RETRO MOVIE REVIEW: Batman: Year One

With the arrival of the latest live-action Batman film, it seems worth revisiting another film set in the early career of Bruce Wayne. Batman: Year One is an animated adaptation of the classic story by the legendary Frank Miller and Dave Mazzuchelli. The original Year One stands to this day as one of my favorite Batman stories of all time, mainly because it captures the essence of Batman and Gotham perfectly while offering Batman as a ray of hope. It represents a two-pronged story, one featuring Jim Gordon as a struggling cop fighting a corrupt system, and the other featuring a young Bruce Wayne as he learns to become Batman. The story is timeless, and it has managed to age well despite being decades old. It’s a story that has influenced many Batman takes over the years, including Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy as well as Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

This animated version of Year One was released under the DC Universe Animated Original Movies banner, produced by Batman: The Animated Series veterans like Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett. The film was also directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, both of whom had already had several DC animated films to their credit by the time this one was made. Timm had noted that Batman: Year One was a relatively uncomplicated story to adapt, attributing this to the cinematic nature of Miller and Mazzuchelli’s story. Indeed, there are definite moments in the Year One film that successfully echo the comic, and this should satisfy purists of the original comic.

Probably the strongest element of the Year One adaptation is how well it holds true to Frank Miller’s original script and language. Miller’s voice is clearly present in the film, and the script of the animated feature doesn’t attempt to water down the original story or significantly change anything. Certain lines, such as the iconic scene where Batman confronts the criminal elite of Gotham and warns them that none of them are safe, are recognizably lifted from the comics in their undiluted form. Miller’s style is extremely pulpish, hard-hitting, and terse, and it rings true in every line spoken in the film. To the extent that changes are made at all, it’s usually in cutting certain small details out, presumably to maintain the pacing of the film. Although there are occasional moments that this is regrettable, such as omitting the “I shall become a bat” line from the iconic scene where Bruce finds his symbol, it mostly works in keeping the pacing brisk. These small cuts also have the unfortunate effect of diluting Batman’s role in the story somewhat, but the Gordon scenes work extremely well. This is not all bad, though; the cuts manage to successfully downplay the more problematic elements of Miller’s script, such as his portrayal of Catwoman. In terms of the storytelling, it’s an extremely faithful adaptation of the comic, and that satisfies me as a fan of classic Miller.

I have mixed feelings about the art style presented in this film, though not because of any technical aspects involved. In fact, the art looks beautiful and well presented in this adaptation, and I would appreciate it on any brightly-themed superhero film. I do have concerns, however, in applying this style to this story and this character. Year One is very much a noir-influenced story, and the lighting is often a little too bright to suit that tone. The original comic had daylight scenes, but there was a gritty and shadowy environment as presented by Dave Mazzuchelli that this film doesn’t quite capture. In fairness to the artists, though, there are moments where they perfectly capture the Mazzuchelli look and tone. The scenes where Jim Gordon is at home at night, struggling with his moral decisions, capture the desolation of the character’s inner life. Some scenes visually look like what Mazzuchelli drew in detail, and the character models echo the page reasonably well. The Gordon/Essen scenes have exactly the right look and honor Mazzuchelli’s work effectively. The overall result is a solid adaptation that shows a high degree of fidelity to the comics, even if it doesn’t do so perfectly.

The casting is generally effective in this film, though there is one regret I have about it. Bryan Cranston is admittedly an inspired choice to play Jim Gordon, and he’d be a good choice for the character even in live action. It also shows Cranston’s range, being best known as Walter White from Breaking Bad, so I appreciate seeing him in a truly heroic role. Cranston’s Gordon is the star of this film, and he conveys Gordon’s inner struggle believably without overdoing it. However, while Batman is solid in this film, I can’t help but wonder how much better it would have been with someone like Kevin Conroy speaking Frank Miller’s lines. Ben McKenzie does his best in the role, and his performance is acceptable, but it doesn’t have the impact that a great Batman should have. His Batman is very understated, and he is probably at his best playing Bruce Wayne during his interview with Gordon, where he puts on a good millionaire playboy act. On a more positive note, Eliza Dushku is a great choice for Catwoman, having made her career on playing morally ambiguous women. Her frustration at being shown up by Batman comes through in her tone and inflection, grasping the Catwoman that Miller was going for. I also appreciated Katee Sackhoff as Detective Sarah Essen; this is the kind of role that Sackhoff excels in, and she’s memorable in her brief time on screen. The supporting ensemble is quite good, inhabiting their roles well without calling too much attention to the voices behind them.

Batman: Year One gives an extremely faithful presentation of a legendary comic, and it’s well worth checking out if you’re a Batman fan. Although there are small blemishes here and there, the overall presentation shines through with a real respect for Miller and Mazzuchelli’s work. The people behind this film have a deep reverence for this comic and why it works, balanced against an understanding of how much of it works on screen. The overall result is a comics-accurate animated feature that preserves the integrity of a iconic story and what makes it a timeless classic.

Score: 4/5

Directors: Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Jon Polito, Alex Rocco, Katee Sackhoff, Jeff Bennett, Grey DeLisle, Robin Atkin Downes

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).