#4 Son of Batman

DC’s line of animated movies have been a joy over the last few years, but have varied in quality. Superman unbound is probably the least favourite of the ones I’ve watched, Batman: Under the Red Hood being one of the best. But after a few years of making mostly decent adaptations, they started bringing a new 52 vibe to their adaptations. Justice League: War, and adaptation of the opening arc of Geoff John’s Justice League series is somewhat a guilty pleasure of mine, it’s far from seamless, it makes a mockery of Wonder Woman, ignores Aquaman in favour of Shazam (or Captain Marvel), and is all action with very little actual story...

Batman is a seller for DC, no question about this. It's the main reason he’s in the sequel to Man of Steel, and it's the reason the majority of DC adaptations feature Batman in some way. In 2014 (perhaps down to it being the Dark Knight’s 75^th Anniversary) all 3 of their adaptations feature Batman, with Batman being the star of 2 of them. Whilst the third film, set to bridge a gap between Batman: Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum isn’t due for release yet, the latest DC animated Batman adaptation is Son of Batman.

This review contains lots and lots of spoilers, you have been warned

So, a little background. Damian Wayne was introduced in DC Continuity by then Batman writer Grant Morrison. Damian was snarky, aggressive, and difficult to work with, but Batman had to do so none-the-less. Damian eventually chose to side against his mother, much to her disdain. In Bruce Wayne’s ‘death’ in final crisis. Dick Grayson took the mantle of Batman (to save someone tainting the name) and took Damian on as a Robin (citing that he saw the then Robin Tim Drake as an equal) Damian and Dick’s partnership flourished, even lasting beyond Bruce Wayne’s eventual return. Talia’s disdain for Damian’s choice came to fruition, when the clone she’d grown as a replacement killed Damian in battle.

While Damian’s death is unlikely to be permanent (Peter Tomasi is hinting at some sort of resurrection in the coming months) his memory lives on, in this adaptation, unfortunately.

So, with that said, let’s get into Son of Batman:

We open in a League of Assassins base, where dozens of assassins are undergoing training exercises. On a balcony above Ra’s al Ghul, Talia and Damian watch, as Ra’s comments about how this is Damian's legacy. Damian will one day command the assassins, to ensure the Earth keeps to its natural balance (by slaughtering people). The White Ghost (I think) says how nice it is for Ra’s to be so devoted to his grandson, and is then shot (well, his appearance was pointless)

Listen to me Damian, one day you will lord over all your survey, assuming you can accomplish in the next 500 years what I didn't in the last 500 years.

Ra’s looks behind and realises they had been breached. As the (whatever it is) falls to reveal several rogue assassins. Talia takes Damian away from the action as Ra’s takes on these armed men, with nothing but a sword and slaughters them. With the attackers defeated, Ra’s notices a bullet from within the shadows and does a very-impressive flip to avoid it. Wonder who would dare, he runs towards them. A fleet of helicopters then appears out of no-where and attacks Ra’s’ assassins with a gatling gun and missiles, killing many of them. Talia takes Damian behind cover as rogue assassins drop in from the helicopters (you know, I think they would've been safer inside, it’s not like they were losing)

Ra's can apparently perform a very high jump. Some say he was wanted for the Olympic of whatever country he comes from

Armed with guns, they easily overpower Ra’s sword-armed assassins, Talia orders Damian to stay put while she goes out to fight (I’m sure he’ll follow that order to the letter, on the day pigs fly) taking a bow from an archer doing nothing (clearly doesn't care whether or not he lives) Talia executes a perfect shot, killing the pilot and sending a helicopter spiraling (there’s an idea, try using a ranged weapons against PEOPLE WITH GUNS, Talia is so far the only assassin with a hint of common sense) Talia then avoids gunfire and kicks a rogue assassin in the face, grabbing his gun and starts shooting people (again, COMMON SENSE) Damian looks on, Talia jumps up onto the roof, where several armed men surround, but rather than just shoot her, she kills one of them, grabs his shotgun (because these men are special) and proceeds to kill everyone on the roof, who still aren't shooting her.

