Catangro
After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.
Billie Morin
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
Logan Dodd
There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.
Marva
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
SlyGuy21
I am stunned by how faithful this is to the graphic novel. Although I shouldn't say "faithful", more "respectful". Even though adaptations are totally able to make things different (see Nolan's "Batman Begins") the people involved in this movie went with just a straight-forward "book-to-film" format. And it's awesome! I knew what was going to happen in each scene because I read the graphic novel before-hand, and it was still incredible. I knew 99% of what was going to happen, and it was still incredible. I was able to almost directly quote character's lines of dialogue, and it was awesome! I don't give this any flack at all for staying so close to the source material because the source material is so incredible on it's own. In fact, it took me about as long to read the graphic novel as it did to watch the movie. And in this case, I would both read the book and watch the film. It is that well done! Could you imagine if they did this same thing with stories like "The Long Halloween" or "A Death in the Family" or "Hush"? Seriously, how have they not made an animated movie out of "Hush"?Bottom line, if you are a Batman fan, you owe it to yourself to watch this movie. It is one of the best adaptations I've ever seen!
Kevin Lea Davies
The origins of Batman. There have been several renditions over his from his more wholesome and humble beginnings in the 'Silver Age' of comics, to Christopher Nolan's epic film trilogy of a man driven mad by the death of his parents. Printed in 1987, Year One was artist and writer Frank Miller's take on Batman's beginnings and is considered by many the official cannon of Wayne's long endeavour against crime.DC Animation did a wonderful job approaching Miller's work, and remained very true to the original work. There is very little alteration in plot and theme, as it retains it gritty and dark narrative, about a city lost to crime and corruption, and the struggle of good men in a city where good men are considered weak. You are introduced to two main characters, Bruce Wayne and James Gordon. Both outsiders, and both willing to make a difference in their own way. The theme of this film is one of absolute resolve and strength in the face of adversity.Where this film really excels is within its voice acting. Most people will be able to place Bryan Cranston as Lieutenant Gordon. Gordon, arguably the main character of this story, begins as a man in penance. He enters the city by train, regretting his actions that got him transferred to the most dangerous city in America, apprehensive about the future for his wife and himself. All of this is portrayed through these subtle inflections of voice, and Cranston does a fantastic job of maintaining this quality throughout the film. Ben McKenzie as Bruce Wayne / Batman is excellent in his role, and separates himself from previous voice actors. He portrays a man of drive and unforgiving resolve, yet at times a man who is uncertain of himself. The acting is solid throughout, which is no small feat in animation as it depends completely on how the actors use their voice.Batman is a symbol to many, as a stand against crime, yet his beginnings were not always easy. His struggle is a very real and human one. In many ways, he represents the best of us, and an unwavering determination to do what is necessary in the face of evil. Year One is arguably the best animated adaptation of a comic book to date.8/10
zardoz-13
Frank Miller's 1987 graphic novel, adapted to video by co-helmers Sam Liu of "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" and "Superman/Batman: Apocalypse's" Lauren Montgomery, chronicles the rise of Bruce Wayne's as the Dark Knight after he returns home from aboard and Lieutenant Jim Gordon's arrival in Gotham City. They do a decent job, and the opening sequence when Bruce's jetliner descends through the clouds to Gotham City is cool. Comparatively, while Bruce flies in, Jim Gotham cruises in on a blue-collar bus. Basically, this amounts to 'Batman Before the Cape, the Cowl, and the Batmobile.' I can understand why Frank Miller complained about Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" because this one picks up after 25-year old Bruce Wayne came back from overseas. Meantime, we see most of everything from Jim Gordon's perspective. Actually, we see how Bruce Wayne went from a street vigilante with boot polish on his face to a fully tricked out crimefighter in a costume. We also see how he came up with the idea of using bats as a way to scare his adversaries. Mind you, this psychology was derived from the early Robert Kane & Bill Finger Batman when Bruce saw a bat flap into his room. Jim Gordon has a pretty tough time adapting to the corruption in Gotham City and has to contend with a wholly obnoxious partner, ex-Green Beret Arnold Flass, who carves himself a little bit of everything. He loves to beat up kids on the street, and other members of the Gotham Police Department demonstrate even less restraint. Police Commissioner Gillian Loeb is thoroughly corrupt, too. When Gordon assures Loeb that he doesn't have to worry about his honesty, Loeb replies that Gordon's honesty is the last thing on his mind. Perhaps the most interesting but least effective item here is Selina Kyle; she is an African-American who rooms with a younger prostitute. Naturally, she is surrounded by a horde of cats, and she tangles with Bruce Wayne in a street fight before he graduates to his persona as Batman. Jim Gordon comes off as a man with feet of clay. His wife Barbara is pregnant and Gordon gets himself involved romantically with a fellow policeman, Detective Sarah Essen, after he straightens out Flass. Flass and his buddies batter Gordon in the parking garage because he refuses to accept bribes. One other interesting scene occurs after Bruce Wayne swaps blows with Selina and Gotham P.D. careens up to break up the altercation. A cop named Eddie shoots and wounds Bruce. On their way to the lock-up, Bruce throttles the driver and their car crashes and he escapes. This is an interesting, fairly faithful version of Miller's graphic novel and it received a PG-13 rating for some unsavory stuff, including blood. Notably, "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston voiced Jim Gordon. The animation is serviceable. Ben McKenzie adds little the voice of Batman.
itamarscomix
Batman: Year One is a remarkably loyal, almost frame-for-frame adaptation of Frank Miller's revolutionary graphic novel of the same name. Admittedly, as a fan of the Batman comics and of Miller's distinctive style, I really enjoyed watching his frames come to life; and it's hard to dismiss the fact that Year One is one of the finest Batman stories ever written, and it deserves the wider recognition that an animated version may give it. Unfortunately, Year One doesn't come close to fulfilling its potential; the frames and dialog are lifted almost directly from the comic, but the pacing is poor which leads to an absence in tension and leaving the viewer completely outside the film. It doesn't help that Ben McKenzie may well be the worst Batman I've heard, reading the lines from the script as if he wants to get it over with as quickly as possible. Bryan Cranston almost saves the day in his amazing performance as James Gordon - and dear lord, how I'd love to see him play that part in a live action adaptation! - but it's not enough to make Year One anything more than an illustration of the novel, one that can never come close to matching its impact and would probably have a hard time finding an audience outside of devoted Batman fans.