Batman: Gotham Knight

UPC: 085391179511

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:null

Summary: The producers of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight team with some of the most respected anime artists in Japan to explore Bruce Wayne's transition from tormented crime fighter to heroic icon of a crumbling metropolis. Separated into six distinct chapters but intended to be viewed as a whole, this stylized look at immortal DC Comics superhero is the result of a collaboration between Shojiro Nishimi (Tekkonkinkreet), Yasuhiro Aoki (Steamboy), Futoshi Higashide (Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack), Toshiyuki Kubooka (The Secret of Blue Water), and Hiroshi Morioka (Chronicle of the Wings). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Action

Awards: Film Presented – FanTasia International Film Festival

Features: Revealing documentary Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story
A Mirror For the Bat: Featurette exploring Batman and the evil denizens of Gotham City
Commentary by DC Comics senior vice president/creative affairs Gregory Noveck, former Batman editor Dennis O'Neil and voice of Batman Kevin Conroy
Exclusive sneak peek at DC Uinverse's Wonder Woman
Bruce Timm presents 4 Bonus Batman the Animated Series episodes: Heart of Ice, I Am the Night, Legends of the Dark Knight and Over the Edge

Batman: Gotham Knight

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 07/08/2008

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 76 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish,German

Subtitles: English,Spanish,German

Skyler Miller

Batman: Gotham Knight would seem to be a comic book enthusiast's dream project: Take four anime studios, team them with six writers, and create a PG-13 anthology film based one of DC Comics' most enduring superheroes. And though the result doesn't quite live up to expectations, it's worth a viewing for fans of the Dark Knight. Its underlying flaw is the hit-or-miss nature of the anthology structure itself. Though there's a small narrative thread running through the six episodes, the 12 or so minutes alloted for each just simply isn't enough time to develop anything more than a sketch of a plot. "Have I Got a Story For You" is a potentially clever concept about three youths' run-ins with Batman that doesn't really pay off; "Crossfire" focuses on two uninteresting Gotham detectives; "Field Test" is another interesting idea that that feels truncated; "In Darkness Dwells" succeeds because of its creepy atmosphere; and "Working Through Pain" is an ambitious but meandering look at some of Bruce Wayne's past. "Deadshot," written by Alan Burnett, is the standout, deftly packing suspense, action, and a compelling villain into its allotted running time. It's also the most straightforward of the bunch. Burnett, a veteran of DC animation since the days of Super Friends, clearly knows the episodic format well. No one can argue with the level of talent involved. The differing styles of animation in each segment present some evocative visuals, and the writers do their best to capture diverse takes on the Batman mythos. But ultimately, having so many writers and directors makes the film feel like a technical exercise rather than a complete vision. The wisest choice was bringing Kevin Conroy on board -- having voiced the title character since Batman: The Animated Series, he is Batman, and gives a small sense of continuity and history to the somewhat schizophrenic proceedings. ~ Skyler Miller, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Alan Burnett  Screenwriter 
David S. Goyer  Screenwriter 
Bruce Timm  Executive Producer 
Michael E. Uslan  Executive Producer 
Benjamin Melniker  Executive Producer 
Emma Thomas  Executive Producer 
Robert J. Kral  Composer (Music Score) 
Josh Olson  Screenwriter 
Kevin Manthei  Composer (Music Score) 
Jordan Goldberg  Screenwriter 
Yasuhiro Aoki  Director 
Christopher Drake  Composer (Music Score) 
Greg Rucka  Screenwriter 
Shojiro Nishimi  Director 
Brian Azzarello  Screenwriter 
Toshi Hiruma  Producer 
Futoshi Higashide  Director 
Toshiyuki Kubooka  Director 
Hiroshi Morioka  Director 
Nam Jong-Sik  Director 
Kevin Conroy  Actor 
Gary Dourdan  Actor 
David McCallum  Actor 
Parminder Nagra  Actor 
Ana Ortiz  Actor 
George Newbern  Actor 
Alanna Ubach  Actor 
Corey Burton  Actor 
Rob Paulsen  Actor 
Kevin Michael Richardson  Actor 
Will Friedle  Actor 
Jason Marsden  Actor 
Jim Meskimen  Actor 
Pat Musick  Actor 
Scott Menville  Actor 
Hynden Walch  Actor 
Corey Padnos  Actor 
Crystal Scales  Actor 

Country: Japan,USA