Talia enters a watchtower where she finds a league gatling gun (you’d think that might've been a primary target for the missiles) and she starts shooting. A rogue assassin is killed in front of Damian (one of the few not killed by Talia) and drops his gun, Damian grabs the gun and starts shooting. Catapult defences start to throw rocks at the helicopters (geez, these attackers have no idea how to prioritise their targets)

I won't deny it, Talia looks badass, still doesn't excuse the other shortcomings 

Meanwhile Ra’s is stalking the man who shot at him earlier, after taking out 3 more armed assassins, who didn’t shoot him when they had the chance, and another few who rather than all shooting him at once, shoot him in a way in which he can deflect every shot with his sword, the last 3 assassins are called off by Deathstroke, who’s plotting a takeover of the League. They engage in battle, with Deathstroke having twice as many swords as Ra’s. As they fight, they exposit how he was once Ra’s right-hand but his actions meant that Ra’s had pushed him out. As Ra’s chases after Deathstroke, the helicopters finally show some strategic shooting and fire at the building. Deathstroke narrowly escapes the blast, but Ra’s isn’t so lucky he falls over a ledge.

Talia destroys the helicopters that are still not firing at her. It seems Ra’s survived his fall, but only barely. Weak and frazzled, Deathstroke drops in to give the finishing blow. But before he can Damian kicks him away. They engage in combat, with Damian stabbing Deathstroke in the eye, Deathstroke then decides to retreat and enters a helicopter with Ubu. The rest of the rogue assassins also make their retreats. Damian, with Talia following go to the Lazarus pit to discover Ra’s had not made it in time, and was dead.

That looks painful

This is pretty much the first 10 minutes of the film, a hell of a lot happened. But my first reaction BULL! Ra’s al Ghul’s whose shtick is that repeatedly cheats death, having him die in the first 10 minutes of the film rather does undervalue Ra’s. Also, the Lazarus Pit should still be able to revive him, as he can’t have been dead very long. Talia actually stops Damian from doing so, saying the body was too damaged for the pit to work. I still say THEY SHOULD’VE TRIED! Fearing another attack, Talia takes Damian away to meet his father.  Finally we get the title card.

Time for another action scene, cause lord knows the last 10 minutes hasn’t given us enough of that. We find Killer Croc stealing steroids from somewhere. Batman arrives to stop him (conveniently/awkwardly expositing his power set for those who are unfamiliar) I’ll spare you the details of the fight, as they’re relatively unimportant to the story. Killer Croc is electrocuted by Talia and knocked out.

On a boat at Gotham Harbour, Talia offers a Batman a drink, Batman responds that it didn’t go so well last time (you can probably guess the details by the time this scene’s over) when Batman wants to cut to the chase Talia explains that Ra’s is dead (yeah, right…) Batman comments that she doesn’t seem that broken up about it (and he’s right) Talia changes the subject and explains that Deathstroke’s assassins want the League, and that to so they’d need to kill her, and Damian. Batman is finally introduced to the boy. Damian spurts his line from the comic ‘I thought you’d be taller’ which is no way is intimidating as when Batman was restrained and Damian had a sword to his neck, but I digress…

Sexy time

Talia leaves with Damian in Bruce’s hands. Batman drives to the Batcave, calling Alfred to forewarn him of company. Cut an unknown lab, where a scientist (it’s professor Langstrom, although it takes a long time before they even refer to him by name, seriously a little clue would’ve been nice, he doesn’t look like previous adaptations) is working on a formula. His daughter enters the lab (which is also his house?) and calls him to dinner, as he leaves the lab, an assassin attacks him.

Damian begins exploring the Batcave, he lays eyes on the Robin costume. Alfred explains how it belonged to Dick Grayson (so Jason Todd and Tim Drake are ignored, again!) Alfred takes Damian to his room. In the Batcave, Batman laments that it’s hard to accept that Ra’s is really dead. In another movie this would be foreshadowing, here it’s just filler.

In the Langstrom penthouse (conveniently opposite the lab) Professor Langstrom is brought in. Ubu has both his wife and daughter tied up. It turns out Professor Langstrom was under orders from Ra’s to create a formula (let’s not be coy here, it’s the man-bat serum) but with Ra’s dead, Deathstroke wants to take over this op, he keeps his family captive whilst forcing Langstrom to continue his work.

