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Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker

Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker

List Price: $14.97
Your Price: $13.47
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best storylines in the ANIMATED Batman series.
Review: Now this is straight down my ally, if you have such things like Batman. Batman Beyond:Return of the Joker definantly has one of the best storylines ever told in the series.Man who would of knew that the Joker would come back in that way and fashion? When I first saw the movie, I didn't have anything to expect 'til I found out that the Joker knew who Bruce was....then the stuff really hit the ceiling right there. Man I tell ya, talk about an attention getter huh? Well anyway through all the action and fight scenes, I'll give all of it a ten on my ricter scale. The Joker is indeed the most devious and vicious villain ever, but when he's old, he's worse. Using Tim Drake as a pawn in his plans was the last straw, it's a good thing Mcginnis did stop him in time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's finally here, this ain't no kids stuff
Review: The original Batman animated series of the 90's might have been aimed towards children, but it was so well written and slick that older audiences enjoyed it as well. While I was a big fan of that original series, I'll admit I really wasn't too fond of Batman Beyond (although the idea behind it intrigued me). I had originally seen the original cut version of "Return of the Joker", and I somewhat liked it, but when I heard about the uncut version finally getting released, something told me I had to see it. I will tell you that in every way, shape, and form, this uncut version tops the cut one. The uncut version clears up some holes from the cut one that were created so the more "violent and mature themed" scenes could be cut out, plus we get to really see just what kind of lunatic the Joker is, I mean who would do that to a kid? Seeing that image of what happens to Robin will make you understand why Warner Bros. cut out the scene. Not to mention we also get to see how the Joker really met his demise, and why Bruce Wayne walks with a cane. Kevin Conroy is great as always as Bruce, while Will Friedle is pretty good as Terry McGinnis, but the film belongs to Mark Hamill, who is always fantastic but here much more sadistic, as the Joker. Other voice talents include Dean Stockwell, Melissa Joan Hart, Angie Harmon, Michael Rosenbaum, and good 'ol Henry Rollins as one of the Joker's henchman (we also get to see what really happens to him too). All in all, if your older but love anything Batman, steer clear of the cut version and get this fantastic uncut edition, but if your buying this for your kids or a young child (like say under 10), get the cut version because this uncut edition may be too intense for them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best of the Bats
Review: When I first saw the original relese of ROTJ I was suprised at how well the animation and story was...by far the best of the WhOLE animated series combined! Now, i get the uncut version....Damn, I am glad they brought this out...this is what its all about...Being Real...not hiding it "off screen" like they did in the "cut" version...the uncut lays it out for all to see, (SPOILER!!) The Joker demise...dirty and raw, nothing flashy, nothing to apeel to the kiddies...I was just shocked to see that...the butality of it all...the "bang" flag protuding from his chest...to his final "death rattle" We need more like this...maybe a Superman? yea right...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Entertaining to watch, a pleasure to own
Review: If you are a fan of Batman Legacy (or Batman of the Future for our European Cousins) you should definatly, buy or merely rent out this great film. The action is top notch from start to finish with state of the art animation, courtesy of varous japenese animation companies. Any old guys which fail to recognise these series, should really get out more because compared with the earlier series of Batman it is completely different and in my opinion ten times better.
Joker is Batmans ultimate nemises, and what Batman series would be complete without him. I am not gonna reveal the plot, but he does comeback with 1 HECK OF A BANG, and Mark Hamill does a great job portraying his emotions.
This film is aimed at kids, but 10+ at least, as it has some graphic fantasy violence, but we are not talking Die Hard here or anything. The computer aided special effects blow you away, and for an animation flick that is really something to be savoured, especiall on a widescreen surround sound setup. It really is an essential purchase, and I am really proud to own this quality DVD. Be kind to yourselves and buy it, c'mon you (and your kids) deserve it.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Worth the wait?
Review: I waited for the unedited version to be released, and I am most appreciative that Warner's finally recognized that fans of the animated Batman series are adults, not children.

But I'm not so keen on the film itself. Return of the Joker is in some ways similar to the film Hannibal (the subpar sequel to Silence of the Lambs), in that each film is about a sick psychopath (the Joker/Dr. Lecter), and in each the film's director designed their film to stimulate and entertain soley by making the psychopath's actions seem like entertainment. So if you enjoy seeing people tortured, or city blocks being destroyed and such, then you will enjoy this film, because that is all it offers.

There is no character development whatsoever. Though there a one minute token scene where the new Batman declares that he must continue to be Batman because he was a punk as a kid, so he feels he owes the world, or some such tripe. That's about as deep as the film gets.

