 1 is not low enough to truly rank this where it should be. Then again, maybe I'm just too much of a fan of Batman comics? Bruce/Batman has a few key things that sets him apart aside from the fact he has no actual super powers - indomitable will and super genius. Another feature of Batman is that like him, the villains have no super powers either. Only a handful ever have, and then they were enhancements via chemicals or technology/DNA splicing (Bane and his Venom or Clayface's shape-shifting).
As you can see, there is a pattern to it all. This film just takes that pattern and throws it out the window. *spoilers* Look at the escape in the beginning. Joker's is nothing special, but notice Penguin in his escape, displays great physical abilities for his size and shape that have never been seen, jumping as high as the guard's head and kick him with enough force to send him two or three meters away. Penguin does have martial arts training, in Judo, which is like wrestling, not Krav Maga. Bruce has decided to go on a date with that reporter, which is way out of his staple (Bruce is extremely solitary - in the comic's 70+ year span, he's only ever been in 2 or 3 relationships). Dracula himself, or Alucard as he introduces himself to Bruce. Dracula is truly supernatural and born with innate abilities, very out of the Batman staple. Bruce is quite easily mentally/psychically manipulated by Dracula at his party, which defeats one of the main aspects of who Batman is. It also takes him half the film to find out that Dracula spelled backwards is Alucard. I mean really, who today doesn't know that?
I could keep going but, really, you get the point by now I think.
As you can see, there is a pattern to it all. This film just takes that pattern and throws it out the window. *spoilers* Look at the escape in the beginning. Joker's is nothing special, but notice Penguin in his escape, displays great physical abilities for his size and shape that have never been seen, jumping as high as the guard's head and kick him with enough force to send him two or three meters away. Penguin does have martial arts training, in Judo, which is like wrestling, not Krav Maga. Bruce has decided to go on a date with that reporter, which is way out of his staple (Bruce is extremely solitary - in the comic's 70+ year span, he's only ever been in 2 or 3 relationships). Dracula himself, or Alucard as he introduces himself to Bruce. Dracula is truly supernatural and born with innate abilities, very out of the Batman staple. Bruce is quite easily mentally/psychically manipulated by Dracula at his party, which defeats one of the main aspects of who Batman is. It also takes him half the film to find out that Dracula spelled backwards is Alucard. I mean really, who today doesn't know that?
I could keep going but, really, you get the point by now I think.
Good
ashfordofficial15 November 2022
1. Set in The Batman (2004) television series continuity. I loved the horror atmosphere, voice cast and the eerie music. Not a fan of this art style and character designs. The overall experience was satisfying and the soundtrack was outstanding. So many cool symbolism between Batman and Count Dracula and I enjoyed every bit of it.
2. Set in The Batman (2004) television series continuity. I loved the horror atmosphere, voice cast and the eerie music. Not a fan of this art style and character designs. The overall experience was satisfying and the soundtrack was outstanding. So many cool symbolism between Batman and Count Dracula and I enjoyed every bit of it.
2. Set in The Batman (2004) television series continuity. I loved the horror atmosphere, voice cast and the eerie music. Not a fan of this art style and character designs. The overall experience was satisfying and the soundtrack was outstanding. So many cool symbolism between Batman and Count Dracula and I enjoyed every bit of it.
A pretty good movie AND A few corrections
garryhess11 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Overall a really good flick. much better than dini's later efforts for Batman direct to video movies. First of all, Vicki Vale IS a redhead contrary to what the other user posted, she was turned blonde by Hollywood, but DC comics the original character was a redhead. Secondly Batman did use his head, he knows his strengths and he knows ho to goad his enemies into doing what he wants them too, Bruce put his body on the line to get Dracula into the position he needed him in, He had to go hand to hand again, to save Vicki and the citizens, also he had the sense to give Alfred his position so that he could ready that sun machine - it was strategy, just like chess sometimes you have to sacrifice valuable pieces for the ultimate victory.
One thing i really liked is we finally (in this incarnation of batman) got to see the scientist behind the bat.
I love the animation in this as well, the fight scenes are choreographed and animated superbly, it's still not as complex as Batman TAS overall - but if they keep doing DTV movies with more mature themes I think they will easily have some classics on their hands, this movie was fun a little corny, but all super-heroics are, but overall very fun to watch.
