Ever since the popularity ofBatman: The Animated Seriesin the 1990s, it was evident that many of DC’s best characters were well-suited for animated adaptations. The continuity ofBatman: The Animated Serieswas perhaps the truest representation of the original comics, allowing for direct adaptations of the most iconic storylines. DC began releasing manydirect-to-DVD animated films, but only some of them took place in the original continuity. Spinoffs that took place in the newly established “Tomorrowverse” timeline, with others existing in tangent universes. However, the 2008 spinoff,Batman: Gotham Knight,was a novelty because it took place in the same continuity asChristopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knighttrilogy.
The notion of another film within Nolan’s continuity is surprising, as this iteration of theBatmanfranchise wasn’t necessarily suited for spinoffs. Nolan was clearly interested in telling a singular story abouthowChristian Bale’s Bruce Wayne became a heroand didn’t want to develop tie-ins with other DC characters. However,Batman: Gotham Knightbridges the gap betweenBatman BeginsandThe Dark Knightto tell an essential piece of Bruce’s evolution.
Batman: Gotham Knight
What Is ‘Batman: Gotham Knight’ About?
Unlike other DC animated films that serve as standalone adaptations of singular storylines,Batman: Gotham Knightis an anthologyof four different adventuresinvolvingBatman (Kevin Conroy)encountering different villains. This was ultimately a smart decision; it wouldn’t make sense for Batman to face off with a major antagonist that isn’t at all mentioned in the other films, but it is clear inThe Dark Knightthat he’s been operating for several years, taking down small-time criminals. This gaveBatman: Gotham Knightthe opportunity to introduce some of the more underrated villains from the comics, including the Man in Black (George Newbern), Salvatore Maroni (Rob Paulsen), Yuri Dimitrov (Corey Burton), and Dr. Jonathan Crane.
Batman: Gotham Knightwas very savvy in which villains it selected.Nolan’s films take place in a grounded universe that doesn’t include any overt fantasy or science fiction elements; the trilogy feels closer in tone tothe crime cinema ofMichael Mannthan it does to any of the previousBatmanfilms fromTim BurtonorJoel Schumacher. While it wouldn’t make sense to include more supernatural villains like Poison Ivy or Mr. Freeze, characters like the Man in Black and The Russian could exist in a feasible version of reality. Ultimately, they’re just thugs who decide to put on masks to get attention; in many ways, they’re not that different from Bruce himself.
The anthology format allowsBatman: Gotham Knightto embrace different animation styles,showing just how dynamicBob Kane’s original source material can be. Batman’s encounter with the Man in Black in the segment titledHave I Got A Story For Yourecounts a street fight from the perspective of several young witnesses,unfolding in a manner similar toAkira Kurosawa’sRashomon.However, Batman’s battle with Deadshot (Jim Meskimen) incorporated more of the traditional martial arts style action that fans ofBatman: The Animated Serieshad come to expect. While none of the shorts have narratives that could suitably be stretched to feature length, they work as bite-sized adventures that show just how much Bruce changes in the years since he first revealed himself to be Batman.
How Does ‘Batman: Gotham Knight’ Tie Into ‘The Dark Knight’ Trilogy?
While it’s not a necessary watch to understandThe Dark Knight,Batman: Gotham Knightprovides insights into how Bruce hones his crime-fighting abilities.InBatman Begins, Bruce’s battle was very personal, as hehad to square off with the League of Shadowsleader, Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson), who had trained him to be a warrior. However, Bruce also has to deal with many lower-class criminals who don’t have the same sense of chivalry. Seeing Bruce immerse himself in the seedier side of Gotham City helps show why he became so feared by the criminal population at the beginning ofThe Dark Knight.
Batman: Gotham Knightalso explores how some of Batman’s villains grew in prominence before the events ofThe Dark Knight.At the end ofBatman Begins,Cillian Murphy’sJonathan Cranehad been injected with his own toxic gas and only narrowly managed to avoid imprisonment.Batman: Gotham Knightshows just how far he has fallen; despite once being a respected member of Gotham’s medical community, Crane is now a small-time gangster who has fully embraced his moniker “Scarecrow.”Batman: Gotham Knightalso indicates how Maroni (played byEric RobertsinThe Dark Knight) becomes an influential figure capable of infiltrating several members of the Gotham City police department. It now makes more sense why Maroni’s activities are of such interest toHeath Ledger’s Joker.
‘Batman: Gotham Knight’ Is a Great Place To Start With DC Animation
The sheer quantity of DC’s animated output can be overwhelming, as there have been a series of new shows and direct-to-DVD films released regularly for over three decades. Even those just interested inBatman: The Animated Seriesshould know that its events eventually tie intoSuperman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited,andseveral other animated films. Comparatively,Batman: Gotham Knightsucceeds as a standalone adventure that doesn’t require knowledge beyond Nolan’s trilogy.Though the style is more idiosyncratic,Batman: Gotham Knightretains the mature attitude that had defined Nolan’s approach to the series.
Batman: Gotham Knightis a great film to watch for those interested in exploring the possibilities of DC animation,as the anthology format hints at the possibilities of week-to-week Batman stories. Nolan’s trilogy is an epic, butBatman adventuresare often exciting when they focus on his everyday responsibilities and struggle to satisfy both sides of his personality without calling attention to himself. While Nolan fans may be averse to looking at something that is geared towards a slightly younger audience,Batman: Gotham Knightserves as proof that Batman is for everyone.
Batman: Gotham Knightis available to rent on Amazon in the U.S.
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