I have no idea how to write a movie review. But all the time when I was watching Batman Ninja, I knew that I would kick myself silly if I didn’t write something about it.

So without further ado, here’s my thoughts on the most rewarding and enjoyable display of madness I’ve seen so far this year. I’ll do my best to avoid spoiling the movie, though it’ll be hard to write the review without highlighting specific moments of utter insanity.

So, the plot is basically that while trying to stop a time machine created by Gorilla Grodd, Batman finds himself and some sidekicks transported to feudal Japan, along with some of DC’s top roster of baddies such as The Joker, Two-Face, and loads more.

If that appears a bit too far-fetched for you, you should know that's all the sanity that Batman Ninja is going to give you.

And we wouldn't have it any other way

From mobile castles, to mech transformations that could easily rival the Power Rangers, it’s important to know what to expect from a movie like this. If you’re looking for something that focuses heavily on a well developed, fleshed out and logical plot, then by all means, scroll down to the bottom, upvote this, and close the article. Thanks for your time.

But, if you want DC characters spliced with the over-the-top action of Japanese anime, you’ve come to the right place.

As always, DC’s voice actors are top notch, special praise going to Gotham’s Mad Couple, The Joker (Tony Hale) and Harley Quinn (Tara Strong). Everyone else was anywhere from average to slightly better than average.

Don't even get me started on the fights, they are phenomenal. DC themselves already had glorious fight scenes in all their animations, but throw in some much loved sword-fighting and all round crazy, and you have fight scenes that are as unpredictable as they are bizarre.

Takashi Okazaki's character design was superb. Watching Batman's flawless evolution from a high-tech agent of justice to a samurai was more than satisfying. The end result also fit quite nicely, as if the teched-out caped crusader was actually a downgrade from the agile spirit we're being blessed with.
I guess the most important question is; Is this movie for you? Well that depends, really.

If you’re coming for a good old fashioned DC romp with a splash of wildly unbelievable actions and set pieces (we’re talking mind-reading, multi-coloured, talking bats), and you don’t particularly care about a plot for the Oscars, this is for you. Grab some like-minded folks and lose yourself in the madness.

If instead you’re the intellectual kind, looking to be lost in a deep debate about feudal Japan and its reaction to costumed maniacs arriving in purple lightning and taking over, then no. This is not an arena for debate, it's just an arena, period

Last Word

Batman Ninja is an excellent movie, in its own right. Much like Titanic would be garbage for a little kid who wants to just watch some cartoons, it's also not a movie for everyone. It never intends to take itself seriously, and neither should you.

Seriously, don't. It's waaaaayyyy more fun that way.

Also, you might want to get the Japaneses audio with English subtitles , I think it's nicer to watch it the way it was originally made.

Source

Cover image courtesy of Pixabay, and the other is a still from the trailer.