Synopsis
Batman: The Killing Joke is a 2016 animated superhero film based on the graphic novel of the same name written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. The film first portrays the psychological nuances of Batman before delving into the mind of one of the most iconic supervillains, the Joker. The emotionally intricate plot is character driven and aims to expand the audience’s view of superhero storytelling.
The Killing Joke opens in Gotham, where a young criminal foe is being dealt with. Batgirl is assisting Batman in defending the City. As they investigate a spate of crimes, Batgirl is emotionally and racially tested. Crime and personal consequences become intermingled and the tension in the Batgirl-Batman partnership escalates.
After a pivotal moment, the primary narrative returns to Batman, who is chasing the Joker. Joker has just escaped George Arkam, Gotham’s most high security mental prison, and is planning a somewhat philosophical crime centered on the idea of “one bad day” and crime. Joker aims to prove that madness is a thin line that separates a common man from the criminal underground.
Amid Batman’s Joker-centered inquiry, the narrative shifts to the possible origin story of the Clown Prince of Crime. The story captures a young man, unnamed throughout the film, who aspired to be a prominent stand-up comedian. After experiencing a financial downturn and a death in the family, he attempts to criminally provide for the family and subsequently endure a tragic botched heist, which results in a severe, life-changing, psycho-emotional trauma transition to the Joker.
Presently, the Joker takes a convoluted approach to pit the Dark Knight against the very moral construct that he applies performatively in every dimension of his life. The trajectory of the film introduces a set of moral and psychological dichotomies proposed by the Joker to Batman, positing the variables of order, chaos, justice, and the arbitrary nature of the universe.
The Killing Joke refers to the notion that life is irrevocably altered by a singular, catastrophic event. Trauma and chaos manifest in disparate ways in the lives of both Batman and the Joker. While justice is a tool Batman employs, chaos is the tool the Joker wields.
The climax approaches a significant and conceptual showdown. The film’s strong conclusion features Batman and the Joker sharing a rare, seemingly authentic laugh, leaving viewers contemplating the implications of their hero and villain relationship.
Cast and Crew
Voice Cast
Kevin Conroy as Batman/Bruce Wayne
Conroy is regarded as Batman’s definitive voice and delivers a performance saturated with gravitas, capturing the emotional subtleties of the character. The film’s philosophical tone is positively bolstered by Conroy’s Batman, a character deeply reflective and weary.
Mark Hamill as The Joker
Cast Hamlet is a returning voice as one of the Joker’s voice actors, a role he made iconic in Batman: The Animated Series and continues to display a master class in vocal performance. The Joker is intelligent, theatrical, and chilling, and is emotionally complex and chaotic.
Tara Strong as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl
Strong presents Barbara with a balance of fortitude and fragility, and courage throughout her character and the narrative as a hero is emphasized as she grew.
Ray Wise as Commissioner James Gordon
Wise brings a sense of commanded assurance to his role of a character wise as one who seeks justice, unyielding and steady against the friction of challenges.
Director: Sam Liu – Liu, having extensive experience with DC animated films, contributes his unique cinematic vision to this adaptation, striking a harmonious equilibrium between action sequences and contemplative pacing.
Screenplay: Brian Azzarello, with experience in both comics and animated films, adapted the screenplay while preserving the essence of the original work.
Music Composer: Kristopher Carter – The score helps to reinforce the film’s melancholic atmosphere with subtle, mood-centric cues that are appropriately restrained during pivotal emotional moments.
Production Companies: Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment
The animation replicates the original graphic novel’s visuals, employing stark shadow work and a muted color palette to adopt a noir style. The film’s mood is serious and sober, as the visual style and thematic treatment diverge from the traditional depiction of superheroes.
Themes and Symbolism
Batman: The Killing Joke is not an ordinary superhero narrative. It delves into profound psychological and philosophical issues, with Batman and Joker embodying opposite facets of a singular inquiry: is there a limit beyond which people will not go morally?
Sanity vs. Madness
The Joker’s primary assumption in the film is that everyone is susceptible to losing control under extreme pressure. His risky behavior is a testament to that logic. In contrast, Batman retains a notion of moral accountability and the existence of personal choice. The friction from that dyad is the film’s intellectual engine.
Duality
In the film, Batman and the Joker are presented as two sides of the same coin. Both suffered from traumatic life events and yet made radically different choices. This notion is further reinforced by the film’s frequent visual parallels of the two characters.
Responsibility
Barbara Gordon’s narrative highlights the realities of being a young hero. Her story illustrates that heroism is not merely an abstract personal choice. It carries an emotional and moral weight.
Ambiguity
As the most recent iteration of the animated Batman franchise, Batman: The Killing Joke, leaves us with one of the most hotly contested endings of the franchise. The laughter exchanged between the Joker and Batman and slow fade to black gives the audience the opportunity to consider several different interpretations. It invites contemplation of the themes of forgiveness, control, and the ever debated question of the black and white nature of morality, good and evil.
Ratings and Reception
IMDb Score: 6.4/10
Audience reception leaned towards the positive, and the mixed to positive reception was mainly because of the voice acting, especially that of Conroy and Hamill, and their return to the franchise, now a classic. Theatre-goers also appreciated that the original graphic novel had been faithfully adapted.
Positive Reception:
Voice Acting: the performance of both Hamill and Conroy and their respective Joker and Batman performances was a highlight for most of the audience and was considered to be the best part.
Animation Style: Audience appreciated the animation style, particularly the use of color and how it synchronized with the tone of the source material.
Emotional Depth: The psychological and emotional dimensions of the character and the impact of the action sequences on the motivation of the protagonist was a welcome surprise.
The film also engaged audiences on the themes of heroism, personal trauma, and justice, indicating that the film’s concerns were not limited to simply crime-fighting.
Conclusion
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) is bold and thoughtful, surpassing the parameters of superhero animation while stepping away from the conventional canon. It focuses on the needed introspection, the moral calculus one must undertake, and the essence of one’s identity to determine what constitutes a person: the sum of their experiences, the weight of their suffering, or their moral code.
Resting on fine performances and striking imagery, the film’s richly symbolic narrative offers a distinct view on the inner lives of two of the most important characters in the comic book canon. The Killing Joke is a profound and adult work that will be of interest to new viewers and longstanding devotees of the franchise. The film is a profound work that will resonate with audiences long after they have seen the film.
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