Batman has long since disappeared since his crime-fighting days but now at the age of 55, Bruce Wayne dons the cape and cowl to return to the streets of Gotham City to take on old enemy, Harvey "Two-Face" Dent for what should be the last time. Meanwhile the maniacal gang of hoodlums known as, The Mutants plague the streets of the towering metropolis with an impending confrontation with their vicious, sadistic leader on the cards.The latest in a fairly long list of animated adaptations or interpretations of the Batman mythos to be brought to the screen, The Dark Knight Returns was based on the four part 1986 graphic novel by the now legendary, Frank Miller. The very man who's formidable imagination brought forth such renowned works as, Sin City and Watchmen to name but two and seemingly had no involvement in any advisory or technical capacity. And if this full length version, (it was originally released in two chapters on two individual DVD releases) is anything to go by he needn't had done so as from from what I gather it remains irrevocably faithful to it's source material.It focus's on how Bruce Wayne (voiced by; Peter Weller best known for his iconic role in 1980's sci-fi action hit, Robocop) who has long since retired after the untimely demise of Jason Todd, the second Robin., making him feel compelled to return to a life of vigilantism. Gotham it seems is an even grimmer, meaner city metropolis that has become more of a breeding ground for crime and is descending in to inevitable anarchy. Arguably and some might claim irrefutably the most gritty and uncompromising depiction of the Dark Knight, it doesn't make it any less riveting and complex all be it implausible.Adroitly selecting the criminally unhinged Harvey "Two Face" Dent (Wade Williams) as the early antagonist who partially instigates the millionaire son of Gotham to don the cape and cowl once more, his dual nature is an ideal adage to the themes of the first half of the movie which explore duality. There's Bruce Wayne's double identity as the aged industrialist and the avenging Batman, with the divisiveness of public opinion over whether he is a positive force for change in Gotham or a self-imposed, meddling vigilante menace that is part of the problem and not the solution. They're handled adeptly via vox pops with Gothamites which are to be broadcast on the local news stations. Derivative it may be be but it still has the desired effect. There's also the dual sides of the official and unofficial iconic symbols of justice, a 70 year old Commissioner James Gordon (David Selby) who is on the verge of retiring with old friend and ally, Bruce entering again in to the battlefield streets of their once beloved city. One's on his way out as the other one is finding himself drawn right back in. There scenes together are relatively sparse but they hit the right note of bitter-sweet poignancy which compliments it's darker more brooding tone.Dent aside; the genuine and more prominent threat in the first half is the brutal and ominous gang which is practically an army of degenerate hoodlums calling themselves, The Mutants. Led by the imposing, towering presence of the maniacal Mutant Leader who as a figurehead personifies their carnal savagery concisely. Not since Bane; have we seen a nemesis that is potentially a match for the Batman, but then at 55 years of age he is irretrievably past his prime. But this is Bruce Wayne and although his physical frame has become more beleaguered with age, his mettle hasn't. Peter Weller with the subtlety of his nuanced vocal performance oozes a quiet resolute firmness that barely seems to waver.Returning momentarily to the themes of duality, there's the welcome if tried and tested addition of a new Robin, this time given the then more fresh spin of being a high spirited (are they anything else?) teenage girl named Carrie Kelly and voiced with likable spunky idealism by Ariel Winter. However, given Bruce Wayne's previous reluctance and the impetus behind his retirement, one wonders if his readiness to accept young Miss Kelly to be is latest sidekick is to push foward the plot. It feels like expedience being a rationale for forgoing some semblance of plausibility. All the same her addition makes for a wonderful story arc.All in all, and despite some discernible flaws; Chapter 1 get's this non-canon addition to the saga to a searingly intense start. The vocal talents are of the highest order, and with the formidable artistic deign and the fluidity of the animation; as well as the insinuated return of, The Joker teasing fans to purchase the second chapter, I doubt it would take much persuading.

