Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014) Reviews

• "Seriously? Ice Puns?"

  T_Beer2015-01-12

  Batman is a real badass, the Joker is a total wacko, Harley Quinn is hot. What else do you need? No but seriously, Aussault on Arkham did many things right, the characters are fun (especially Boomerang who is the major comic relief in this movie, the Joker and of course Quinn), the action is pretty awesome and there were some very fine One-Liners also. What I liked the most was the very mature style of the movie, there is blood spilled, heads are blown of and teeth get punched in but nothing is never totally over the top (as many already said it's very surprising Assault on Arkham was rated PG-13 and not R). Altogether I liked: -gritty style -mature humor -well animated action/fight scenes -actuall plot surprises -real fight consequences (villains DIE, and don't flee with a black eye) -GREAT voice acting Now for the things I did not like: -not enough Joker (yes his role was pretty major but it was not quite enough screen time for my taste) -overall to short (71 mins? really?)

  More

• Awesome!!

  crimson_knight_72014-08-02

  DC animated movies almost never fail to please me and Batman: Assault on Arkham, directed by Jay Oliva and Ethan Spaulding, portrays criminals with a vicious and sexy attitude. With almost all the same voice actors from the Batman Arkham series including Kevin Conroy, Oliva and Spaulding take the Batman animated movies into Arkham Asylum just as portrayed in the Arkham video games series. In my opinion, it's about time Warner Brothers created a Batman animated movie based on the atmosphere of the Arkham games as it is so popular with the fans. Interestingly enough, this movie focuses more on a criminal special task force created by Amanda Waller, who also created the Suicide Squad, rather than Batman; however, there was still enough of Batman to satisfy our Dark Knight needs especially when the voice is Kevin Conroy. What surprised me the most was Troy Baker as the voice of the Joker. Though he has been the voice of Joker before, I almost thought it was Mark Hamill until I looked up the cast. With that in mind, Baker's acting inspires me with high hopes for the Jokers future. Overall, this Batman animated movie had a sexy, trilling, attitude which was packed full of lethal action that would please any Batman fan. A perfect 10!

  More

• Go... villains?!

  r_massey2014-12-03

  It's weird that you'll ever find yourself rooting for the bad guys to win and "Assault on Arkham" makes you do this exactly. The film introduces you to an ensemble of villains, given an objective that depends on their lives. You find yourself quite absorbed in the plot and the characters as they interact with each other (not always harmoniously), almost wanting to see them succeed when going to the lengths that they do. If you're turning this film on expecting it to be a "Batman" film then you may be disappointed to know that he only appears for a few minutes at a time and that the central focus actually lies on the Suicide Squad, but, knowing this in advance allows you to enjoy and appreciate the film a lot more. Thankfully, I was informed of this beforehand and equally loved seeing either Batman or his adversaries on-screen, therefore making it all the more exciting to see them all appear at once at the same time. The animation and art style is great and superb voice acting by Kevin Conroy (Batman), Troy Baker (The Joker), Neal McDonough (Deadshot) and pretty much everyone else; they really bring the characters to life, especially Conroy who has been voicing the caped crusader for decades and practically knows the character inside out. My only issue with "Batman: Assault on Arkham" is that it is too short, especially when the film gets going in the final act and has a lot to potentially offer but doesn't really have the time or room to explore. This is a good animated film and definitely worth the watch if you're a Batman fan, especially if you're familiar with the "Batman: Arkham" video game series.

  More

• As if i wasn't already excited enough for Suicide Squad!

