The Great DOOM! is coming “Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham” combines the world of Gotham and Batman with the cosmic-horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, creating a DC Elseworld story that is hauntingly atmospheric and full of great gothic horror as Batman’s rational mind and unparalleled fighting skills are put to the ultimate test when an ancient force threatens his world and everyone he holds dear. The all-new, feature-length DC Animated Movieputs Batman up against Lovecraftian supernatural forces threatening the sheer existence of Gotham as he’s aided and confronted along the way by reimagined versions of his well-known allies and enemies, including Green Arrow, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr Freeze, Killer Croc, Two-Face, James Gordon and more.
Based on the three-issue comic book miniseries written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Richard Pace, and Troy Nixey published from 2000-2001 is an alternate-world tale that introduces us to an alternate version of Bruce Wayne and the residents of Gotham to Lovecraftian horrors. The film is genuinely atmospheric and true to both the core of DC characters and the tone of the 1920s Gotham story. I’ve always loved reading these alternate stories within the DC Universe and seeing them translated into animation is always a thrill, especially when I get to see different iterations of Batman and Gotham City like “Batman Ninja” in Feudal Japan, “Gotham By Gaslight” with Batman hunting Jack the Ripper, and now we have a 1920s tale with Lovecraft influence. In a matter of fact, Arkham is a fictional town in many of his stories, the two worlds blend seamlessly, though was half expecting to see Constantine with all these demonic demon creatures.
An ancient supernatural evil known as the stalker on the threshold awakens as mystical and evil forces begin to take over Gotham with the purpose of conquering the world and plunge it into an eternal abyss of darkness. In the 1920s an expedition led by Bruce Wayne (David Giuntoli) arrives in Antarctica in search of a lost expedition led by Professor Cobblepot (William Salyers), however, what they find goes further beyond all imaginable mutant creatures and the professor’s undead assistant Grendon (David Dastmalchian). This sets in motion a plot by Talia Al Ghul. Bruce takes to the streets of prohibition Gotham in search of information, This leads him to Dr Kirk Langstrom, a scientist who specialises in bats, and who is convinced something dreadful is coming to take over the world. The story in this film ultimately tests Bruce as Batman soon finds himself coming face-to-face with a new enemy, who is prepared to unleash all hell on earth, thus leaving Batman as the only line of defence. The Dark Knight however seems to be more connected to this supernatural Force than he realised, so in order to defeat it, he may have to embrace the darker side of his persona and face the trauma of his past.
The animation is great, especially the character designs and the 1920s aesthetic for Gotham showcases more of the macabre aspects of the story that features the Cthulhu Mythos. As we explore this alternate Gotham we begin to see the dark shadows and conspiracies of Gotham City that seedly blend well with dark cults doing supernatural things. Even better is how it mixes new alternate iterations of Batman’s rogues’ gallery. Almost all of the villains are physically or mentally corrupted by the Lurker on the Threshold and are given new purposes and an Elseworld makeover in this Alternate story, my favourites being Poison Ivy and Mr Freeze. The colour palette throughout is also strong with red, black, and grey hues for Gotham City to the neon green, fiery red colours depicting the supernatural elements. Whilst the film’s score composed by Stefan L. Smith fulfils the task of being a support element that features good pieces that go from classical to thunderous and orchestral horror truly makes the experience more enjoyable and very Batman which I thought his soundtrack harkened back to Elfman’s.
Sam Liu (The Death and Return of Superman) fills the dual role of producer and co-director, of “Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham working closely with co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) to bring to animated life the script from screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse).
The voice cast is comprised of David Giuntoli (Grimm, A Million Little Things) who reprises his Batman: Soul of the Dragon role as the voice of the Dark Knight. Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) makes her DC animated debut as Kai Li Cain, Batman’s closest ally. Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Harvey Dent, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire) as James Gordon, and David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon. Rounding out the cast is Gideon Adlon (Legion of Super-Heroes) as Oracle, Karan Brar (Jessie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise) as Sanjay “Jay” Tawde, Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, The Frighteners) as Kirk Langstrom, Darin De Paul (Mortal Kombat Legends & Overwatch franchises) as Thomas Wayne, Brian George (Seinfeld) as Alfred, Jason Marsden (Young Justice, A Goofy Movie) as Dick Grayson & Young Bruce Wayne, Navid Negahban (Homeland, The Cleaning Lady) as Ra’s al Ghul, Emily O’Brien (Days of Our Lives) as Talia al Ghul & Martha Wayne, Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager) as Lucius Fox, William Salyers (The Regular Show) as Cobbelpot & Professor Manfurd.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I was very impressed with Batman: The Doom That Came To Cotham. A film that faithfully adapts from its source material and goes to some dark and twisted places. Gripping, thrilling, and ultimately a striking horror mystery showcasing Batman fighting off Lovecraftian creatures. Prepare for a mystical, often terrifying Batman adventure unlike any other.
