I thought that “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” was the worst “Batman” film but somehow the folks at DC have outdone themselves with “Batman: The Killing Joke”. Initially this animated disaster was going to go straight-to-video like dozens of DC animated films prior to it but the hype for this film meant that it would be the first to make it to theatres since “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm”, which remains a great “Batman” film.

In “The Killing Joke”, we hear how Batgirl was pushed to the edge by a criminal that objectified her and then we see the Joker (Mark Hamill “Star Wars”) set out to prove a point by mirroring his own descent into madness as he faces Batman (Kevin Conroy) yet again.

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill voiced Batman and the Joker in the incredible “Batman: The Animated Series” and its film “Mask of the Phantasm” but both seem to have lost their passion and energy for their roles. The flashback scenes of how the Joker became a deranged criminal are very weak. Batgirl is pretty dull. The other characters are absolutely dreadful, especially the generic villain that torments Batgirl. All the characters look pretty lifeless thanks to the horrible animation that lacks the charm of early animated “Batman” shows and films.

Some of the direct-to-video films such as the “The Dark Knight Returns” pictures were deserving of a theatrical release but “The Killing Joke” deserved its script to be shredded. The characters are horrific, the acting is poor, the dialog is absolutely awful, the animation is terrible and there is nothing redeeming here. Most people have criticised the first half of the film with its focus on Batgirl but I don’t see any real distinction in quality between the first half and the second half of the picture.

The first of the Tim Burton “Batman” movies starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader was a fun experience. It was dark, sinister and amusing all at the same time but unfortunately the sequel lacks certain qualities the previous instalment had but then again it may also add to what now appears as merely hinted at in the first film.

“Batman Returns” starts off with an interesting choice of beginnings where we see the Cobblepot parents throw their deformed baby son off a bridge and into the river, which guides him to the sewers. Back in present Gotham the city is getting ready for the Christmas spirit but unfortunately for Gothamites they’re interrupted by the Penguin (Danny DeVito “Twins”) and his gang of evil doers.

Michael Keaton returns as Batman and does a good job but the movie isn’t really about Batman, it’s more about the villains he faces. The first is Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Although I don’t think it’s the best version of the Penguin I feel the way he’s portrayed as a misunderstood freak who keeps causing mayhem fits perfectly. Then there’s Catwoman played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Catwoman is a bizarre character. Her morals constantly change making it hard to determine what her motive is making her a very puzzling and uninviting character. Then there’s Max Shrek played by Christopher Walken. Max Shrek is nothing more than a corrupt business tycoon and a dull one at that. He’s an unentertaining villain and is easily forgotten.

“Batman Returns” is a sickening yet somehow moderately entertaining movie. The movie may not excel at action but it does have a lot of it, the characters are inconsistent, the movie is ridiculously stupid and violent but I don’t know how it manages to but it is a mildly fun experience and while certainly not the best Batman movie is relatively entertaining but still I don’t recommend it for it’s inconsistencies.

Oh I do love the 60s “Batman” tv series and I also enjoyed “Batman: The Movie” and “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” is an animated sequel to the great live-action 60s series.

In “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders”, Adam West and Burt Ward reprise their roles from the old television series as Batman and Robin. Together, Batman and Robin tackle the Joker, the Riddler, the Penguin and Catwoman with Julie Newmar returning as Catwoman. The crime fighting duo even manage to go into outer space at one point to do battle and they also nearly get turned into dinner.

A lot of the film’s appeal comes from the nostalgia of having Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar reprise their roles from the 60s series. Adam West and Burt Ward sound considerably older than when they did the television series but it’s still great to have them doing the voices. Julie Newmar is good as Catwoman. As some of the cast members from the show had died, new actors give voices to characters such as the Joker and the Penguin and they do a good job. I think the animation is very good and faithful to the style of the television series.

“Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” is a novelty film for fans of the old tv series and it does exactly what you want. The film is done in the same loveable campy style as the series and the references to other adaptations of “Batman” such as the 1989 film and the more recent “The Dark Knight Rises”. If you haven’t seen the television show or the 1966 film then you probably won’t get this film and you’re better off starting with some of the older stuff first. Fans of the 60s “Batman” series are most likely going to want to see this and if, like me, you hated the theatrically-released animated abomination that was “Batman: The Killing Joke” then this might help heal some of the wounds.

“Batman Ninja” is a movie that seems conceptually brilliant (at least to me). It combines feudal Japanese warfare, the “Batman” franchise, anime and giant mech battles. It’s probably not a film that everybody is going to like but I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Gorilla Grodd creates a time machine and Batman tries to stop him from using it but something goes wrong. Batman and a number of his allies and adversaries find themselves in feudal Japan. Batman’s foes form clans with each one battling to become shogun. Batman will need to master his new surroundings if he is to defeat the villains and return to his own time.

It’s great to see so many characters in here. We of course have Batman but we also have other heroes such as Robin and Nightwing. There are plenty of villains with the Joker, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Penguin and Deathstroke all becoming feudal lords. There are a few other villains in here and it’s especially nice to see they included some lesser known ones. I also really like the redesigns for some of the villains with the Joker looking especially impressive. I have mixed feelings about the animation style. I initially did not care for it and wished that they had opted for a more traditional anime style. However, as the movie went on, I slowly warmed to it.

It has a ridiculous premise and plenty of absurd moments but this movie just runs with its concept and I respect it for going pretty much all the way. Maybe it could have been improved by being a bit longer so that we could have seen some rival clan battles with the villains but there is plenty of action on display here. If you are not a fan of films set in feudal Japan such as “Ran” and you do not care for anime shows such as “Mobile Suit Gundam” then I can imagine that you could quickly become frustrated with this movie. It seems to appeal to a rather niche crowd but it’s a crowd that I am part of.

“Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” follows the extraordinary “Batman: The Animated Series” and remains one of the greatest big screen adventures for the Dark Knight, second only to Tim Burton’s “Batman”. It’s a seriously underrated “Batman” movie that often gets overshadowed by the bigger live-action films.

Batman (Kevin Conroy) finds himself wrongly implicated in a series of murders of mobsters when the mysterious and elusive Phantasm arrives in Gotham City. Meanwhile, an old flame (Dana Delany) of Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne, appears after she suddenly vanished from his life years earlier. Batman must find out how the two are connected as his arch nemesis, the Joker (Mark Hamill “Star Wars”), also becomes involved.

Tim Conroy is great as Batman/Bruce Wayne and it’s a shame that he so often gets overlooked. For an animated film aimed more towards children than adults, it’s amazing how more deep and meaningful the character is here in comparison to some of the live-action pictures. Andrea Beaumont is the love interest and she turns out to be an interesting character and not just some damsel. The Phantasm makes for a very good character. Mark Hamill is terrific as the Joker, blending the comedic and dark elements of the character as well as Jack Nicholson did in the Tim Burton version. Some of the other characters are a little tedious, especially the politician that wants the police to hunt Batman. All the characters are animated very well in the style of the cartoon series.

“Batman: The Animated Series” is great and so is this film. This movie provides a great mystery, some intriguing flashbacks about Bruce Wayne’s journey to becoming Batman and some spectacular action sequences (the jetpack scene is very fun). If you are a fan of Batman and have not seen this movie then you are missing out on one of the finest additions to the franchise.

“Batman Forever” takes the series in a different direction with a rather drastic change of pace in an even more eccentric entry in the Warner Bros. “Batman” series. Joel Schumacher (“Phone Booth”) is in the director’s chair and it’s a bumpy ride.

In “Batman Forever”, we follow Batman (Val Kilmer “The Saint”) as he embarks on his next adventure where he takes on two supervillains. He must do battle with both the schizophrenic Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones “Men In Black”) and the dastardly Riddler (Jim Carrey “The Truman Show”) in an action-packed neon light display as the foes hope to take control of Gotham.