  kieranbattams2015-07-12

  I saw the SDCC exclusive trailer for Suicide Squad very recently and it got me so hyped up to see what the DC cinematic universe had in store for us. At first the DCU looked like it was trying to be what Marvel had set up but looking at the two latest trailers it looks like they really do have some spectacular surprises in store! Anyway, after seeing the trailer i wanted to see a lot more of the Suicide Squad in action. I was lucky enough to find Batman Assault on Arkham and well.. as if i wasn't already excited enough for Suicide Squad! First things first, this film may have the Batman name in the title, but this really isn't a Batman he is merely a co-star. This film very much belongs to the squad themselves. Amanda Waller needs to get a thumb drive from the Riddler's cane so in order to do so she recruits the baddest criminals she can find from the very walls of Arkham Asylum to get it out. Meanwhile Batman is attempting to find a dirty bomb left behind by the Joker who is still trapped in his own cell, which he of course links to Harley Quinn. We get to see characters we will soon be introduced to in the film including Harley, Captain Boomerang and Deadshot who serves as the protagonist. Among these 'big names' we also encounter lesser-known villains like King Shark and Killer Frost who form an unexpected bond and Black Spider (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad). All ending with a climatic battle between Task force X, the Joker and Batman himself. The film claims to be based off of the Batman Arkham series of games. The voice of Batman is as always played to perfection by veteran Batman actor Kevin Conroy. Every time Conroy lends his voice to the character, even only for a small role like this film, you really feel like you are listening to the only actor fit for voicing him. Troy Baker mirrors Mark Hamill like he did in Arkham Origins and steals the show. He may not be as threatening and villainous as Hamill is but he comes a close second. I also loved Hynden Walch as Harley Quinn and I will go as far as to say that Harley was my favourite character in this film. She takes on the role and manages to be both ditzy and villainous, which is all a fan really wants from such an iconic character. Each member of Task Force X gets their own chance to shine in a different way and i was on board with each character so well that I was rooting for them more than i was for Batman by the end of it. DC can be hit and miss with their animated features, and this is in the ranks as being one of the best they have developed so far. I hope that the adaption of 'The Killing Joke' that is in the works can be as great as this one manages to be. It is also the right element of dark. The violence was not watered down for this one and we get our fair share of head explosions. I am hoping the movie is not watered down and manages an 'R' rating because it has the potential to be something very special. This film raises the hype metre even higher and i am hoping for something great that could even trump The Dark Knight in terms of darkness and pure character development. The DC Universe will be kicked off with a 'BANG!' (Pun intended) and i hope more animated DC adaptions take a leaf out of its book.

  More

• Villains United.

  xamtaro2014-08-17

  Villains get the spotlight in BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM, a loose prequel set before the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum video game. A black ops mission to assassinate the Riddler is foiled by Batman, prompting CIA operative Amanda Waller to assemble "Task Force X", aka The Suicide Squad. Morally ambiguous Vigilante Black Spider, seductive ice queen Killer Frost, savage brute King Shark, Australian scoundrel Captain Boomerang, crazy Harley Quinn and the cynical assassin Deadshot. These sociopathic misfits have to put aside their differences to work together, lest they "lose their heads". Playing out like a good ol fashioned heist film in the vein of THE Italian JOB or OCEAN'S ELEVEN, we see six villains assembled by Amanda Waller and sent on a mission impossible deep into the heart of the dreaded Arkham Asylum to retrieve a thumb drive containing sensitive information, that was in the Riddler's possession. From the electronic heavy rock soundtrack to the Taratino-esque roll call opening credits sequence, you know you are in for a completely different animated movie. The fun begins when we get to see how well these bad guys play off one another in a script that is chock full of dark humour and depth. Although each villain does not get much development, we do get a "keynotes" look into their personalities, their motivations and their minds as the brisk pace of the movie sprints from action scene to action scene. Their roles in the team are familiar archetypes for classic villain teams: the alpha male leader (Deadshot), the butt monkey backstabber (Captain Boomerang), the dumb muscle (King Shark), the seductress (Killer Frost), the mysterious odd one out (Black Spider), and the psycho (Harley Quinn). Yet in this familiarity comes the opportunity for the characters to truly shine thanks to some magnificent chemistry and voice acting. Alas, for a title named "Batman: Assault on Arkham" the titular Batman plays a supporting, almost cameo, role. But when he does appear, he exhibits a powerful on screen presence. Those barely visible eyes staring intensely from within the cowl, the new look of the costume which blends the dark blue streamlined design of Justice League Unlimited with the armoured detailing of New 52, not to mention the return of the classic Batman voice Kevin Conroy. But I digress. Batman is not the focus here, the Suicide Squad is. And they get one hell of a 75 minute showcase. Throughout the movie, you get a sense that some of the team members have their own agenda and secrets. What looks like a crazy outburst turns out to be a well calculated distraction for example. This movie keeps you guessing and keeps the tension up from start to finish. Like previous DC Animated movies, ASSAULT ON ARKHAM does not shy away from bloody violence or semi-sexual depictions. The near nudity, the blood letting, it is insane, threading close to an "R" rating. Action is smooth, fluid, with a very high budget quality which combines detailed artwork with dynamic animation. Visually, Moi Animation studios have outdone themselves once again delivering top notch animation that surpasses many of their Japanese anime counterparts. For quick comparison, take a look at the animation on SON OF BATMAN done by Japanese anime studio "TheAnswerStudio" and then compare it to the visuals in BATMAN ASSAULT ON ARKHAM. No contest. BATMAN ASSAULT ON ARKHAM was a risky experiment, but an experiment that pays off. Edgy but fun, dark but not brooding, intense but not shallow. There seem to be things you can do on screen and a dark sense of fun you get with villains instead of heroes. Here I am hoping that DC would consider releasing a villain centric animated movie for every two hero centric movies per year. The DC rogues gallery needs to be tapped and tapped well. This is a good star

  More