Am I being too demanding, expecting something deep from an animated film? I don't think so. Batman has always been about the inner world of Bruce Wayne, the balance between good and bad. This film revels in the bad, and that's just too one-dimensional for me.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Movie, Ok DVD (uncut version)
Review: When I got this dvd, I was excited to finally see ROTJ. Allthought it was a great movie there were a couple bad things I would like to point out. 1st The "uncut" is only as uncut as were ever going to get it. Production copies had 3 moreslight changes.Bonk's dying corpse twitched for a couple seconds after joker killed him, In the torture scene Joker's apron read "Kill the cook", and also in "Our Family Memories" some of the torture instruments were changed to goofy things Ex. Toilet Plunger, Cream Cheese. 2nd It was about 1/2 as disturbing and gothic as most of the reviews say. When I first got it I was worried that the uncut may be too graphic for my little sister. I was wrong..... So a 6 year old watched this and was just fine,but for some reason all these adults get freaked by it. 3rd Uncut didn't make a whole lot of major changes. Sure bonk's death was cooler, Robin made the biggest decision of his life as opposed to a stupid off-screen acident. I does make the movie stronger but in whole, but i could live with cut. Don't get me wrong, i loved the movie, its a great addition to my DVD collection, but it just didn't change as much as the so-called "Purists" said it did.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Greatest Animated Batman Film of Them All
Review: Speaking as a fan of the animated franchise of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini since 1992 at the tender age of 4, I can conclusively say that this is the greatest work of B:TAS, TNBA, or BB. I felt that this was slightly better than Mask of the Phantasm, particularly how all the characters were focused on in such a short ammount of time without feeling rushed. *SPOILER* The fate of the Joker and Robin (Tim Drake) were handled in a great way.*END SPOILER* I have yet to see the edited version, but I have no real desire to. I own the greatest work of the Animated Batman family in its original glory and so should you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Batman Beyond you didn't know
Review: For anyone who has seen, or owns the original Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.. the uncut version is a must have.

This movie deals with the question, "What ever happened to The Joker?". When you find out what happened in the last meeting with Batman (Bruce Wayne) and The Joker, it sends a cold chill up your spine. Plus, when you find out more about the Joker in the present timeframe with Terry as Batman, you see how the insane genious Joker, voiced again by the talanted Mark Hamill, known throughout the land as Star Wars's superhero Luke Skywalker, always has a plan to gain the upperhand.

If you are buying this for a small child, I urge you to find someone you know who has it, screen it, and then decide if you want to let your children see this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Batman as it should be
Review: I have never been a fan of any of the live-action Batman movies, they are all over-the-top fantasy films that don't seem to resonate with me at all. That just isn't the case for the animated series, which since its inception has captivated me thoroughly. I was skeptical about BB just because it seemed like some cartoon that had Batman in the title but would completely ruin the legacy of the series. I was wrong, the heart of the animated series is still there, and with all the memorable villains and characters, its a great show. I must confess to not knowing about the cuts WB made to the original version of this film when I first saw it, and the scene in question did seem extremely subdued and odd when I saw the cut version. But now that they released the Uncut version I get to see it all, and this movie is disturbing, entertaining, and above all worthy of the Batman name. The voicework has been consistently excellent throughout the series history, and this is no exception, and its nice to see Mark Hamill reprise his role, hes always a joy. The animation is actually staggeringly good especially the destruction of the city which is awe-inspiring; also the sound work is phenomenal this is truly an excellent film for surround sound. The plot is better left unsaid, the surprises are worth your time I guarantee it. If you love Batman or have a love for animation, this is a must-buy, its as simple as that.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Joker Returns, This Time on a DVD Worth Buying!
Review: Ever since Warner Brothers family film distribution unit announced a couple of years ago that "focus groups" had determined that parents prefer cropped, full-frame versions of movies, WB has earned some infamy for releasing a number of long-awaited DVDs in full-frame only. The most notable of these was "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory". Thankfully, the hue and cry from purists was significant enough that they subsequently released a version of the film as it was meant to be seen.

Another dramatic outcry occurred when WB Family released "Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker", their send-off feature to the television series. The Batman cartoon franchise always enjoyed its strongest following among older generations, who appreciated its more mature nature and subject matter. This movie kicked things up a notch, firmly tying in the mythology between Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Beyond. The script was strong and uncompromising, and fulfilled the expectations of its fans.

The only problem is that Warner Brothers was afraid its focus group parents and kiddies would be offended, so the movie was chopped up, edited, and released in a kinder, gentler full-frame format. Dismal sales, extremely negative internet coverage (particularly Ain't It Cool News), and more hue and cry caused Warner Brothers to announce another release of the film - this time with its original cut.

The result is a film finally worth watching and purchasing. The plot, regarding how the Joker shows up seemingly unchanged forty years in the future and the reasons that surround that return are compelling storylines that reward viewers of both 90's Batman series and are a joy for anyone familiar with the Batman mythology in general. Most of all, the voice acting is first-rate, with all the actors from the shows reprising their roles, most notably Will Friedle (Terry McGuiness), Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne), and Mark Hamill (The Joker). In its uncut form, the story is definitely darker and more mature than anything attempted during its Saturday morning run, but it is no darker than Robotech, Voltron, or other cartoon shows that tread on similar territory. Finally, the packaging did not go through much proofing. It says, incorrectly, that the film is full-frame only. The presentation is, in fact, an enhanced widescreen mode.

All in all, Warner Brothers deserves credit for answering the challenge and releasing a worthy DVD of this film. It is definitely worth purchasing if you are a fan of the series or the characters in general.


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