Final Cut
Episode #30 - Final Cut
Original Airdate - February 5th, 2000
Bruce is out of town (and contact) when Curare returns to Gotham. Terry
must get help from Max to put a halt to Curare and her lethal bomb.
Media by Bird Boy
Review by Zanna |
Credits:
Story by Hilary J. Bader, Alan Burnett
Teleplay by Hilary J. Bader
Directed by Butch Lukic
Music by Kristopher Carter
Animation by Koko / Dong Yang
Voices:
Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis/Batman
Melissa Disney as Curare
Cree Summer as Max
Tim Curry as Mutro Botha
Victor Rivers as Assassin Leader
George Del Hoyo as Captain Zane
Jeff Harlan as Bellboy
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Review
Good Points
Curare is an exciting villain. She is silent, strong, extremely agile,
inventive, and deadly, usually. In this episode, she outwits all of the
other members of the Society. Her final weapon of choice is an effective
mind-wiping capsule that explodes on contact. The capsule doesn't kill,
but it renders the victim incapable of thought. It is similar to a gas
used in the BTAS episode, "OFF BALANCE", where the Society of Shadows
uses a mind-wiping gas to prevent its members from revealing the
organization's secrets.
Tim Curry was an interesting villain as Mutro Botho. It's too bad that
Botho succumbed to the mind-wipe. It was a clever twist to the story to
have a member of the Society of Assassins to request Batman's help in
defeating Curare.
Since it was Bruce's secret, I was glad that Terry did not have to tell
Max who his "partner" was. Max had already figured it out. Max shows off
her computer and investigational skills. Max's foray into Batman's world
showed just how unprepared she was, but she displayed the occasional
flash of talent that will undoubtedly result in her joining the team
officially. Perhaps, she will ultimately serve in a capacity similar to
Oracle in the DC comics.
The final fight scene was thrilling and the use of the museum artifacts
added to the action. Having a futuristic Batman defeat Curare using an
old-fashioned catapult was ironic and novel. The final scene ended the
story nicely. Terry and Max make good partners.
The animation, writing, and acting all worked in concert to provide
tension and excitement in this episode.
Bad Points
Curare has apparently used the mind-wiping capsule on other members of
the Society of Assassins, yet the last surviving members do not seem to
be prepared for her targeting them with it, nor do they attempt to avoid
being hit with the capsule. The gas was very fast acting, so perhaps no
gas mask or antidote was feasible. But, why didn't such athletically
capable men try to dodge the capsule? Curare only tossed it at them; she
did not shoot it from any gun.
I can't imagine that with all of Bruce's money and technology, he would
ever be so completely unreachable, no matter where he was. This is a
Batman show; Bruce should be in it.
Max hides behind a shower curtain to escape Curare? I suppose that was
meant to illustrate how panicked she was, but it was still pretty
foolish for such a clever young woman. It's a minor point, but she
didn't even TRY to do anything after finding the window locked. She
could have thrown shampoo in Curare's eyes and tried to get away, or
pulled down the curtain, thrown it over Curare and then tried to get
away. That cabinet under the sink would probably have been empty; she
could have hidden there. Max was petrified with fear and any action
might have caused Curare to kill her, so hiding in the tub works for the
story. But it makes an otherwise strong character and possible
costumed-partner look silly and helpless.
Terry lets Max do all the research for the transmitter and bomb. She had
to walk him through simple mapping techniques to figure out where the
bomb was. Surely, Bruce would have taught Terry this skill. She even had
to explain why the Museum of Armaments was a good place to hide a bomb.
Perhaps Terry was trying to make Max feel useful after messing up his
trap for Curare, but it makes him appear somewhat stupid. Max could have
acknowledged that Terry was capable of locating the bomb by himself, but
he let her help so that she could make amends for interfering with his
surveillance.
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