Search - The Batman Superman Movie on DVD

Frighteningly Real

Sean Ares Hirsch | 05/05/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This may be an animated movie, but it is excellent in every sense of the word. In this tape we see that Batman and Superman are selfless heroes, but they are not without human weaknesses. Despite their benevolent characters, their egos make it difficult to work with each other at times. As someone who cherishes the writings of Charles Dickens, I have noticed that Dickens is usually careful not to make his heroes perfect. (Usually they have at least some human flaws.) The Joker and Harley Quinn STEAL this movie. Whatever people may have thought of the Joker up to this point, NO ONE is likely to underestimate him now. First he quickly hammers down the local thugs and lets them know it's either their loyalty or else. He finds the weaknesses of his opponents, takes advantage of the dissension between Batman and Superman, and fights them both quite well. Despite their crimes the Joker and Harley are a real lovable couple. They function as a team, they stand by each other, and it is clear that their relationship is a happy one. Lex seems little more than the Joker's stooge in this movie. The Joker manipulates him to get a shot at Superman; later the Joker's fight starts to spell trouble for Lex; Lex makes the fatal error of thinking he can outsmart the Joker and Harley; all too late, Lex realizes that PSYCHOTIC DOES NOT EQUAL STUPID!!! I never forgot the chills I felt when the Joker and Harley Quinn flipped the tables on the naive Lex. It is in this movie that we can see why the Joker and Harley Quinn are Batman's most dangerous enemies. The minds of most criminals follow a pattern and they hope to gain something. Usually they will not bother with criminal activity that digresses from their goal. The Joker and Harley Quinn DO NOT follow this pattern. Any kind of chaos gives them joy, and they do not have to gain anything to win. Their total revenge on the helpless Lex shows us just how dangerous the Joker and Harley Quinn are. What is even more frightening is that throughout this movie, it is so easy to cheer for the Joker and Harley Quinn every step of the way. In all honesty this movie never drags. So we have a great story, super heroes that display heroic benevolence as well as human weaknesses, and a tour of psychotic terror by the Joker and Harley Quinn. If you like Batman or Superman, you will not want to miss this movie."

No Love Lost at First Meeting

Michael Weber | Atlanta | 09/02/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Worthwhile use of the "World's Finest" title for this first animated meeting between the Bat and the Big Blue Cheese. (For many years, the comic titled "World's Finest"'s lead story every month was a Batman/Superman team-up, in an era when hero's team-ups were not common)Batman and Superman's first meeting, herein portrayed, is rather nice, especially because they really just don't like each other a heck of a lot. Especially because Lois Lane falls hard for Bruce Wayne. Their mutual discovery of secret identities plays nicely on the two characters' strong points, with Superman using his superpowers and Batman demonstrating why he's the world's greatest detective. Harley Quinn's running feud with Luthor's female bodyguard/chauffeur, Mercy, is one of the high points.The Joker's "Dance of Death" over the fallen Superman, adding shocks from his super-charged handbuzzer to Big Blue's suffering in his kryptonite death trap is rather chilling; in this and a few elements of violence this production (originally aired in prime-time, and then as three episodes of the television series) goes a bit beyond what the afternoon TV series can usually portray, and the Mark Hamill-voiced Joker is truly scary. The Joker's raving laughter as he (apparently) goes to his death as a result of one of his own traps gone wrong is both chilling and in character. (Harley Quinn, on the other hand, is just a *bit* too broadly portrayed.)(There is, by the way a comicbook/"graphic novel" adaptation of this material -- now sadly out of print. While it doesn't bring much new, it's a good counterpoint to this film, as it gives alternate, slightly more "adult" views on some things -- if you have one, you really need the other.)One question -- does Lois Lane have a trust fund or something? Otherwise, how does she afford that Simply Incredible apartment on a mere reporter's salary?Also -- a couple of scenes, notably the lab where the robots are kept and where Superman fights them, and Superman straining to (just barely) prevent a huge aircraft from crashing into buildings strongly suggest deliberate homages to the old Fleischer Bros "Superman" cartoons, specifically to "Metal Monsters" and "Japoteurs"."