Batman: Caped Crusader is the triumphant solo return of The Dark Knight to an animated medium that defined the character for a generation in the 90s. Executive producers J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves (The Batman) and Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) bring the 10-episode first season back to the artistic roots and noir approach that Timm helped employ in his aforementioned, beloved Batman series.
This reimagining from Amazon Studios and Warner Bros Animation showcases lesser-known Batman villains and utterly shake-ups familiar nefarious favorites in a story about a rough-around-the-edges Bruce Wayne/Batman still finding his footing in an earlier part of his career. The first episode exemplifies this approach with a big twist midway through, revealing a gender-swapped Penguin, voiced by Minnie Driver. It works and sets a distinct tone, letting viewers know that what’s old is new again in Batman: Caped Crusader.
The trademark of Timm’s entire animated catalog are his simplistic designs and fluid animation with those fully on display in the just plain gorgeous Batman: Caped Crusader. The art deco look of Gotham and its gritty inhabitants fits perfectly for this type of storytelling, adding more than ever before to the pulp detective noir vibe in his work. Supporting characters like GCPD’s oafish Bullock (John DiMaggio) are crooked versions of themselves with little to no redeeming qualities.
Hamish Linklater dons the cowl of Batman for this series, taking over the role from the late Kevin Conroy in Timm’s previous works. The talented actor brings much of his quiet intensity to this role, but it takes some getting used to. His choice of a “whisper” voice for Batman is often underwhelming and lacking complexity. His Bruce Wayne alter ego voice is far better and accomplishes the difficult task of making the two voices sound distinct and believably different.
The noir themes here skew dark and moodier than any of Batman’s animated predecessors as evidenced in the haunting black-and-white opening credits sequence – a far cry from the blood-pumping Danny Elfman-themed intro sequence of Batman: The Animated Series. Episodes occasionally delve into disturbing topics like child abuse, but never get too far from PG-13, keeping things mostly family-friendly. Also, a few palette-cleanser episodes feature obscure DC Comics characters in installments that aren’t quite light-hearted, but their tones at least veer into the more fantastical side of Batman’s mythology.
The strength of Batman: Caped Crusader lies in the wonderful stand-alone stories of each episode, but the show does employ overall arcs that bleed into each. Most notably, DC animation veteran voice actor Diedrich Bader (titular character in Batman: Brave and the Bold) gets his shot at portraying the origin of Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Despite a great performance, the grounded design and execution of Harvey’s descent into duality falls rather flat – offering little to the villain’s overall creation that hasn’t previously been done better.
As mentioned with Minnie Driver earlier, the series enlists some great guest voice talent, including Christina Ricci as Catwoman – complete with the character’s more colorful original period costume. Ricci is terrific in one of the season’s breezier episodes and enjoys playing around in the period setting. A few more solid names pop up through the first season, but since Driver and Ricci were sadly spoiled before release, any other names and roles won’t be mentioned here.
Watching Batman: Caped Crusader is like getting to rewatch the beloved 90s classic Batman: The Animated Series again for the first time. The throwback designs and complex storytelling bring to life a truly unique take on The Dark Knight and his foes (both old and new) in a noir, nostalgic near masterpiece.
Score: 4.5 out of 5