Batman: Gotham by Gaslight Review – An Animated Extravaganza That Pits Batman against Jack the Ripper, in a Victorian-era Gotham – Who Will Prevail?
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018)
[yasr_overall_rating]
The DC Universe Animated Original Movies has always done a competent job when it comes to making a ‘good’ superhero movie that is adapted from stories originally featured in DC print comics and graphic novels. Unlike its other half (DCEU), the DC Universe Original Movies has surprisingly doled out one hit after another since Superman: Doomsday in 2007.
Be it Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Wonder Woman, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, All-Star Superman, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League: War, Batman: Assault on Arkham, Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Batman: The Killing Joke or Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – the writers and producers of the animated universe know how to do a Batman and Superman crossover or a Justice League movie without diluting the character of any of the superheroes.
The animated multiverse of DC has excelled in creating superhero movies that comic fans expect from them, something the DCEU has failed at. Even the animated multiverse of Marvel cannot hope to match the sheer class of DC in this regard; it’s the MCU of the Animated Movie. Fittingly, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight doesn’t disappoint either. It may not be perfect, but neither is anything else.
Oh, and a warning to comic fans who wanted a by-the-book adaptation of the 1989 steampunk graphic novel: it’s not!
Batman vs. Jack the Ripper – Gotham by Gaslight Review
The movie is set in a Victorian-era Gotham City and is the animated remake of the one-shot graphic novel of the same name. Directed by Sam Liu and featuring the voices of Bruce Greenwood and Jennifer Carpenter as Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle respectively, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight tells the story of Bruce Wayne, operating as the bat-garbed vigilante, the Batman, who strikes fear in the hearts of the guilty and the innocent alike, upholding justice in a crime-ridden city. The story pits the Dark Knight detective against the infamous real-life serial killer, the elusive Jack the Ripper.
The movie is a unique take on Batman and though it deviates from the original source, it still packs a few surprises along the way. In Gotham by Gaslight, the one-shot Elseworlds comic book from writer Brian Augustyn and artist Mike Mignola, there is only one person in the suspect list which isn’t a big mystery for one of the greatest detectives in the world to solve. However, the suspect list is populated with familiar faces from Batman’s Rogues Gallery in the animated adaption and makes for an interesting watch. From Hugo Strange to Harvey Dent, there is no dearth of Batman villains in the movie, and while Penguin and Riddler may have given this one a miss, the Joker’s absence is, of course, the most felt.
A movie being populated with too many characters leaves those characters with little time to grow, and while Batman: Gotham by Gaslight may also be guilty of this fact (some of them are little more than glorified cameos), it still manages to do a good job of portraying Batman‘s world in 1889.
Gotham by Gaslight – The Idiot Speaks
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is a decent movie with good action and a solid story where the world is well-constructed, and the fact that we see Batman actually solving crimes rather than taking down gods and monsters is a welcome change for many BatFans. While the movie may not be as good as some of the other animated movies of DC, it still is a very good animated Batman film on its own.
As for the voice acting, it’s mostly good. Bruce Greenwood does his part and gives a standout performance as Batman, having voiced the Dark Knight previously in Batman: Under the Red Hood and Young Justice. But, it’s Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) as Selina Kyle who steals the show and shines the brightest.
To sum it up: it’s an R-rated-whodunnit-horror-with-a-twist-ending-Elseworlds tale. So, if you are a comic fan, this will be worth your time.
For BatFans: “It’s Batman, dude!” No other argument necessary…
Verdict of The Idiot
Idiot-o-Meter: Far Out, Man!
[yasr_overall_rating]
The Idiot’s Rating System:
4.0 – 5.0: The Dude Abides!
3.0 – 4.0: Far Out, Man!
2.0 – 3.0: Take It Easy, Dude!
1.0 – 2.0: You’re Out Of Your Element!
0.0 – 1.0: The Goddamn Plane Has Crashed Into The Mountain!
The Idiot's Corner 