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Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker

Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker

List Price: $14.97
Your Price: $13.47
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Reminder of when Comics were about stories
Review: I recall when I first learned of the (then) new Batman series: Batman Beyond. I scoffed. A few years prior, I came home from school everyday to watch the first 90s animated series. The first animated series is truly deserving of every accolade heaped on it -- it is that good. Plot, Characterization and drama packed into 22 minutes a day -- an amazing accomplishment -- something I appreciate more as an adult than I did as a highschooler.

So, naturally (I suppose), I was quite skeptical w/r/t the Batman Beyond series. In fact, I've never watched a whole episode on the WB. However, I decided to give Return of the Joker a try (admittedly because I wanted Mask of the Phantasm). I am now making public notice of swallowing my scoff.

Return of the Joker is really an impressive piece of work. Sleek (aka cool) AND intriguing (recalling the above traits that made the first Batman AS so good), ROtJ finds a creative way to re-introduce Batman's greatest enemy (And, um, is Mark Hamill not fantastic as the Joker??).

Around the years 1993-94, the comic book industry fizzled out in terms of storylines, opting instead for gimmick padding and over-exposing popular villains. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker will remind any late 80s/early 90s comic book reader of what it was like to engage a compelling story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent!!!
Review: This is the original uncut version fans (like me) have been waiting for. The animation is exquisite, the story is awesome and much darker than any of the tv shows, and the audio commentary was great. This ain't for little kids my friends.

Problem: The extras are a little flimsy. The documentary is poor and doesn't go indepth with the creation process. The music video isn't all that great. The bios are boring and they don't even feature ALL the characters in the movie. What's really missing is the awesome tv show intro. They should've included that as a bonus. It's a music video in of itself. There's also no character design sheets to google at. But the audio commentary will make up for any of these shortcomings.

This is an excellent movie that should've been given more time and length because it would've been great to see it in the theaters. The story is THAT good! All Batman and anime fans will enjoy this flick.