Next morning Damian is working out his issues by doing a sword fight with the Wayne garden hedges. Bruce remarks that he does have talent. After a filler scene that serves little purpose we cut to Wayne Industries. Bruce talks with his business partners/stockholders/whatever over possible business plans, Alfred texts Bruce to say that Damian is gone. Damian is in Bruce’s office, commenting on a reduced profit margin in Argentina, much to the disdain of the woman who operates that division (I’ll give it to you movie, that’s funny)

Brief question: who has giraffe shaped hedges?

Damian mentions that Deathstroke has a contact in Gotham who could lead them straight to him, and promising to end him. Obviously Bruce doesn’t like this. He reveals that Ubu (who in any other version of the character I’ve seen is extremely loyal to Ra’s) stays in Gotham City between missions (because… Plot convenience) Bruce send Damian back to the mansion

Cut to the Himalayas (or somewhere, it’s not explicitly stated) where the Langstrom family is being held, Talia has her eye on the place. She along with her assassins breach the facility. Thanks to a nifty security system Talia’s assassins are quickly killed. Talia makes mincemeat of the remaining attacking assassins until Deathstroke knocks her out from behind.

Talia's outnumbered and apparently outclassed, but thankfully she has 2 ninjas who can die without putting up a fight

In Arkham Asylum, Batman interrogates Croc about Langstrom, who apparently had been providing him with mutagens. Clearly Batman gets what he wants as in the next scene he’s in Langstrom’s penthouse. He discovers the shuriken left behind by the league and Langstrom’s trashed up lab. He discovers an under-chamber wherein there are hanging cages all containing bats. There is a hole in one of the cages, Batman looks around to see what had escaped and is encountered by an ape-creature with wings. He easily defeats it but an explosive drone had been sent to destroy it, Batman swings out of the way as the drone strikes killing the ape-creature and most likely anyone living immediately below them. Batman uses explosives on convenient roof water tanks, to put out the fire. He discovers another shuriken.

In another side of the city. Ubu and his two hookers are having fun when Damian arrives. Ubu suddenly has the Bronze Tiger claws (because they’re the same person?) and uses them to counter Damian’s sword attacks. Despite the fact that Damian is scrawny, and Ubu looks like a freaking wrestler, Damian gets some decent kicks in. Damian eventually drops his sword and attacks in a rage (Damian was trained by the League of Assassins remember.) Ubu runs off, Damian makes chase, drawing another sword (didn’t he only have one?) Ubu is eventually defeated by Damian (yeah… sure, why not) but when Ubu won’t talk, Damian is about to strike when Nightwing knocks him away. Damian attacks, and rather than seeing a fight I’d actually like to see, we instead cut to the Batmobile.

So Ubu is Bronze Tiger?

Batman gets a call from Dick Grayson, who apparently had defeated Damian off-screen (F*ck you movie) Cut to the Batcave, where Dick is receiving treatment for his cuts. (Which means we won’t be seeing him in another action scene, f*ck you f*ck you f*ck you move) Batman talks to Commissioner Gordon who is overseeing Ubu in the hospital, he’s not gonna be able to talk. Bruce orders Damian to stay close, which, much to Dick’s dismay, involves him wearing the Robin costume.

Commissioner Gordon tells Batman that they’d found a sheet of paper in Ubu’s place, discovering what’s hidden on the back of it, Batman and Robin head to the Gotham Coliseum (because every city has one of those) Batman holds Robin back from doing an all on-attack, noticing security cameras around the facility. (You’d think being trained by the League would also involve knowing stealth attacks) Robin accepts and agrees to follow Batman’s lead. They find Professor Langstrom underneath the facility. Langstrom tells Batman about Deathstroke having his family, but Robin jumps the gun and tries to interrogate him, thus making enough noise to invite the assassins. (Remind me again what training Damian got)

They easily take out the first wave, but as the second wave arrives, Batman realises that they’re outnumbered and instructs a retreat. The make it to the arena, but Batman hears the screeching of man-bats in the roof. The man-bats attack Batman and Robin, but Batman and Robin defeat them and make their escape. Before Batman can turn around, Robin has gone chasing after Langstrom, Batman follows. Langstrom trips over and is eventually captured and taken to the Batcave.

No, not Batman, Man-bat!

