Synopsis: From the chronicles of the DC Universe comes the sweeping saga of rebirth, revenge and redemption. Now, for the first time, witness the legend of The Dark Knight Returns presented as an over two-hour unabridged and seamless animated feature. Another night falls on Gotham City and with the darkness, out crawls the crime and villainy from the shadows. The days of the Batman and other noble super heroes are but faded memories; violence and despair are now the harbingers of our time. With the roving gangs and return of villains such as Harvey “Two-Face” Dent and the Joker, an aged and weathered Bruce Wayne dons the mask and cape once more. With the brave, young Carrie Kelley at his side as Robin, the Dark Knight faces off against insurmountable odds, unforgettable battles and even the Man of Steel as he desperately fights to reclaim Gotham City.

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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Deluxe Edition Feature Review
by James Harvey

If you picked up Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part One and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part Two, you know exactly what to expect here. Edited together with only a few seconds of animation lost, Warner Home Video has created an epic animated feature here - running nearly 150 minutes - and a movie that should be part of any comic fan's movie collection.

Based on Frank Miller’s celebrated graphic novel, the film finds the Dark Knight, along with new sidekick Robin, battling iconic villains, including Two-Face and The Joker. Beyond his longtime foes awaits a global catastrophe racing toward Gotham City, and with it comes a familiar face, Superman – though this time he has Batman in his sights. Witness this aging Dark Knight as he wages a tireless war against crime while proving that courage and will are indeed timeless.

With Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part One and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part Two already reviewed in detail (here and here), this rundown will be somewhat brief. In all honesty, there's not much that can be added that hasn't already been said. Still, there is one question about this "unabridged" version that is worth looking at - does the length hinder the movie (as opposed to the two-part structure)? Thankfully, as one long opus, it works just fine. It plays out as one long operatic story that also happens to be a definite love-letter to the source material, the character, and for Batman fans. This is their movie.

Praise for the creative team is well-deserved with Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. The script by Bob Goodman is excellent, even with more than a few controversial changes made to the source material. Gone are the internal monologues which, when watching the film play out, actually aren't really missed. Goodman instead goes for sharp, to-the-point dialogue that hits the target in a more succinct fashion. True, some of the more poetic moments from the comics are gone, but in their stead we get some pointed observations that play just as well. The directing definitely draws influence from the 1980s-era, favoring center-staged shots and long cuts as opposed to sharp angles and quick edits. We do get those in key moments, true, but you can tell director Jay Oliva was playing it very close to the book, both in terms of the story's setting and how the material was originally laid out in comic book form. And, honestly, it works. It may not come across as dynamic at times, but it plays everything out in a nice open fashion.

One thing that really popped out this time around is the incredible score by Christopher Drake. I made note of it in my original reviews, yes, but when revisiting Batman: The Dark Knight Returns this time it just lunged out at me. By no means was the score distracting, but it just seemed so powerful as part of this gigantic tale. It's so pitch-perfect for the material, for the times, for the story. Pulling in obvious influences from John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream, and even some Blade Runner, Drake absolutely nails the score. By no means is this hyperbole, but I think he pulled off one of the best Batman soundtracks ever. I recommend that you stop reading this review right now, head over to iTunes or Amazon, purchase the soundtrack, and just let it play. It's seriously that good. Even if you don't like this movie, I guarantee you will love the score.

If there are any problems with the movie, it's the same complaints as before. The voice acting, while solid and robust for the most part, is occasionally weak. Peter Weller, voicing Batman, can sometimes come off as a bit too stiff or lifeless at times (which, in context of the story, actually makes sense on occasion), and there's the odd misread from the background characters. The animation is good throughout, though suffers from the odd mistake or blip. The budget is definitely an issue from time to time, making some of the more larger moments come off a bit smaller than they should. Without question, the best sequence in this movie is the fight between Batman and Superman which, thankfully, doesn't seem to get shortchanged in the slightest. It's fantastically handled from start to finish.

Also of note, the first twenty seconds or so from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Part Two, which basically recapped Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Part One, are lopped off as the film transitions from the first part to the second. It is a shame to lose the animation, yes, and it could've easily stayed in, but it would've also been an unnecessary recap of events that just played out moments ago. I wanted to make note of this as it could be an issue for some viewers.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Deluxe Edition presents us with the (likely) ultimate adaptation of the classic comic book series. While it may have a couple small hiccups, it's a remarkably solid and excellent effort from the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line. It goes without saying this movie is for the fans. It may bring in a few new buyers - and let's hope it does! More sales means more movies - but long-time Batman and comic book fans are the target here, and the feedback from them has been almost positive across the board ... and deservedly so. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is easily one of the best animated Batman movies to date, bringing to life one of the most iconic Batman stories of all time and doing it justice. An excellent script, great directing, and an absolutely astonishing score highlight this great animated effort. Highly Recommended!