DC’s latest animated adventure goes for the jugular and delivers the definitive version of Batman’s darkest hour
“You cavort with demons and call them Gods. You embrace the darkness and treat it as if it was light. Your judgment is at hand.”
Batman has always been one of DC’s golden geese, but lately the Dark Knight fans have been eating especially well. Sure, The Batman: Part II has faced perpetual delays, but a promising line of Batman properties, both live-action and animated, is currently in the pipeline. Animation, in particular, has always uniquely celebrated Batman and helped its brand grow.
Exciting animated experiments like AbsoluteBatman and Joker: Laugh Riot are on the way. In the meantime, Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall really sticks the landing while also avoiding many of the pitfalls that have plagued some of the previous mature, adult-oriented animated Batman adaptations, like Batman: The Killing Joke,Batman: Death in theFamily, and Son of Batman. Knightfall Part 1 is an extraordinary adaptation of one of Batman’s most acclaimed and alarming stories, and it’s likely to hit even harder for those unfamiliar with the nitty-gritty brutality of the Knightfall narrative.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall doesn’t stray far from the original work Dennis O’Neil oversaw in the early ’90s, which completely reinvented the Caped Crusader. It’s a story that’s all about dismantling the status quo and razing the Earth. The enigmatic and vengeful Bane (MichaelMando) launches an intense attack that frees all of Batman’s villains from Arkham as he unleashes carnage in Gotham. It’s an effective plan that’s designed to overwhelm Batman (AnsonMount) before Bane personally targets the Dark Knight.
This mayhem coincides with Batman and Robin’s efforts to help rehabilitate and hone Jean-Paul Valley’s (Pablo Schreiber) skills, conquer his demons, and transform him into a valuable crime-fighting ally at a point when Gotham is under siege and has never needed more help. Knightfall Part 1 is set in a post-Dick Grayson and Jason Todd world where Batman has already experienced his share of loss and a shattering of hubris. Tim Drake () is currently his ward, but he’s left with a very guarded version of Batman who is determined to never lose anyone else again, but also terrified of this inevitability.
Jack Giffin
That being said, Batman: Knightfall Part 1 is really a story about Bruce learning how to ask for help and that it’s impossible for him to do everything on his own. It’s a lesson Bruce can’t avoid. It’s just a matter of whether he’ll realize it before it’s too late. Asking for help—and having hope that someone is out there to answer the call—is a necessary slice of optimism in the sea of darkness that is Gotham.
Knightfall also wrestles with the question of whether Batman is losing sight of himself in this endless war and if he’s no longer cut out to be this vigilante figure of justice. This idea has been explored ad nauseum in various Batman stories that it’s likely to wash over most audiences with little impact. However, it at least provides greater fuel for the fire that is Knightfall: Part1’s finale, which sees Batman at rock bottom and a new, haunting low that leaves him ready to hang up the cowl. What does feel fresh in Knightfall: Part 1 is how this film taps into the endless pain of being Batman and how it’s destined to end in his disappointment, disillusionment, and destruction, even if Gotham manages to improve through his actions. Symbols like the Dark Knight all eventually run their course, no matter the impact that they make.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1 presents a dark and depressing depiction of Gotham where crime runs rampant, children are casually killed, and eyes are gouged like it’s going out of fashion. Knightfall also shows rampant corruption, reinforcing the story’s broader message that life is rarely fair. It’s a broken world in which everyone resorts to the mantra of “Survive. Dominate. Subjugate,” lest they become yet another casualty.
This is also an extremely violent depiction of this iconic Batman story that truly doesn’t hold back. Its opening sequence is a limb-dismembering, face-peeling, body-burning morbid masterpiece that immediately establishes Knightfall as a more mature take on Batman’s animated adventures. To this point, Studio Mir’s visuals are reminiscent of the classic Batman: The Animated Series, albeit with a more adult edge. The film’s musical score is also highly evocative and helps amplify the story’s raw emotions, whether it’s melodramatic pathos, white-knuckle suspense, or fast-paced action. John Jennings Boyd and Eric V.Hachikian’s music properly understands the psychology of these characters and the necessary emotion in each scene. It brings so much to the production.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1 covers a lot of ground and occasionally feels like it’s rushing through its material. However, its captivating, end-crushing backstory for Bane is one area that’s without compromise. Knightfall unlocks a whole new side to the character that actually makes him a sympathetic and tragic figure instead of just some burly, larger-than-life stereotype. Knightfall does Bane’s source material justice, and it’s the most interesting version of the character that has ever been depicted on screen. Those who have never cared about Bane before or found him inaccessible will be captivated by his story here.
Bane’s transformation sequence is a deeply disturbing spectacle that goes to some very dark places and is occasionally hard to watch. It perfectly establishes the threat that Bane poses to Batman and why he’s a threat to be worried about. His superhuman brute strength is just as alarming as his twisted mental state and his idea of justice.
Knightfall Part 1 is honestly more Bane’s story than it is Batman’s, which makes this a much more interesting film. It’s impressive how much runway Bane is given here, and it will likely make Part 2 incrementally more interesting as a more Batman-centric counterpoint to this complex story of strength, corruption, retribution, and rebirth.
Like many great Batman stories, Knightfall Part 1 showcases a satisfying assortment of rampaging rogues, such as Scarecrow, Victor Zsasz, the Riddler, and an absolutely unhinged Mad Hatter performance by John DiMaggio. Knightfall also embraces some deeper cuts, like The Ventriloquist, Catman, and Firefly. Many of these villains amount to perfunctory cameos, but they still contribute to the grander anxiety that grips hold of Batman and never gives him a chance to rest. He’s running on fumes while Bane thrives.
Knightfall also excels as a strong introduction to Jean-Paul Valley and his intimidating alter ego, Azrael. Knightfall beautifully illustrates why Valley is such a unique spin on the Batman mythos, which hasn’t gotten nearly enough love in pop culture and is still a relatively obscure DC character among mainstream audiences.
Anson Mount’s work as Batman and Michael Mando’s performance as Bane are both strong, committed interpretations of these characters. However, Pablo Schreiber as Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael is Knightfall’s biggest surprise. He vacillates between a terrifyingly aggressive snarl and confused fragility that conveys this character’s fractured duality. It’s a hell of a performance that proves he’d make a great Batman.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall is exciting, unnerving, and throws Gotham into disarray like few stories successfully accomplish. It’s destined to be one of the all-time great Batman animated movies that’s right up there with The LongHalloween, Under the Red Hood,The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Knightfall feels slightly disconnected, especially when it comes to the Jean-Paul Valley material, which won’t get a chance to properly pay off until Part 2.
Knightfall’s biggest criticism is that it feels like it ends far too soon and is truly just half a story. Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall certainly isn’t trying to hide this fact. It’s fully advertised in its title. That said, you can’t help but feel this movie is best experienced back-to-back with Part 2 as an extra-long superhero extravaganza. Until then, there’s more than enough to chew on in this dreary deconstruction of The Dark Knight.
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