When I moved this up in my queue, it hadn't occurred to me that I would receive it in October, which I normally fill with Halloween-y viewings. On further reflection, I decided to keep it that way. Gotham's pretty gothic in its own right.
In light of many vigilantes less principled than Batman (Peter Weller) springing up, new Commissioner Ellen Yindel (Maria Canals-Barrera) issues a warrant for his arrest, passing word for Superman (Mark Valley) to step in if necessary. Batman might have re-retired at this point if not for the Joker (Michael Emerson) reappearing in public. The Joker may have only one accomplice left, Abner (Townsend Coleman), but Abner's tech skills are all they need to make a big, bloody splash. At the same time, the Cold War is heating up as the U.S. fights the U.S.S.R. for dominion of the fictional island of Corto Maltese. You know it'll spill over to Gotham somehow.
The rating is still PG-13, but it comes closer to R than Part 1. The body count is in the hundreds, with quite a few on screen, including a good guy we already know. Batman himself does more grievous bodily harm, and the harm done to him elicits my great sympathy. And while I'm not sure the language is any fouler, it is heavily implied that the former Catwoman (Tress MacNeille) now runs a cathouse.
If you like the Joker best when he actually jokes, I'm afraid you're out of luck. This one, even on a talk show hosted by the improbably named David Endochrine (voiced by Conan O'Brien, not David Letterman), hardly makes a pretense of humor. I was more amused by Part 1.
I get the sense that Frank Miller was trying to follow the same path as Alan Moore, or perhaps vice versa. Like in Moore's Watchmen, there is talk of a deal that requires costumed heroes to either work for the government or cease and desist, and none of the options look great. Like in Moore's V for Vendetta, there is a send-up of the contemporary government, albeit under an unnamed Ronald Reagan (Jim Meskimen) rather than Margaret Thatcher. The police, as well as Yindel herself, are way too eager to shoot at Batman.
And yes, superheroes fight each other. I understand that Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice took a few cues, even if Batman doesn't have the same helpers there. I wouldn't call this an epic battle, but it probably plays out better than the other.
Alas, the direction that I lauded in Part 1 is less noticeable this time around. Maybe I was too overwhelmed by competing emotional factors. Maybe actions get all the more ridiculous, which is quite predictable whenever Superman gets involved.
TDKR2 is about as disturbing as I welcome for October. I'm not sorry I watched, but if there were a third part, I'd set it aside for another month, at best.
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