Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

I gave it a 6 mostly for the concept of the film and the atmosphere which was really great but when the movie ended it still felt like something was really missing and I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was until a few hours later... It was the actual detective work.

Before the film started my greatest question was how the hell is he going to solve any mysteries without his super powerful bat-computer and I was looking forward to see how it will play out. It turns out there was little to none of that detective work and the Bat figures out who the killer is by pure luck and nothing else, which is really a shame for the world's greatest detective.

I did enjoy other parts of the movie, but, I cannot tell you what without giving any spoilers. You should watch it yourself and you will know what I'm talking about just don't put your expectations too high for the general outcome, it's definitely not a 10 or a 9.

How much you like this film will definitely depend on how much you are into the Victorian/Steampunk aesthetic, as well as the murder mystery genre in general. There is definitely nothing bad to report about this movie, it is a decent little crime noir set in the early 1900s.

If there is a problem it is that it has no connection to the greater Batman/DC animated universe and could easily not be a Batman film at all, since outside of the character names themselves there is little to link the two. Batman only vaguely 'Batmans' outside of some grappling-hook action and minor detecting. It is certainly not one for those who like outlandish superhero action.

Overall if you see this as a short murder mystery there is little to be disappointed by here, and if you crave a more down-to-earth Batman then this will be great for you. In my opinion you might as well just watch something like Zorro or Lone Ranger, or any other masked vigilante that Batman was based on as for me its 'back to basics' tone is just a little too basic, but it is certainly a matter of personal opinion in this regard.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight: It is Victorian times and Gotham is looking a little Londonish. There is a killer afoot named Jack the Ripper stalking the streets. Also stalking the night is a masked vigilante known only as The Bat. Can Commissioner Gordon solve the cases with the help of his prosecutor Harvey Dent and Dent's millionaire childhood chum Bruce Wayne?

The Good: The greatest thing about Gotham by Gaslight is what it doesn't do. There are no Tesla or Lovecraft cameos. Nobody invents an airplane powered by a diamond. It is a realistic (relatively) style environment with people that act like people actually did back then (Guy in Bat costume excepted).

Gotham by Gaslight also finds proper roles for Batman's Rogue gallery and his allies. Commissioner Gordon, Alfred the Butler, and Harvey Dent keep their old roles. While other's get to put on a new hat. Hugo Strange is a progressive doctor running a psychiatric hospital and Poison Ivy is a vaudeville stripper. The movie has Batman in the role of Sherlock Holmes with focus on detective work rather than Bat punching. Selina Kyle (Catwoman) takes the role similar to Sherlock's love interest Irene Adler and three Robins (Dick, Jason, and Tim) take a role similar to the Baker Street Irregulars. It is a lot of fun seeing well-known characters in their new roles. The movie handles this quite well.

The Bad: Why is this an "R" rated film? There are some adult themes but neither Poison Ivy nor Selina Kyle shows any nudity despite some obvious story beats where it would have been expected. The violence is muted and the camera turns away from anything possible offensive. I have to think this us more of a marketing ploy (An Adult Batman Cartoon) rather than a reflection of the material. If you are going for an "R" rating and your story is about a serial killer that murders prostitutes it is not as if there is no material to work with.

In Conclusion: A Sherlock Holmes mystery with a Batman dressing. It is a good mystery that will keep one guessing. Characters are well written and voiced with Selina Kyle and Harvey Dent being standouts. Overplayed Victorian elements (see above) and overplayed Batman elements (Joker) are nowhere to be found. A good family film despite the "R" rating and an excellent treat for fans of the bat.

Considering it's set in an Elseworlds universe, the dark and thematically noir influenced complex atmosphere fits in perfectly with the Batman mythos. The film paces with some increasingly mysterious events that eventually leads Batman to a very baffling revelation. The character portrayals were brilliant from an 18th century point of view, not to mention Batman performing his mixed martial art skills when pitted against Jack the Ripper was a solid stunner. I run out of reasons why most of the DCAU films go underrated, but in my opinion this film deserves better. There are a few negligible shortcomings in the film like Batman being at his usual best without the aid of any electronic gadget(say Batcomputer) but then again those are overshadowed by the plotline. It's definitely a must watch for Batman lovers.

Great serious story, wow they didn't make animation this hardcore in the 90's It gets gory and eerie at times which is really what a Batman movie should be.

It has a fantastic classic Batman story.

Great els-world favourite characters.

Batman's fighting choreography is fantastic and this is a cartoon lol!

Animation looks dull in places that don't matter and thats fine and is made up by focusing on the main features, and that looks great, well executed action.

Classic Gotham feel that is right at home! (got to have a blimp!)

Lots of nods and easter eggs to previous Batman animations, comics. (Mask of the Phantasm, Robins, Two Face, Sherlock Holmes's Dancing Men story (which I really appreciated, I f-ing love Jeremy Brett and Sherlock stories), Death in the family, the weird Scott Snyder comic about James Gordan's messed up son, Dark Knight Bat pod, Black Mask...these were the ones I noticed.

Overall really good ELS-WORLD Batman story!