Merry Little Batman

Ever wondered what Batman might look like with therapy, reduced crime fighting and no longer desires to turn every single little boy under 12 into a crime fighting machine? Well, it's Luke Wilson in a beard.

This is a great holiday flick for comic geeks and their kids. It is Batman meets Home alone meets the Grinch who stole Christmas. There are so many nods to old school Batman while simultaneously mocking it. What Would Batman's chest look like without bat armor and bandages? And, yes, Dead parent jokes are definitely on the menu.

This script was written by clear long time fans of the Bat who perfectly captured Damien's try hard personality and so many winks to Gotham culture. There is one brilliant part where the flick flips to gothic black and white and then back again.

While this is definitely for kids, it is clearly written with their parental geeks in mind. Basically, it's a smart Christmas script with a nice life lesson with homages to other holiday flicks thrown in.

Also, the soundtrack slaps and pulls from multiple genres including Punk in the opening.

FILM: 7/10.

Embarking on a watch of the 2023 film Merry Little Batman, I found myself pleasantly surprised by this rescued gem. Initially teetering on the brink of becoming another Warner Bros tax write-off, Amazon stepped in to salvage this animated adventure from cinematic obscurity.

Designed with a bullseye on the 30 to 40-something parents who cut their Bat-teeth on Batman: The Animated Series, Merry Little Batman delivers a Bat-themed holiday treat perfect for family viewing.

The animation style, a departure from my usual preferences, echoes the director Mike Roth's earlier work on SpongeBob SquarePants and The Regular Show. While not my cup of tea, it adds a quirky charm that younger audiences might appreciate.

What truly sets Merry Little Batman aglow is its relentless shower of references to Batman lore from comics, films, and TV shows. It's a joy for fans, creating a playful tapestry woven with nods to the Caped Crusader's expansive pop culture footprint.

At its core, the film cleverly repackages the Home Alone formula. However, instead of a regular family, we have Batman's son, Damian, defending Wayne Manor and Gotham against the formidable rogues' gallery. The familiar premise injects a fresh dose of fun into the holiday-themed narrative.

While the animation style might not align with my tastes, Merry Little Batman manages to carve out its own Bat-niche. It's a festive flick that successfully bridges the generational gap, offering a holiday escapade that's both nostalgic for Bat-fans and a new, animated delight for the younger audience. With a playful spirit and nods to Batman's rich legacy, it's a merry Bat-venture worth unwrapping.

FORMAT: Streaming

VIDEO: 9/10.

1080p streaming presentation, Detail level: Good, Colour reproduction: Excellent, Level accuracy: Excellent, Encode: Excellent, Master condition: Excellent

AUDIO: 9/10.

Dolby Digital 5.1 streaming audio, Dialogue reproduction: Excellent, Soundtrack & effects clarity: Excellent, Dynamics: Excellent, Surround sound presentation: Good, LFE content: Good

MOOFIEMETER: 7/10.

Merry Little Batman is a Christmas special based around the Dark Knight that has quite a history. Originally planned for release on HBO Max (now known as Max), the special was shelved to be a tax write off, but thankfully, Amazon Prime Video, who acquired the upcoming Batman: The Caped Crusader animated series, would aquire this special, and this year, was released on Amazon Prime Video via Amazon MGM Studios.

In this charming special, young Damian Wayne (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) dreams of being a superhero like his father, Bruce, a.k.a. Batman (voiced by Luke Wilson), who thinks he is not ready, as well as there is no crime in Gotham since Bruce, as Batman, worked overtime to finally make Gotham crime-free when he learned he was going to be a dad. However, when Batman is stranded after going on a mission for the Justice League, and Alfred is out shopping, Damian has to step up when Wayne Manor gets broken into by a duo of burglars when they take advantage of his antics knocking out the electricity, and steal the utility belt his father got him, Damian goes after them to get it back, leading to him going up against his father's old enemies, including The Joker.

This special is very charming. Showing a new take on Batman (as this one has a beard and is happy), the special has a good story with a nice moral, and even a good voice cast to boot. This may not click with some Batman fans due to the fact it has a Batman who is happy (and sporting a beard), but to me, this is a neat Christmas special.

A very fun and well made movie! It's the right amount of comedy and heart and Batman action. An original story with fun references all the way through for hard-core Batman fans. But at the same time just enjoyable Christmas movie with warm fuzzy feeling for all! All the voice actors fit the their roles perfectly, and the interpretation of their characters is spot on for what it is, and yet true to the comic books. This is obviously made by people that are true fans of Batman and had a clear and deliberate story to tell and everything worked together, nothing was wasted and the pacing was fantastic, and you knew you were in good hands as you watch! Enjoy!

Merry Little Batman is a perfect blend between kid and adult animated film. When it starts to pick up the pace, the movie becomes almost non-stop and a terrifically action-paced Christmas adventure. The animation style grows on you, and by the end of the movie, it is hard not to adore it because of its reminiscent older cartoons and influence from other Batman adaptations in the past. The last twenty minutes lose the energy a bit, but it's indeed a warm and cozy animation. For Batman fans like myself who understand the world and its characters, this was a joy to watch. Merry Little Christmas 🎄