Under interrogation, Langstrom reveals Ra’s had hired him to create man-bat ninjas, but Deathstroke took over. He reveals he’d finished it a while ago, but continued to make improvements so as Ra’s wouldn’t see his usefulness ended. Using clues Langstrom had obtained from the conversation in the scene I said was filler (OK, I said it had little purpose, but it does clearly serve one) Robin determines which compound his family was being held at.

In another filler scene Deathstroke realises Batman and Damian are onto him, and realises Talia knows who Batman is, she refuses to tell him. Cut to the Bat-plane (or Batwing, doesn’t matter which) Damian gives a ludicrous story about him having to climb a mountain with a broken wrist. (I can suspend disbelief, but not that much) and Batman remarks that while he had traumas, he also had people to help him, all Damian has had are trainers. They arrive at the compound, and discover the Langstrom family, everyone else had apparently abandoned the place. The girl hugs Robin to thank him, whilst secretly handing him a phone telling him Deathstroke agreed to spare them, if Robin got this. (Though Deathstroke’s not coming back, you could probably not have bothered)

Robin plays the message. Deathstroke telling Robin that he has his mother, and that he should come alone within 48 hours to a location (which looks to be an Oil Derek off the coast of Scotland) Cut to Wayne Tower in London. Dick asks Bruce why he’s staying there, Bruce remarks he wants to bring Interpol in on the case. Dick also remarks that Langstrom is busy producing the man-bat antidote, now he knows his family is safe. Bruce reveals he knows Deathstroke has Talia, Dick notices one of Ra’s oil rigs had become active. Bruce finally realises Damian has gone, with his uniform.

Oh no! He's gone, and I thought he'd actually stay put after all the other times he hasn't

Now this is where no-one could suspend their disbelief far enough to believe this. Damian manages to get from London to Scotland on his own, then swim 50 miles to the rig. No f*cking way! Once he’s there (and not even dripping wet from that 50 mile swim) he stealthily infiltrates the base (so he’s learning, but still… 50 mile swim and he’s not even slightly exhausted!) but screw stealth, he attacks and takes an assassin down with the karate chop to the face. After taking out an assassin who somehow didn’t see Robin charge towards him until he was 5 feet away, he spots Deathstroke heading to a lower level, he forces the elevator open with a batarang and follows.

After Damian is spotted by two assassins he runs away (despite having taken out dozens in previous scenes) meanwhile a sniper on the rig is taken down by Batman. Damian hides from the assassins and slides down a ventilation shaft to a cave containing the Lazarus pit. He notices man-bats on the ceiling, but Deathstroke arrives, with Talia in his right arm. It’s revealed the oil rig is a cover, the only thing the rig pumps is Lazarus fluid. Robin points a gun at Deathstroke (which he found where, did he steal that from an assassin, the assassins weren’t using those guns though) but Deathstroke threatens to kill Talia beyond the pits ability to heal forcing Robin to surrender.

Deathstroke fires a shot, but Talia awakens and takes the bullet for him (gee, I wonder if she’s gonna die RIGHT NEXT TO THE LAZARUS PIT). Robin runs and hides from Deathstroke’s shots. Batman hears the gunshots through the ventilation system and soon arrives on scene and disarms Deathstroke. Deathstroke orders the man-bats to attack, Batman uses sonic emitter Batarangs to stop them. Batman then punches Deathstroke 3 times, easily avoiding his attacks (may I remind you, this is the man who killed Ra’s al Ghul) the man-bats make their way to the surface to get away from the noise.

Oh no! She's dying! If only there were a pit right in front of me that would save her

Batman continues to pummel Deathstroke, who shows no signs of actually putting up a fight and knocks him out. Batman lowers Talia into the Lazarus pit, as Damian sees Deathstroke getting away and pursues, and Batman does not go after him! The man-bats break through some of the glass ceiling of the base, letting water pour into it. (Gee, I wonder where this is going) the man-bats make it outside, only to be hit by the anti-dote being shot at them by Nightwing (this is the closest thing to an action scene he gets, although how he got to Scotland so quickly is baffling)

Robin and Deathstroke fight. Robin is immediately stabbed through the arm, followed by the other arm but Robin pushes the arm through the blade and frees himself (since he climbed a mountain with a broken wrist and swam 50 miles I’m willing to believe anything at this point) he stabs Deathstroke with a batarang just above his eye. Back at the Lazarus pit, Talia is revived, without much of the insanity the pit usually bestows.

