Review: Iconic ‘Killing Joke’ graphic novel comes to life

Posted on July 29, 2016

By MARK VIOLA

DC Comics’ latest animated film is “Batman: The Killing Joke,” the company’s first R-rated animated offering. The movie not only adapts one of the most popular and controversial Batman graphic novels ever, it also reunites voice actor Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker. For those growing up in the 1990s watching “Batman: The Animated Series,” these two actors, or at least their voices, are as much the definite versions of the characters as Christian Bale and Heath Ledger are today.

With the addition of fellow “Batman: The Animated Series” voice actors Tara Strong as Batgirl and Ray Wise as Commissioner Gordon, this is a nostalgia-filled thrill-ride. But this is more than simple a reunion of childhood favorites. Since it was first published in 1988, “The Killing Joke,” written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland, has been one of the essential Batman stories and I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release for months.

In fact, the anticipation was so large, Fathom Events organized a two-day theatrical release, giving those interested in the movie a chance to see it prior to the film becoming available for digital download this week and on home video next Tuesday (Aug. 2).

The story takes a psychological look at the decades-long feud between Batman and the Joker, when the master criminal once again breaks out of Arkham Asylum. Only this time he doesn’t target Batman directly but instead going after his longtime crime-fighting partner Commissioner Gordon. This is one of the very few times in the comics that the Joker’s backstory is explored at all and it is paralleled in the present when the Joker tries to prove, through Gordon, that anyone, no matter how ordinary or good they are, can descend into madness after just one really bad day.

Now, the original graphic novel is only around 50 or so pages, so there is no way to stretch that story into a feature length movie. To help take up the extra time, without changing the original story–which is presented here nearly word for word–the animators have created a new story to serve as a first act. This story also serves to help expand the character of Batgirl, who played a small but pivotal role in “The Killing Joke,” forever changing her place in the comics universe. The events involving her have always been the comic’s most controversial, so it makes sense that they give her more to do in the expanded story.

I will admit there is one specific part of this new story that really comes out of nowhere and doesn’t fit anything we’ve seen before in the comics. I could have frankly done without it and I don’t think it would have hurt the story to leave it out. The new story as whole admittedly does feel tacked on and aside from several similar themes, doesn’t really connect to “The Killing Joke” portion of the movie. I can consider like a double-feature, with the second part being the story I was really going to the theater for, and that story is very well translated into animated.

It is a bit disturbing to listen to the voices from my childhood, who starred in a much lighter version of the Batman universe, in this much darker, much more serious story. But that really only added to the enjoyment of the story.

For fans of the Batman comics as well as the animated series, “Batman: The Killing Joke” is well worth watching. For more casual fans looking for a deeper, darker story than many we get, this is still very much worth checking out. The new material doesn’t really add much to the story, but it doesn’t detract from it either.

The film is rated R for some bloody images and disturbing content.

(This is a abbreviated version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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