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** Also in the comic there were strong off handed comments that Bruno was a post op transvestite (though even then it could have just have been an insult from the store owner). Here there is no suggestion to even hint that she is anything but a woman.
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* JigglePhysics: Bruno
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* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Dr. Wolper full stop. Despite everything Joker says pretty much spouting "[[ObviouslyEvil I'm Evil]] and clear CrocodileTears, Wolper fully believes that Joker is the victim and Batman is the bad guy.
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* ArrowCatch: Superman catches the arrow that Green Arrow shoots at him during his showdown with Batman. Problem is, it's a [[KryptoniteFactor Kryptonite]] TrickArrow that proceeds to explode in his face.
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The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, Creator/ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
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The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') (''Franchise/RoboCop'') as Batman, Creator/ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
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** In the beginning when Bruce is on the racetrack, his racing helmet has a very [[RoboCop distinctively shaped visor,]] considering he is voiced by PeterWeller.
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** In the beginning when Bruce is on the racetrack, his racing helmet has a very [[RoboCop [[Franchise/RoboCop distinctively shaped visor,]] considering he is voiced by PeterWeller.
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* DarkerAndEdgier[=/=]LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the character of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
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* DarkerAndEdgier[=/=]LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some we have scenes (such such as taking out the mutant leader's rape threat, threat and the character of Brian Brassballs) are removed, Byron Brassballs limited, and others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are made more graphic.
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* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark or "...''him''".
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* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark Clark, school boy or "...''him''".
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* DontMakeMeDestroyYou: [[spoiler: Superman makes it clear from the start of their fight that he really doesn't want to fight, let alone kill Batman, and spends the entire fight practically begging him to stop and just give up.]]
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The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
to:
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter Creator/ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
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* BloodierAndGorier: Quite possibly the darkest and most violent DC Universe Animated Original Movie yet.
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* BloodierAndGorier: Quite possibly the darkest and most violent DC Universe Animated Original Movie yet.until ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueTheFlashpointParadox''.
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* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark or "...''him''".
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* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark or "...''him''".
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* DarkerAndEdgier\LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the character of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
to:
* DarkerAndEdgier\LighterAndSofter: DarkerAndEdgier[=/=]LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the character of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
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* GoodIsNotNice / GoodIsNotSoft: Par for the course for Batman, however it is highlighted particularly when he throws a batarrang directly into the Joker's eye, indicating that he's going to KickTheSonOfABitch. Naturally, Batman losing all restraint pleases the Joker.
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* GoodIsNotNice / GoodIsNotSoft: GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoft: Par for the course for Batman, however it is highlighted particularly when he throws a batarrang directly into the Joker's eye, indicating that he's going to KickTheSonOfABitch. Naturally, Batman losing all restraint pleases the Joker.
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* DarkerAndEdgier\LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the removal of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
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* DarkerAndEdgier\LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the removal character of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
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* DarkerAndEdgier
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* DarkerAndEdgierDarkerAndEdgier\LighterAndSofter: By distilling and expanding on the source material some scenes (such as the mutant leader's rape threat, the removal of Brian Brassballs) are removed, others like the Joker's massacre and Robin more directly killing are more graphic.
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** Joker kills Wolper by slitting his throat with a broken mug (as apposed to the neck snap in the comic), similar to how he killed one of Black Mask's body guards in ''BatmanUnderTheRedHood''.
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[[MovieMultipack The movie is split into two parts.]] Part 1 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtQVzJ3MEI trailer]]) was released Sept. 25. 2012. Part 2 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nD8S2pWexc trailer]]) then followed up on Jan. 29. 2013.
to:
[[MovieMultipack The movie is split into two parts.]] Part 1 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtQVzJ3MEI trailer]]) was released Sept. 25. 25, 2012. Part 2 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nD8S2pWexc trailer]]) then followed up on Jan. 29. 29, 2013. A deluxe edition with both parts is set for release on October 8th, 2013.
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No, it\'s just a case of two different works having two different casts.
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* TimeshiftedActor: Given the callbacks to ''Comicbook/BatmanYearOne'', much of the cast of this movie could be considered this trope to the cast of that movie, including...