One thing i really liked is we finally (in this incarnation of batman) got to see the scientist behind the bat.
I love the animation in this as well, the fight scenes are choreographed and animated superbly, it's still not as complex as Batman TAS overall - but if they keep doing DTV movies with more mature themes I think they will easily have some classics on their hands, this movie was fun a little corny, but all super-heroics are, but overall very fun to watch.
not a good crossover by any stretch, mostly something for die-hards, or those simply curious for Joker in dreadlocks
Quinoa198420 September 2007
To be fair, I didn't watch much of The Batman animated series. It just seemed to kind of slip by my radar as a Saturday morning cartoon far too cartoonish- even by the standards of the 90s series, which were like HBO-made in comparison- and drained the humor out of certain areas like with the Joker, and made things seem unintentionally funny in others. According to a friend, however, this made-for-video movie might be a bit better than the series. I'd guess if you did like the new The Batman series then it would be advantageous to check out this new piece of fan-fare product. But that it is a bit sub-par goes without saying, and not without a little potential wasted; this could be a dark and exciting tale to tell, with possibilities even for that most retreaded of vampires Nosferatu-cum-Dracula. Under the direction and writing, however, it is squandered on clichés (will Batman make it to dinner in time with Vicki Vale, and what about the party at his house?), and sometimes the animation feels a little 'off' from previous outings (ever wonder what Batman looks like without a nose? or Dracula with several continuity-gaping capes?)
There are some moments and scenes where it looks like the animators try to give some real cinematic style, as if a DP is off to the side overseeing everything, and once or twice the big visual cues are a little intriguing (the first time, at least, Dracula looks through the penguin or other and sees only their pumping heart and veins, is a solid abstraction). But a lot of this is over-clouded by the fact that the script is fiddling around on the practical gimmick of having a guest star like Dracula on the program, from his resurrection from *one* drop of blood, to his uncanny ability to amass an army around himself, and even to be voiced by Peter Stormare and have it NOT be very amusing or really enlivening the proceedings, to his eventual demise. Can Batman defeat this bloodsucking un-dead, with his army of the walking flesh-eaters? There will be time for that- what becomes a detraction is that the writers and filmmakers feel they need to pack in too much; we don't need a whole sub-plot dedicated to the Joker and his descention into vampirism AFTER coming back from (another) supposed death scene over a waterfall, especially when the Joker is hardly up to snuff in design and in voice (where is Luke Skywalker when we need him), as he was in the past.
And yet, if it were on TV sometime, with a few big exceptions (namely those flashback scenes or dream scenes or even the big climactic fight scenes that rip off the Matrix of all programs), it might spark a few minutes of interest in an off-handed way. There's always a line or a flash of the old spark that keeps Batman going along. But it's also a stupefying detour into the realm of shameless marketing, as the movie franchise goes on (knocks on wood in desperation) in good spirits and the TV realm goes down the tubes.
There are some moments and scenes where it looks like the animators try to give some real cinematic style, as if a DP is off to the side overseeing everything, and once or twice the big visual cues are a little intriguing (the first time, at least, Dracula looks through the penguin or other and sees only their pumping heart and veins, is a solid abstraction). But a lot of this is over-clouded by the fact that the script is fiddling around on the practical gimmick of having a guest star like Dracula on the program, from his resurrection from *one* drop of blood, to his uncanny ability to amass an army around himself, and even to be voiced by Peter Stormare and have it NOT be very amusing or really enlivening the proceedings, to his eventual demise. Can Batman defeat this bloodsucking un-dead, with his army of the walking flesh-eaters? There will be time for that- what becomes a detraction is that the writers and filmmakers feel they need to pack in too much; we don't need a whole sub-plot dedicated to the Joker and his descention into vampirism AFTER coming back from (another) supposed death scene over a waterfall, especially when the Joker is hardly up to snuff in design and in voice (where is Luke Skywalker when we need him), as he was in the past.
And yet, if it were on TV sometime, with a few big exceptions (namely those flashback scenes or dream scenes or even the big climactic fight scenes that rip off the Matrix of all programs), it might spark a few minutes of interest in an off-handed way. There's always a line or a flash of the old spark that keeps Batman going along. But it's also a stupefying detour into the realm of shameless marketing, as the movie franchise goes on (knocks on wood in desperation) in good spirits and the TV realm goes down the tubes.
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