Batman: The Killing Joke1.5/5
Directed by Sam Liu
Rated: R
There are many mediums through which someone can tell a story. One of the most gripping mediums are graphic novels, and no other series has a library of compelling stories as Batman. My
personal favorite Batman stories are “A Death in the Family”, “Knight
Fall”, “Under the Hood”, and the controversial and shocking “The Killing Joke”, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. Published in 1988, this 42 page one shot rapidly rose on the New
York Times' Best Seller list, and is heralded by fans across the globe as the
greatest Joker story ever told.
It's understandable why
DC would make it into a movie, and the stars
aligned for them. Bruce Timm, head animator of the
show, was the producer. The voice actors from the animated series reprise their roles. Mark Hamill came out of Joker retirement just to make
this movie.
It seemed the universe lined up perfectly to make this the
greatest Batman movie.
For the most part, the universe was
right. This film is an accurate and somewhat faithful
interpretation of Moore and Bolland’s work. There are moments when the screenplay
is verbatim to Moore's script, and a number of frames are reminiscent of Bolland's artwork.
This is not true of the entire film. Artistic liberties were taken, as is the case with most adapted films. These liberties, however, do not
improve, or build upon the original story. What they do is downgrade it.
One of these major changes is the inclusion of a prologue centered around Batgirl. Being one
of the most pivotal characters in “The Killing Joke”, DC added a prologue to make her a strong-willed feminine protagonist. However, it completely backfires, and makes her a
victim of her own foolish choices. In a story revolving around “life and all its random injustice”, it’s detrimental if any
act of cruelty appears as poetic justice.
When the main story finally begins, it speeds along to its ending. Even the characters rush themselves. Instead of methodical discretion, they deliver lines with overemphasized franticness. This action packed and hysteric pacing ruins the script's sinister intent. "The Killing Joke" is a slow haunting tale, filling readers with fear of what inevitably awaits on the
next page. It’s not a big loud blockbuster, grabbing audience's by the ears
and dragging them along at break neck speed.
Accompanying this
movie’s poor storytelling is lackluster hand drawn animation. It's simplistic, lending no passion or terror to its
characters. Concerning the Joker, his
appearance in previous movies is psychotic, volatile, and demented. His appearance in this is plain, unenthusiastic, and benign. It belittles the dramatic contrast between his
dark and cruel mind and the human he once was.
The mundane animation is blaring and obvious due to the average cinematography. It treats the first time Joker laughs, an integral moment, with idle callousness. The color is drained, and the Joker’s
body vanishes into the background. Instead of showing the Joker from several different angles, it simply zooms in on him. This is the bare minimum of what DC can do. It’s shameful how little effort is shown in this film, especially when compared with Bolland's realism and grit.
Batman: The Killing Joke depreciates what made the comic great. The new content is unfulfilling. The frantic pacing rips through the story's greatest moments. The animation is bland. Worse of
all, it could’ve been better. "The Killing Joke" is an iconic and timeless
tale readers come back to again and again. This movie is a commonplace and forgetful adaptation I have no desire to watch again.
Verdict: Batman: the Killing Joke is an
uninspired paint by numbers retelling of a great Batman story, and it’s sad how it could have easily been a memorable and palpable adaptation. 
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