** Batman going from Ben [=McKenzie=] to Creator/PeterWeller.
** Jim Gordon going from Bryan Cranston to David Selby.
** Alfred going from Creator/JeffBennett to Michael Jackson.
** Harvey Dent going from RobinAtkinDownes to Wade Williams.
** Selina Kyle going from ElizaDushku to TressMacNeille.
** Sarah Essen going from KateeSackhoff to (ironically) Music/GreyDeLisle.
** Batman going from Ben [=McKenzie=] to Creator/PeterWeller.
** Jim Gordon going from Bryan Cranston to David Selby.
** Alfred going from Creator/JeffBennett to Michael Jackson.
** Harvey Dent going from RobinAtkinDownes to Wade Williams.
** Selina Kyle going from ElizaDushku to TressMacNeille.
** Sarah Essen going from KateeSackhoff to (ironically) Music/GreyDeLisle.
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* TimeshiftedActor: Given the callbacks to ''Comicbook/BatmanYearOne'', much of the cast of this movie could be considered this trope to the cast of that movie, including...
** Batman going from Ben [=McKenzie=] to Creator/PeterWeller.
** Jim Gordon going from Bryan Cranston to David Selby.
** Alfred going from Creator/JeffBennett to Michael Jackson.
** Harvey Dent going from RobinAtkinDownes to Wade Williams.
** Selina Kyle going from ElizaDushku to TressMacNeille.
** Sarah Essen going from KateeSackhoff to (ironically) Music/GreyDeLisle.
** Batman going from Ben [=McKenzie=] to Creator/PeterWeller.
** Jim Gordon going from Bryan Cranston to David Selby.
** Alfred going from Creator/JeffBennett to Michael Jackson.
** Harvey Dent going from RobinAtkinDownes to Wade Williams.
** Selina Kyle going from ElizaDushku to TressMacNeille.
** Sarah Essen going from KateeSackhoff to (ironically) Music/GreyDeLisle.
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* SlasherSmile: Carrie gets one when she is ShootingSuperman with the [[TankGoodness Bat Tank]].
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** Carrie does this as well, but she fares a little better since she is using a tank.
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* AbnormalAmmo: Batman uses rubber bullets to incapacitate the Mutants at the dumb without killing them.
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* AbnormalAmmo: Batman uses rubber bullets to incapacitate the Mutants at the dumb dump without killing them.
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Adam Westing
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* AdamWesting: ConanOBrien as talk show host Dave Endochrine, [[spoiler:who, along with his audience, gets killed by the Joker.]]
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** In the beginning when Bruce is on the racetrack, his racing helmet has a very [[RoboCop distinctively shaped visor,]] considering he is voiced by PeterWeller.
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* GottaKillThemAll: The Joker's only goal once he escapes is to kill as many people as he possibly can before Batman stops him. He does this to torment Batman and try to get him to completely lose it and kill the Joker outright.
to:
* GottaKillThemAll: The Joker's only goal once he escapes is to kill as many people as he possibly can before Batman stops him. He does this to torment Batman and try to get him to completely lose it and kill the Joker outright.outright- and comes pretty damn close too.
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* ImprobableWeaponUser: In the final battle with Superman, Batman uses everything he can think of at his disposal, including a sonic pistol, Gotham's entire electricity output focussed into Batman's gauntlets, two massive wheels ripped from a steam roller, a wrecking ball, a concentrated acid spray in the eyes, a sticky bomb that can blow a decent sized crater in the ground, kryptonite gas, and finally Batman's own fists and boot heels.
to:
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In the final battle with Superman, Batman uses everything he can think of at his disposal, including a sonic pistol, Gotham's entire electricity output focussed focused into Batman's gauntlets, two massive wheels ripped from a steam roller, a wrecking ball, a concentrated acid spray in the eyes, a sticky bomb that can blow a decent sized crater in the ground, kryptonite gas, and finally Batman's own fists and boot heels.
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* NeckSnap: During their showdown, Batman snaps the Joker's neck just enough to paralyze him, and the Joker finishes the job himself.
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* AbnormalAmmo: Batman uses rubber bullets to incapacitate the Mutants at the dumb without killing them.
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* BloodierAndGorier: Quite possibly the darkest and most violent DC Universe Animated Original Movie yet.
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* EyeScream: As in the comics, Joker gets a batarang lodged in his right eye.