The movie feels slightly like an animated "Batman Begins": the batmobile is a tank, the batwing is a helicopter and no silly James-Bond-kind gadgets. Bruce Wayne is a tormented retired Batman who just can't stop being the caped crusader.The story is well structured and rises thanks to the new villains: the Mutants and its ferocious leader. The dark and realistic tone of the film makes it for an attractive ride in the Batman universe. I applaud entirely to the score, a powerful and epic melody that manages to exalt the enduring legacy of one of the best superheroes ever.One of the movie's main idea is resoundingly reflexive: Batman makes his own enemies. Do superheroes create their own foes? This reminds me a lot of Vision's equation in "Civil War" (2016). Since each hero started to become public, the amount of crime increased. A powerful reflection of the constant battle between good and evil (Batman and Two-Face's confrontation).I loved Peter Weller as Bruce Wayne/Batman, his deep, commanding and elderly voice make a perfect portrayal of the 55-year-old hero. As well as the Mutant Leader, Two-Face, and Carrie Kelly, which stand out well. I also loved the similarities with "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) (which shows the big legacy of the TDKR graphic novel). In the Nolan movie is 8 years, in which also Bruce Wayne is broken by the death of a close person. Batman's first appearance is almost identical in both movies. A young and old cop in a car chase, when Batman appears, it's "Showtime". And a lot more that I won't spoil. FINAL CONSENSUS: Unique in style and visuals, voice performance, story and characters, this dark, violent, thought-provoking and faithful adaptation of Batman is one of the best in the whole franchise. (Alongside with Part 2)

What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? So often, great comics are adapted for the big or even small screen and random things are changed for whatever reason but not in this case. This film is like a love letter to the original comics it is based off of. And don't even get me started on the soundtrack, it is amazing. Part 2 gets most of the glory because of the Joker, and the Superman fight but this movie is just as good if you ask me. I literally have no complaints about this movie. This is in fact the only 10 out of 10 I've given on IMDb so far. And guess what? I'm going to review Part 2 right after this and that will be my second 10 out of 10. Part 1 and 2 need to be watched back to back.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, not to be confused with the live action film The Dark Knight, is a two part animated straight to DVD release by DC Comics and Warner Home Video based on the classic graphic novels by Frank Miller. In this story a fifty-five year old retired Bruce Wayne is called back into action by Gotham City plunging into chaos as a result of a new and deadly gang and their brutal mutant leader. In Part two of the films we see that his return is not met exclusively with positive reaction however, as many are understandably against a self-regulated masked vigilante being such a key aspect in the cities safety, including a newly appointed police commissioner and even the United States president. These films are excellently animated with a stunning use of angles and lighting being clearly considered of the utmost importance in the drawing of every single frame. The movement of the characters and objects very fluid and at no point appears to be preformed half- heartedly. However, the title character of Batman/Bruce Wayne himself does often seem out of place when standing next to other characters because of how he is drawn as too large and almost gorilla like at times.The voice acting by every single member of the chosen cast is excellent with each member, even Conan O'Brian, never once feeling out of place. Peter Weller in particular does an amazing job bringing proportional weight to the voice of a largely figured Batman/Bruce Wayne. The cast of characters is very strong; especially with the second part bringing in some additional iconic characters as a surprise. The first half introduces a new villain and although some argue that it should have been a more recognizable character others would argue that the fresh face brought forth an element of unpredictability and was excitingly different and effective.The overarching topic of discussion within the movie's narrative is if the extreme cases that make a character like Batman a possibility justify the presence of said character or not. Is there a point where a vigilante can be, or should be, above the law or government? For the most part these films do a tremendous job of showing both sides of this argument, although it does lose something in its clear bias in favour of the hero's perspective throughout. From a personal perspective I view this film, both of its parts together, as the ultimate superhero movie despite its occasional faults. It isn't held back in what he can do and say because of its intended audience being adults, although I wish they had gone more in depth about the ideological debate and that it had not definitively chosen its side preemptively. I would recommend this film to anybody interested in superheroes that are old enough to withstand some of the more graphic scenes within.