Michael Keaton had left someone else had to fill in Batman’s shoes. They decided on Val Kilmer, I think he gives an okay performance as Bruce Wayne and an equally reasonable portrayal as the Dark Knight. Tommy Lee Jones plays Two-Face in an extremely forgettable and disappointing role. This character could have been so much and while I applaud Tommy Lee Jones’ efforts, they unfortunately go to waste as he has nothing to work with. Jim Carrey plays the Riddler and if you’ve ever seen “Ace Ventura”, “The Truman Show” or any of his other work, you will know this is just Jim Carrey being Jim Carrey but that’s not a bad thing. He’s always the centre of attention whenever he’s onscreen and he’s always giving you 100% of his energy. Chris O’Donnell (“School Ties”) plays Robin. He gives a more realistic take on the character than Burt Ward in the 1960s show but I don’t care for his whiney attitude and his generally dull performance.

“Batman Forever” is a decent movie. If you want to nit-pick it does have some dumb moments and don’t even get me started on the close-ups of Batman getting suited up. The movie does however have good elements. The action scenes are explosive and over the top, the plot is ridiculous like most entries in the genre but by big gripe with the film is that it feels like it’s dumbing it down for a wider audience.

I loved the original Tim Burton “Batman” but none of the sequels quite managed to live up to it. This reboot is really great and it takes the material to an extremely mature level. This “Batman” entry is dark and gritty as it provides the most realistic take on the character. It makes a very enjoyable movie about Batman although I prefer the first Burton film a little more still.

Christian Bale (“American Psycho”) stars as the business man Bruce Wayne and when he was a young boy witnessed the murder of his parents by a petty crook. Wayne disappeared for several years as he learned martial arts with Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson “Taken”). Bruce returns to his home of Gotham City as he dons his cape and becomes the vigilante Batman in an attempt to strike fear into the hearts of criminals.

Christian Bale is good as Bruce Wayne and Batman. I prefer his approach to Wayne than Batman as the growl he has seemed a little exaggerated. Liam Neesson is decent but nothing special here. Michael Cain (“The Italian Job”) is good as Wayne’s trusty butler Alfred. Katie Holmes (“Phone Booth”) is okay as Bruce’s childhood friend Rachel. Cillian Murphy (“Inception”) brings some terror as the villain Scarecrow but ultimately feels underused. Most of the cast were good.

I think that “Batman Begins” is only really lacking in the action department as it’s just close-ups followed by more close-ups that make it rather messy. I also disliked the new Batmobile in this picture and another minor criticism is that way too much of the dialog gets repeated throughout the movie. The acting was good for the most part, the special effects were good and the story was dark as well as entertaining. Although not perfect, “Batman Begins” is a thrilling film that will surely entertain.

“Batman & Robin” is an unusual film to say the least. Most comic book movies are cheesy and a bit silly. You only have to glance at the likes of “Spider-Man 3” or “Fantastic Four” but this is truly something else.

“Batman & Robin” takes every corny one liner and spins it on its head… violently. Batman (George Clooney “Ocean’s Twelve”), Robin (Chris O’Donnell “Batman Forever”) and even Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone) take on the hilarious Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger “Predator”), the clichéd Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman “Kill Bill”) and the equally clichéd Bane in a horrendous mixed bag of jokes and crazed antics.

Batman is played by George Clooney. He’s a really good choice but the horrible script makes him unable to help despite his valiant efforts. Robin is once again played Chris O’Donnell. He’s really whiny and I don’t care for him at all.  Alicia Silverstone is incredibly poor as the unentertaining Batgirl. She suffers from a bland backstory and weak lines. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the pun spouting Mr. Freeze. At least 90% of his dialog revolves around ice making him a tedious and non-captivating character but I do admit to occasionally chuckling at him. Uma Thurman is bland and extremely unentertaining as I feel she always is. She plays an overly feminine temptress and isn’t a good one at that. The movie is also littered with tons of other famous faces and sadly not even John Glover who did the voice for the Riddler in the cartoon of Batman is good. The only actor I felt was reasonable was Michael Gough who played Alfred.

