Review of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

'Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker' (also known as 'Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker' in Australia and Europe) is a 2000 direct-to-video film based of the animated TV series 'Batman Beyond' (or 'Batman of the Future') starring Will Friedle, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

The story revolves around Terry McGinnis ( Friedle) as the new Batman having to face off against one on Bruce Wayne's (Conroy) worst enemies, The Joker (Hamill), who has mysteriously come back from the dead. Bruce has to battle with his own demons whilst Terry has to adapt to take on an old school villain. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, Terry discovers the greatest mystery in the career of the original Batman, the true story of the night Batman fought the Joker for the last time. Though when Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's new attacks, it's up to Batman beyond to avenge his mentor and out the Joker to rest forever.

This is my favourite Batman animated movie, it brings the classic characters from the 1992 'Batman: The Animated Series' and combines it with the new high-tech world of 'Batman: Beyond'. This film was hit with serious re-editing because Warner Bros. believed that it was far too violent. I have watched both the cut and the uncut version and I must say that the uncut version is so much better. I don't like it when they water things like this down. The animation in this film is really good, and it still looks good twelve years after it was made. The story is strong, but starts to get predictable towards the end, also the final confrontation between the new Batman and the Joker wasn't as good as it could have been. It's like it builds and builds, then the end isn't as good as expected. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm not saying that at all, I thought it was the best Batman movie ever made when I was younger (I was seven when this came out).

it's proof that a 'Batman Beyond' movie can work, we've never seen a live-action Batman film set in the future, it would be something totally unlike the recent Batman films. With the reboot in the works, they could tie it in really well. I still think this movie is great apart from the problems with the story and the ending that I've mentioned. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who liked the original animated series from 1992, but make sure you watch the uncut version. I am going to give 'Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker' an 8.5/10.