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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