Saturday, October 14, 2017

'Batman vs. Two-Face' Is a Delightful Last Hurrah for "The Bright Knight"

Batman vs. Two-Face is the sequel to last year’s Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, a brilliant revisiting of the beloved campy 60’s Batman TV series.   Once again, Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar reprise their roles from the original show as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Dick Grayson/Robin, and Catwoman, respectively.  Meanwhile, William Shatner – Captain Kirk himself – plays Harvey Dent/Two-Face.

This film also serves as a fitting swan song for Adam West, who died earlier this year, but not before completing his voice acting duties.  It’s simply perfect that he was able to get the chance of playing again the role that has made him a household name to cap his career and life.
Batman vs. Two-Face is a delight, but I don’t think it’s as clever as Return of the Caped Crusaders, which not only made tons of throwbacks and allusions to the original show, but to other Batman interpretations as well, while also superbly deconstructing the facets of the character and lore.  Batman vs. Two-Face still has a couple of references that Batman fans will appreciate, but it’s not too much concerned with this front.  This time with around, it focuses more of telling a new story out of its unserious-and-goofy-Batman premise that the show had not got around of adapting, just what the fantastic Batman ’66 comics had done during its run.

As what its title suggests, the plot involves district attorney Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face, a major Batman character who actually never showed up in the original show.  In it, he’s given a Batman ’66-esque origin, a thoughtful arc, and an emotional dynamic with Batman and Bruce Wayne.   And the narrative surrounding this is executed with the same enjoyable campiness and sense of humor as what this version of Batman has always been known for.
The voice performances are mostly great.  The hammy energy infused by Adam West and Burt Ward into their characters in voicing them is as endearing as when they performed them in live-action in their heyday.  On the other hand, though it’s not necessarily a huge negative, Julie Newmar’s advanced age is seeping out in her voicing of her much younger character, which is a bit distracting at times.  But among them, William Shatner is the standout, showing some nuanced range and quality voice acting in portraying Harvey Dent and Two-Face.

The plot is at times surprisingly mildly pensive and restrained, but it’s nonetheless a comedy through and through.  The script is a mix of ludicrous and witty.  And, as a result, all throughout the movie, either I was smiling, chuckling, or laughing.
In the creative climate nowadays, in which everyone is obsessed with being “gritty and realistic”, it’s so refreshing to have something like Batman vs. Two-Face which reminds us of a time where the genre of superheroes/comic books are all about being fun in a simplistic and ridiculous manner, and that it’s also okay for things to be like that sometimes even in our present time.  There’s always room for both a dark, brooding Batman and a light-hearted, amusing Batman – or, at least, Adam West’s “Bright Knight” take.

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