“Batman & Robin” should be entertaining. It has several villains, lots of heroes and a tremendously large budget but the problem is that it wants to be both a legitimate “Batman” movie and a parody of one. It wants to be at a similar vibe to “Batman Forever” yet also once to be even campier than the 60s version. Although the movie is funny at points it’s weak and doesn’t feel on par with any of the other “Batman” movies.

I love the original “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” is one of the best “Batman” movies ever made so imagine my enthusiasm when I heard that there was a new animated film featuring the Caped Crusader from the same people that made “Batman: The Animated Series”. Get ready to be disappointed folks.

Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Nightwing (Loren Lester) are forced to team up with Harley Quinn (the Joker’s girlfriend and sidekick) in order to stop Poison Ivy and the Floronic Man from executing a dastardly plan that threatens the entire globe. This unstable alliance is the world’s only hope in averting a major disaster.

Kevin Conroy is of course really good as Batman and it is nice that he is back once again to voice Batman. The voice acting from pretty much everybody is really good but the problems are with the way the characters behave and their dialog. At times you could be forgiven for mistaking the dialog in this film for a spoof dub on the internet. There is a truly cringeworthy moment in which Harley Quinn produces a very unpleasant smell and Nightwing almost throws up. The design of the characters is actually taken from the fourth series of “Batman: The Animated Series” (also known as “The New Batman Adventures”) and while the characters look okay, I prefer the look of the characters in the earlier episodes.

The animation is fine and even some of the action sequences are fine but the characters and the dialog just do not work at all. There are too many dirty jokes and too many lines that just do not belong in “Batman” movie.  While “Batman And Harley Quinn” offers a few funny moments here and there, it’s pretty painful to watch a truly great superhero involved in such in an idiotic mess. I love the campy 60s “Batman” show but this is just lame. In the movie’s defence, it’s vastly superior to “Batman: The Killing Joke”.

I went into “Basic” expecting a lot because it stars big names such as Samuel L. Jackson (“Die Hard: With A Vengeance”, “Jackie Brown”) and John Travolta (“Saturday Night Fever”, “Face/Off”) as well as a having the great John McTiernan (“Die Hard”, “The Hunt For Red October”) in the director’s chair. What I got was in many ways a well-made movie but at script level, it is so overly complex that it makes “Mission: Impossible” look simplistic. “Basic” is an ironic title here.

What happens in this movie is that something goes wrong during a training mission in Panama and an army sergeant named Nathan West (Jackson) along with a few of his cadets go missing. It’s up to ex-army man Tom Hardy (Travolta) and Captain Julia Osborne (Connie Nielsen “Gladiator”) to work out what happened. They interview a couple of survivors and try to see who’s telling the truth. We see a ton of flashbacks (all vastly different from each other) as conspiracy after conspiracy and revelation after revelation keep happening until the last few moments of the movie completely spin you one way and then immediately spin you another. It’s clever in some ways but ultimately leaves you feeling that the guys in the film aren’t very smart because they’ve overcomplicated everything.

Travolta and Jackson worked side-by-side in “Pulp Fiction” but they get little to no screen-time together in “Basic”. They both are good (Jackson is by far the better one of the two though) and so is Connie Nielsen. The other characters are alright but virtually everybody here is a liar and most are double, if not triple, liars so it gets to the point where no of them seem believable as they’re so layered with untruths.

“Basic” has some decent action sequences and it’s intriguing at first but as it goes on, its twists become more and more absurd and wreck the film. Movies such as “Pulp Fiction” and “The Killing” do the interlocking stories well and movies such as “Rashomon” do the whole different stories thing well but “Basic” doesn’t.