Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall is the first in a trilogy of animated movies that adapts the iconic “Knightfall” story (1993-94) in which Bruce Wayne has his back broken by the villain Bane, passes on the mantle of Batman to someone who proves unworthy, and then strives to heal in order to become Batman once again. Director Jeff Wamester and his team do a great job bringing this chapter of the story to life.
Buy Batman: Knightfall Part 1: KnightfallCriminals in Gotham are dealing with caped crusader by the name of Azreal (Pablo Schreiber), who is much more deadlier than Batman (Anson Mount) as the bloody opening sequence, which helps earn the movie’s R rating, reveals, using flaming blades to decimate the men. Batman, drawn more muscular and his costume more bat like, tries to stop Azrael. After he snaps out of his murderous rage, Jean-Paul Valley unmasks and asks for help. It is suggested that Bruce knows Jean-Paul’s backstory, but it wasn’t made clear what that was.
The movie backtracks to tell Bane’s (Noah Mendes as kid / Michael Mando as adult) origin. On the fictional Caribbean island of Santa Prisca, a woman ispolitically imprisoned as is her baby because of his father’s actions. After his mother dies, the young boy kills a man who gets to close. Called a “bane” by the warden, the kid is stuck in cell meant to kill him, but he survives. Years pass and he is given a super steroid serum that contorts his body into a muscular giant. In his twisted mind, he sees that Batman has allowed the citizens of Gotham to be weak and resolves to “free them.”
Bane’s plan is to weaken Batman before striking. His first attack is blowing up Arkham Asylum, releasing its prisoners. After two days, Bruce hasn’t slept much as he has battles villains such as the Mad Hatter, Mr. Freeze, and Scarecrow. He is also emotionally exhausted due to Dick Grayson having left and his replacement Jason Todd being murdered. Tim Drake (Jack Griffo) is the new Robin but Bruce is overly cautious with him. Tim proves capable, yet not wanting to make the same mistakes, Bruce keeps restricting him and goes it alone, which has dire consequences when he encounters Bane.
The video has been given a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The art evokes the ’90s era of the comic-book industry with characters overly muscular and violent. The colors pop in rich hues. Blacks are inky and contribute to a strong contrast. The image is clean, presents intended details, and looks free from digital anomalies.
The audio is available in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The dialogue is clear including Mando’s performance of Bane, which is reminiscent of Tom Hardy who had notoriously muddled vocals in The Dark Knight Rises. Effects can be heard in the surrounds as can the score by Eric V. Hachikian and John Jennings Boyd. The subwoofer offers good bass support for the music and explosions.
The Special Features are:
- Batman Needs a Robin (7 min) – A discussion of the importance of Batman’s sidekick. Naturally being included for this story, there is a focus on Tim Drake.
- Breaking the Bat: Adapting the Knightfall (10 min) – A brief look at the making of the movie.
For fans of the original comics or mature superhero content, Batman: Knightfall Part 1 is off to a great start in adapting the classic story. It stays true to the spirit of the source, so it may be too violent for sensitive or young viewers. The high-definition presentation delivers a quality viewing experience.
