Batman: Puppet Master is a Batman fan film set in the universe of The Dark Knight Trilogy. Set in-between The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, the video is intended to explain why Batman went into hiding after the end of the former, but the actual content of the video and a Sequel Hook at the end imply that it will actually be part of a series.
After Batman becomes a wanted criminal for the purported death of Harvey Dent, the FBI sends its greatest secret agent, Edward Nigma, to catch him. However, that isn't enough for Nigma; he wants to prove his greatness, and for him that means unmasking the Batman and revealing his secret identity. To do this, he works with the mob, led by a mysterious figure known only as "Scarface", and becomes increasingly obsessed with his prize...
Since its release (to tie in with the release of The Dark Knight Rises), the video has been praised by numerous bloggers and reviewers for its high production values and great storytelling.
Watch the video on its official site, here
. See also The Joker Blogs.
Provides examples of:
- Adaptational Dye-Job: Peyton Reed was blonde in the comics, but her actress is a redhead here.
- Adaptational Intelligence: Of a sort. In the comics, Peyton Riley became the second Ventriloquist because she went insane and believed the Scarface puppet started talking to her. Here, Riley believes that Scarface is an actual person that is only attending the meeting via phone call; upon meeting the puppet itself, she can only express disbelief at what he is before she's gunned down.
- Adaptational Job Change: This film shows Riddler to be an FBI agent, a job title that none of Nigma's previous incarnations have ever had.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: Arnold Wesker and Peyton Riley never knew each other in the comics, as Wesker had died after Peyton Riley succeeded him as the Ventriloquist. In this film, Peyton is shown working for Wesker (or rather, his Scarface persona) as a henchwoman. This also applies to Scarface himself, as Peyton herself is incredulous at the idea of what Scarface really is, while Scarface just sees her as a disposable henchwoman that's no longer relevant to his needs.
- Adaptational Skill: Just like in Batman: The Animated Series, Arnold Wesker can perform ventriloquism very well without any mouth mistakes.
- Adaptational Wimp: In the comics, Peyton Riley succeeds Arnold Wesker as the Ventriloquist, and worked with the likes of Killer Moth, Firefly and Lock-Up to attack The Penguin. Here, she's merely a henchman of Scarface's, who ultimately ends up perishing at his hands once he has no further use for her.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: At the end of the film, Scarface and Nigma reaffirm their plan for taking Gotham City and defeating Batman in the process.
- Comic-Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: Similar to Catwoman (Selina Kyle) from the films proper, neither "The Riddler" nor "The Ventriloquist" are used, only "Edward Nigma" and "Arnold Wesker". That said, the puppet Wesker uses is still referred to as Scarface, both by Nigma and Wesker himself.
- Demonic Dummy: Scarface. His puppet looks positively unhinged, and he has no issue with killing Peyton Riley, or even turning the gun on Wesker himself once he gets out of the box.
- Mythology Gag:
- Scarface's henchwoman is Peyton Riley, who was the second Ventriloquist in the comics during Wesker's Comic Book Death. Scarface even calls her "Sugar" before blowing her brains out.
- The briefcase that Scarface's goons pull out of lock-up is shown to have a signature from a certain Dr. Harleen Quinzel.
- Nigma mentions rival crime lords Galante and Sionis, aka Black Mask.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Scarface gives an epic one to Peyton Riley before taking her out:Scarface: What's that about leaving...sugar?
- Scary Black Man: One of Scarface's goons is a particularly large black man. It's possible he might be Rhino, one of the Ventriloquist's henchment from The Animated Series.
- Sequel Hook: The Riddler and Scarface/Ventriloquist make a deal to work together: Scarface gets the city while Riddler gets the Batman.
- Wham Shot: Scarface yells at his goons to get the case. Peyton looks at the phone only to find the phone he's supposedly talking from utterly smashed up, indicating that Scarface isn't just a mobster calling in remotely...
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Peyton's final moments in the film are her gaping at Scarface holding a gun at her with utter befuddlement. Too bad it turns out to be real.