Btw, the box states it's in full screen. This is NOT true! It's presented in all its widescreen glory thankfully.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surprisingly Impressive
Review: I scoffed initially at the PG-13 rating, but this is some pretty intense stuff. I'm not sure it's for people who aren't fans of "Batman Beyond" though. Lots of gooey continuity here.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Warner Bros. just can't give us what we want...
Review: Fans cry out for the uncut version of batman beyond: return of the joker, and Warner Bros. responds... BY CUTTING OFF BATMAN'S EARS! That's right, look close at the alleged "widescreen" they have made the new version into. It ISN'T widescreen: They have simply cut off the top and bottom inches of the original. Now Batman's eartips and people's hair are constantly cut off, looking as if the storyboarders and animators did a ...[poor] job framing the sequences when it's really just a ...ploy to make it appear widescreen on behalf of WB. Again, this is NOT widescreen; this is "reverse pan-n-scan"-- they've cut off the top and bottom of the action, and it shows. When something is made in standard, and they FORCE widescreen, you are actually LOSING part of the film. You're not gaining anything. My guess is people will cry out again and Warner Bros. will release a 3rd version, corrected. Heh- anything to make a buck, I guess. Hey, WB... it's GREAT having the unedited version of the film, guys; now if you could just stop finding new, stupid ways to cut it, we could MAYBE have a decent film, eh? ...Well, one can hope.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Little Unexpected Extra . . .
Review: In spite of the product description, even on the package, this version of BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER is presented in widescreen format. It also re-incorporates the material deleted from the earlier home video release, so parents with smaller children may want to preview this version before permitting the whole family to watch. With everything from James Bond homages to the satisfaction of learning what has happened to other Batman-related characters in this futuristic take of Gotham City, BB:RotJ offers great entertainment and proof that animation can present stories in a fashion as engrossing as live-action film. I'd rather watch this movie than the Tim Burton-era Batman any time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "... That's not funny... That's not... ugh." - *PLOP!*
Review: Listen, the other reviews speak for me. You want Batman Beyond like you've never seen it before? Pick this up. Want to take a glimpse at the Joker in his most wretched and sinister performance yet? Pick this up. Oh, and in case you haven't already heard, get the uncut version. The edited version is good too, but if I have the choice of indulging in a juicy, rare steak or a bag of Doritos (which are both good foods), I'd take the steak any day of the week. That was a metaphor, folks. Get this movie as soon as possible if you're a bat-o-phile like me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE REAL DEAL!
Review: It's finally here. And in widescreen as it was intended! Let me just wipe the drool from my mouth before I continue... Return of the Joker (UNCUT) is finally here! And thank God! No, thank all the hardworking fans, who sent screener tapes and pirate copies out, who sceamed "cencorship" so loud the folks at WB couldn't ignore them anymore, and who finally after this long battle can claim victory. I don't know how many petitions I've signed. I bought the edited DVD and the uncut VHS. Warner Brothers must be happy that suckers like me, who've already spent a fortune on this film, will now spend another to get the UNCUT DVD. But it's woth it. The story of ROTJ is an important one that must be told. Both Children and adults should appreciate it for its earnest message that violence has consequences. Sometimes people go too far. Batman and the Joker do more than just play cops and robbers this time around. This is the climactic final battle between good and evil and as is often the case in war, there are no winners. Both sides suffer horrible physical and mental scars that will never heal. It's not a nice comfortable story, but it is an important one. What makes Batman a hero is not that he is perfect or that he always wins. He's a hero because sometimes he loses, sometimes he is in terrible pain, and yet he keeps on fighting. Not because he knows that he'll win, but because it's the right thing to do.
And this does not come across in the edited version!
Man, it's been a long fight but it was worth it. Let me just close by saying that on top of this great story, ROTJ offers great animation, fantastic action and some of the best voice acting ever! Kevin Conroy is so perfect as batman, that you don't event think of it as a drawing with a voice. It's simply Batman. And Mark Hamill! Woa! He's done terrific work in the past as the Joker, but this time the personality doesn't just come from his joker voice, but from the acting behind the voice. The joker now has a genuinely frightening presence, we've never experienced before. In the past we've laughed along with him, when he's done something crazy, but this time, the only one laughing is himself, as everyone else just looks on in disbelief and horror.
Good job! This movie is highly recomendable!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best version...
Review: Yes, I do own both the cut and uncut versions of this movie. Like I said before, I thought the edited version was still a fine Batman Beyond movie. It was animated well and still had a great script. Now, after finally watching the uncut version, I can say its just gotten better. It's definitely more intense as fight scenes are a bit longer and more harder. Of course, there's also the famous scene of the Joker and Robin which really does put this version over the top. I'd say get this version if your a mature viewer as it is better than the original edited release, but you definitely may not want the little tikes watching the uncut version if they're still a little innocent of mind. The dvd extras seem to be the same as the older version and the quality of the animation's look hasn't deteriorated so far. WB is known for releasing weathered looking animation dvd discs. Welll, when it comes to Batman and such, I've never come across a remeastered or digital transfer. They all look like weathered copies from a vhs tape. Only Justice League and batman Beyond have stood the test of time but that's only because they were released straight to video or just came out recently.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The oldest batman villian vs the Next Dark Knight
Review: This is one of those tales that is really awe inspiring. As a whole the Batman Beyond series didn't quite catch me like the origional animated series (the one done by FOx) did however with a title like this, and more promising episodes. I'd say this series has a long life ahead of it.

It starts off with Terry taking down a group of jokers trying to steal some high tech computer gadetry. This is not the usual loot the gang was into so some investigation is pursued. At a banquet to congradulate Bruce Wayne for winning back his corporation we meet the leader of the Jokers, the Joker himself. FOr some reason not yet explained the joker knows everything about Batman, including who he is and where he lives. Bruce wants Terry to stop being Batman shortly after this but we know that won't happen. I won't proceed any further.

This is an excellent title to have in your DVD library. An excellent story for one thing and a lot of good qualities. Buy this title at all costs.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best
Review: I'm one of the few people who managed to get an unedited pre-release version of the movie while everyone else was stuck with the edited version. While I have not seen the edited version, I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt that the unedited version is easily the best animated movie ever. It's twisted and pure genious. You learn so much about the characters pasts and how unbelievably sick the Joker was. If you thought you've seen the Joker before, you ain't seen nothing yet. I strongly urge everyone who is a Batman fan to buy this DVD.


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