Jan
28
2016
0

Batman: Bad Blood Review

Batman may be in the title, but this movie is more about his surrounding family than the cover would make you believe. Bad Blood introduces us to the first cinematic versions of Batwoman, Batwing, and Dick-Bat. An affectionate fan name for Dick Grayson donning the Cape and cowl he has worked so hard to get away from. When Batman goes missing Dick Grayson, and Damien Wayne go looking for the last person to see him alive. The movie is an amalgam of a few comic series, and sometimes that works against it, trying to fill so much into a small amount of time.
While Grayson wears the cape somewhat begrudgingly they never get into why he’s initially against it or why he feels like the Batman symbol is needed other than a quick comment to Damien. The real stand out character in the set up is Batwoman, Wonderfully voiced by Yvonne Strahovski. Is the last person to see Batman alive and quickly the more intriguing of the two new characters introduced in this movie. The second one being Batwing. A new character created after the New 52 launch gets less love and screen time. He feels rushed to the screen after a few quick conveniences, and obvious exposition lands him in a brand new bat suit out of nowhere.

Kate Kane’s story is a tragic one, like many of the people who join the Bat-family. After her Mother and Sister are murdered during a kidnapping, she vows never to need saving again. And out of that comes Batwoman, a gun-toting woman who isn’t afraid of the Gotham crime. Luke Fox, on the other hand, Voiced by Gaius Charles. Leaves less to ponder as all we get to know about him is the fact that he is a war veteran and is Lucius Fox’s son, And most of that is said in one clunky scene. And returning from previous movies are the likes of Jason O’Mara as Batman, Stuart Allan is still great as Damien Wayne, and in a much bigger role than last time Firefly’s Sean Maher as Nightwing.
Like any movie introducing two know heroes and a few new villains, you’d expect some exposition. But, in this case, some characters are drowning in it. As mentioned before Luke Fox has all his backstory shoved into one scene with his father and some of Batwoman’s early lines also come off as ham-fisted. But as the movie goes on, at least, we get to see more of Kate; Dinner with her father, meeting women at a bar, having a past with Dick Grayson. While Luke is left off screen for the most part until he gets his new bat suit.
One thing the new Animation style has given WB the option to do is to go all out on fight scenes. It’s fun to see how quick and kinetic the scenes have become, including one in particular at the end. The animated movies have also done an excellent job taking other villains and giving them some limelight. People will buy anything that says Batman on it. So why not showcase someone other than the Joker. While no villain stands out more than Talia al Ghul, Voiced by Morena Baccarin. This movie is packed with some “C-listers” as Batwoman puts it for the Bat-Family to beat up on.
The final scene is such a tease that I’m almost angry. While we will have to wait until Bruce Timm and company, finish work on Batman: The Killing Joke. And Their next animated movie Justice League Vs. Teen Titans. I am more excited than ever to see what comes for that particular character in that final scene.