DCU: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Part 2

2013 • 75 minutes

About this movie

Based on Frank Miller's acclaimed graphic novel, this intense and visually inventive two-part animated film tells the story of an alternate future for Batman. Although the aging Dark Knight has returned to crime fighting, Gotham City and the rest of America no longer want his brand of vigilantism.

In part II, Gotham's new commissioner orders Batman's arrest, but Batman defeats the police before going after the Joker, who has mind-controlled a senator into ordering a nuclear strike on Russia. During a violent altercation, Batman breaks the Joker's neck in front of horrified witnesses and escapes. Meanwhile, Superman is severely injured while deflecting the missile, which still creates an electromagnetic pulse that sends the entire country into chaos. Humiliated when Batman and his followers restore order in Gotham, proving the commissioner wrong, the U.S. President sends Superman to bring down Batman once and for all.

Ratings and reviews

It was an odd film consisting of a children's cartoon interspersed with really mature content that only much older audiences would appreciate. It works in anime but not in this. As with the first one it's worth seeing if you're a Chris Nolan fan who wants to see where he got his inspiration from.

This one is weaker than the first one as it is mostly action based. And the boy scout is in it. They have a battle at the end but it's just too far fetched. Superman vs old batman is just irritating. Themes are few and far between as old scores are settled, new fights have to be fought and the two big sluggers battle it out. But it could have been done with more realism. It could have been more balanced like the first. It would have had more of a solid feel to it - but it didn't. This one has more twists to it but lacks the raw power the first had.

This story ark is a pure classic and brought into film (animation) is just brilliant. This story line is the original batman vs superman and is truly one of Frank millers best work. A mist for any dc, comic book and batman fan.