Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Pt2 *SPOILERS*

[the G-man]

I didn't remember [Joker] shooting all those innocents like that though, that was really brutal.

The book was more brutal. in the book the Joker actually succeeded in murdering most of the people at the fair with poisoned cotton candy including large numbers of kids. That was left out of the cartoon. In a way I think leaving it out was a mistake. All those deaths in the book made Batman's ultimate decision seem more like his only choice.

[Christopher]

the G-man wrote:

---

All those deaths in the book made Batman's ultimate decision seem more like his only choice.

But his ultimate decision in the comic was

not to kill the Joker. He stopped just short of snapping the Joker's neck (though I think he paralyzed him), but the Joker somehow forced his own neck to snap the rest of the way.

[sidious618]

I thought Emerson's performance as the Joker was quite outstanding. Best animated Joker since Mark Hamill.

[the G-man]

Christopher wrote:

---

But his ultimate decision in the comic was

not to kill the Joker. He stopped just short of snapping the Joker's neck (though I think he paralyzed him), but the Joker somehow forced his own neck to snap the rest of the way.

Yes, but in the book, even that was presented as something fairly extreme and not what he'd chosen to do at any point in the preceding twenty years. Also, in the movie it was presented more as self defense than revenge or a preventative measure. In the book it came off more as the latter.

Also:

It's a nearly thirty year old comic book [am I really that old? ]. Isn't wrapping this discussion in spoiler tags a little like worrying people don't know Darth Vader is Luke's dad at this point?

In any event, the entire thing was f***ing excellent! I actually enjoyed it even more than the last Nolan film. Well done.

[Saul]

But the Joker

he still laughs after Bats break his neck and so the Joker is killing himself, although it's not clear in this.

Part 2 was great. I'm only disappointed that some of the more iconic images of the Superman Vs Batman fight weren't given more attention such as Bruce kicking Superman in the head. They did it on 'The Brave and the Bold' which was pretty cool.

Also another minor nitpick is that I still think the colors are too pale and washed out compared to the comic. But that just seems to be a trend in animation these days.

[DarKush]

I liked it better than part one. The animation was very crisp and neat. I liked the 80s nods, especially the Reagan, though he wasn't drawn so exaggeratedly in the film as he was in the comics. I thought everyone did very good voice work, especially Weller and Valley. I wasn't going bananas over Emerson's Joker. I liked how he was drawn, but I wish he had let loose a little more. He was a bit too restrained, IMO.

Some of my favorite scenes in part 2 were actually Yindel's hunt for Batman. I think by the time of the big climatic battle, I was starting to lose interest. Though it was done well enough. Perhaps my interest flagged in part because I've read the graphic novel a few times and knew what was going to happen. But for the most part it was an enjoyable film.

Intrigued by Superman: Unbound and will probably pick that one up when it comes out.

[the G-man]

Saul wrote:

---

But the Joker

he still laughs after Bats break his neck and so the Joker is killing himself, although it's not clear in this.

IIR the Graphic Novel correctly:

the sheer number of people killed this last time, including the kids, was the Joker's way of goading Batman into killing him. Batman was about to do it but at the end went for paralysis, which was-to him-still an extreme solution he had resisted in the past. The Joker, not content with that, killed himself, so Batman would be seen as a murderer.

Also another minor nitpick is that I still think the colors are too pale and washed out compared to the comic.

Really? I thought the colors mirrored Lynn Varley's coloring almost perfectly.

[Donald Draper]

Wait, wait, this a Batman thread.... Did someone have to ruin the secret of Luke's father being VADER???????? Did not see that coming!