If you are a fan of time travel, crime, and mind-bending suspense then Netflix’s Bodies is perfect to binge-watch this weekend. Directed by Haolu Wang and Marco Kreuzpaintner, Bodies is based on DC’s graphic novel by Si Spencer – who has been tributed in the first episode. The story follows four detectives in four different timelines and they discover a naked man’s body with one eye gouged out, surprisingly it’s the body of the same person in different timelines!
Shira Haas and Stephen Graham in Netflix’s ‘Bodies’
The 8-episode series parallelly shows four detectives – DS Hasan (Amaka Okafor) in 2023, DS Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) in 1941, DI Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) in 1890, and DC Maplewood (Shira Haas) in 2053 twisted in the same case discovering facts that are beyond their understanding. DS Hasan from the year 2023 discovers that the case she has been working on has happened before, not once but twice decades ago. Much to her suspicion, the evidence aligns with her own case which leads her confused more than ever.
Stephen Graham is not limited to one timeline, his intense performance deepens the storyline, leaving viewers jumpy. Amaka Okafor, Shira Haas, Kyle Soller, and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s distinctive acting and effective dialogue delivery are appreciated but Fortune-Lloyd deserves a standing ovation for his shining performance. Graham and Soller’s costumes and makeup are on point in the show.
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as DS Whiteman in Bodies
With each episode comes mind-blowing twists that keep you on edge all the time. Each detective’s personal story and connection to people close to them adds more depth to their character and the choices they make. Even till the end of the last episode, the series holds your attention profoundly. Different timelines connected to one another may cause confusion at first but it only adds more fun to the story that leaves us in shock.
Now, if it reminds you of Netflix’s other popular German series Dark, directed by Baran bo Odar, then we can’t blame you. Bodies and Dark are not related to each other but they draw strong parallels to one another and it’s mainly due to different timelines, time travel, and hard-to-understand relations between the two characters. Although characters in Bodies are not connected to each other deep and twisted like in Dark but you need to keep a close eye to understand their connection. Dark, starring German actors Louis Hofmann and Lisa Vicari, is Netflix’s one of the most popular supernatural twists series and it is safe to assume that Bodies is no less than the 3-season German series.
Time Portal in ‘Dark’ vs ‘Bodies’
Stephen Graham’s Bodies is a mind-bending, thriller series full of brilliant performances. Its captivating narrative and depth keep the viewers engaged and entertained.
Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom [credit: Warner Bros. / DC]
Genre:
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Release Date:
December 20, 2023
Director:
James Wan
Cast:
Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Plot Summary:
Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death.
I know that it’s been a little while since “The Flash” came out in theaters, but I got to say that after seeing the movie again on Max, I think that it’s clear to say that Michael Keatonis the best actor that has played the Caped Crusader.
Keaton played the hero in the Tim Burton-directed superhero flick way back in 1989. Many fans were skeptical of the controversial casting but were happy to have him in the film after it was released and welcomed him back for the sequel in 1992.
Here is why Keaton reigns supreme as the comic-book hero.
HE LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR “DARK” BATMAN
Batman 1989 [credit: Warner Bros.]
Before Michael Keaton, the only thing that fans had for Batman was Adam West on the 1960s tv series and while the series had its moments, they seemed more campy than actually dark. West had a more comical take on the character which might have been fine for the 1960s but it doesn’t really honor the source material.
Keaton brought the character into darker territory and allowed Batmen after him to run, but only after he had to walk in the batsuit and it was a breath of fresh air to see it.
HIS ORIGIN STORY IS MORE TRAGIC
Batman 1989 [credit: Warner Bros.]
In the original comics, Bruce Wayne’s parents are killed by the criminal Joe Chill. And the tragic event is what made him the caped crusader. That is a great origin story, however, the 1989 film changes a few things.
In the Tim Burton movie, Jack Napier a.k.a., the Joker kills Wayne’s parents. Albeit, this is before Napier becomes the Joker but it makes for a great connection as to why Batman has such a true and deep disdain for the Joker, thus making their hero-villain dynamic more palpable to watch.
HE TOOK ON A KRYPTONIAN WITHOUT KRYPTONITE
The Flash 2023 [credit: Warner Bros.]
If you haven’t seen The Flash, spoiler alert because Keaton’s Batman takes down the kryptonian Nam-ek in the coolest and briefest showdown in the DCEU, where Batman grapples the Kryptonian by the neck attaching bombs to him and finally knocking the alien to the ground with a final explosion.
Keaton can rest easy knowing that he was the only Batman to knock down a Kryptonian without Kryptonite. Not even Affleck could attest to that.