Now that Talia’s OK, surely Batman would go after Robin, who could be killed by Deathstroke. Nope, he has a quick kiss with Talia (who also seems oblivious to Damian being in danger) and then note that the rig is collapsing because of the floods. The fight between Deathstroke and Robin continues, Damian fires a grappling hook through Deathstroke’s shoulder (which Batman would not have allowed a gadget of his to do, but…) and Deathstroke breaks Robin’s left arm (which has miraculously healed from the swords earlier, I note) Damian eventually tricks Deathstroke into stabbing a glass portion of a pipe containing the Lazarus liquid, Deathstroke is hit by a wave of it as Robin jumps out of the way. Deathstroke barely survives this and goads Robin to kill him. But Robin (rather out of no-where) refuses.

Batman and Talia arrive on the scene and enter an escape vessel, leaving Deathstroke… to… his… fate? As the oil rig explodes (because you can’t have an oil rig in a cartoon without it exploding, Nightwing notices the vessel and picks them up.)

This one gets brutal, not recommended for kids

Talia offers Batman the chance to help her rebuild the league of assassins, but Batman refuses. Talia and Batman then argue who Damian should stay with (both rather awkward arguments actually) as Damian prepares to leave with Talia, she tells him to go with Bruce, so he can ‘make him great’ Batman obliges to do so, knowing Talia will return for him. We end with the same joke from earlier, which I don’t even think was recorded twice.

Cut to the credits, and as a final f*ck you to the audience it shows stills of what the fight between Nightwing and Damian would’ve looked like.

OK, that was a lengthy synopsis, so I’ll be brief with my comments

The good:
Jason Omara does a decent job as Batman, I wasn’t sure about him JL War but he’s decent in the role here

Stuart Allan does a very good Damian Wayne

The sound track and animation are all very nice

The Bad

Story: I’m fine with them not doing a full on comic adaptation, what I’m not happy about it plentiful. They killed RA’S AL GHUL. They only got away with that in the Dark Knight Trilogy, because the Lazarus pit isn't in their continuity. Also, bearing in mind Ra’s al Ghul is 500 years old and Deathstroke beat him, the fact that he gets the snot beaten out of him by Batman, who Ra's normally can fight to a standstill, and the fact that he's beaten by Damian is ludicrous.

Clearly the spent a lot of time and effort on Nightwing's... they just copied it off Young Justice, didn't they?

Nightwing is introduced into this plot, to have him there, he doesn't serve any purpose, his only fight scene is off screen, and Alfred could've just as easily flown that plane. It's not like they went anywhere with the rivalry between Robin and Damian anyway. And the suspension of disbelief required for Robin to make it to Scotland, swim 50 miles, without getting wet or out of breath, infiltrate the compound, get stabbed through both arms, and healing almost instantly and beating Deathstroke is beyond ridiculous.

Also they want you to feel for Langstrom and his family when you don't even hear his name for a considerable chunk of his appearances

Giancarlo Exposito isn’t the best choice of actor for Ra’s, I’m not entirely sure what I didn't like, I just know something was up, the same can be said for Thomas Gibson as Deathstroke. My personal favourite for Deathstroke is Fred Tasticore, who was voicing Killer Croc in this anyway. (Ron Perlman also does a good Deathstroke)

Damian is pretty well defined in character in this film, it's just not very well developed

This movie gives me rage issues!!!

I love Nightwing, I love Tim Drake, I actually quite enjoy reading Damian’s character, but the arc changes direction way too suddenly, Damian’s choice seems out of no-where rather than a gradual progress. Nightwing is wasted, Tim Drake is absent, and the plot requires me to believe a guy can swim 50 miles without being wet or tired. NO!

Rage rating 65%

Next: This depends on what time I have. I might do a Now You See Me review, if not Batman Annual #1

Disclaimer: Batman and all related characters and trademarks are properties of DC Comics. Son of Batman was created by Warner Bros Animation and DC Comics. Batman Incorporated was Published by DC Comics.

For more reviews click here