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** Subverted in the final fight with Superman in the second film. Supes could have ended the fight before it even started if he'd had no scruples about killing Batman as quickly as possible. Superman regarding Bruce as a friend, having a no-kill rule, and being somewhat weakened by other events turned the fight into fairly evenly matched PummelDuel.
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** Subverted in the final fight with Superman in the second film. Supes could have ended the fight before it even started if he'd had no scruples about killing Batman as quickly as possible. Superman regarding Bruce as a friend, having a no-kill rule, and being somewhat weakened by other events turned the fight into a fairly evenly matched PummelDuel.
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A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
to:
A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, Kelley, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
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* ActionGirl: Carrie Kelly, a 13 year old girl who decides to fight gang members and psychopaths as Robin.
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* ActionGirl: Carrie Kelly, Kelley, a 13 year old girl who decides to fight gang members and psychopaths as Robin.
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* {{Ascended Fan|boy}}girl: Carrie Kelly, who dresses up as Robin and tries to fight crime on her own, only to become Bruce's real sidekick.
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* {{Ascended Fan|boy}}girl: Carrie Kelly, Kelley, who dresses up as Robin and tries to fight crime on her own, only to become Bruce's real sidekick.
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** Batman cares for Carrie Kelly rather like a surrogate daughter, holding and comforting her after she nearly falls to her death.
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** Batman cares for Carrie Kelly Kelley rather like a surrogate daughter, holding and comforting her after she nearly falls to her death.
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* HatesEveryoneEqually: Bruce is a total misanthrope towards nearly everyone, save for Alfred, Carrie Kelly and Selina Kyle. Even Jim Gordon informs Ellen Yindel after his retirement that he and Bruce no longer talk.
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* HatesEveryoneEqually: Bruce is a total misanthrope towards nearly everyone, save for Alfred, Carrie Kelly Kelley and Selina Kyle. Even Jim Gordon informs Ellen Yindel after his retirement that he and Bruce no longer talk.
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* HugeGuyTinyGirl: The hulking Bruce Wayne as Batman and the tiny Carrie Kelly as the new Robin.
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* HugeGuyTinyGirl: The hulking Bruce Wayne as Batman and the tiny Carrie Kelly Kelley as the new Robin.
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* IdenticalStranger: Ellen Yindel, Gordon's replacement, looks like an older Carrie Kelly.
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* IdenticalStranger: Ellen Yindel, Gordon's replacement, looks like an older Carrie Kelly.Kelley.
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* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: When Carrie Kelly first puts on the Robin Costume in her room, we see a costume store bag on the floor, explaining where she got the outfit, and numerous medals and trophies from gymnastics competitions, explaining her abilities.
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* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: When Carrie Kelly Kelley first puts on the Robin Costume in her room, we see a costume store bag on the floor, explaining where she got the outfit, and numerous medals and trophies from gymnastics competitions, explaining her abilities.
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* NewAgeRetroHippie: Carrie Kelly's parents, while not seen, sure sound this way every time they talk.
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* NewAgeRetroHippie: Carrie Kelly's Kelley's parents, while not seen, sure sound this way every time they talk.
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* StonersAreFunny: Carrie Kelly's parents.
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* StonersAreFunny: Carrie Kelly's Kelley's parents.
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** [[InvisibleParents Carrie Kelly's stoner parents are heard, but never seen]].
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** [[InvisibleParents Carrie Kelly's Kelley's stoner parents are heard, but never seen]].
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* OrangeAndBlueContrast: The cover for the part 1 DVD is blue, while the cover for part 2 is orange.
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* OrangeAndBlueContrast: OrangeBlueContrast: The cover for the part 1 DVD is blue, while the cover for part 2 is orange.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tdkr_269.png]]
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tdkr_269.png]]
org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Dark_Knight_Returns_DCUAOM_4604.jpg]]
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A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[TheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
to:
A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[TheDarkKnightReturns [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the[[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the
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** Some of the harsher language and more disturbing scenes from the comic are either removed completely or toned down e.g. in Part 2, [[spoiler: the cotton candy stand is shown at the fair with the Joker handing it out to a bunch of boy scouts shortly before Batman arrives.]] However, [[TheDarkKnightReturns in the comic]], [[spoiler:it turns out that it was poisoned. Carrie is traumatized when she finds the bodies of the kids.]] This didn't get shown in this version.
to:
** Some of the harsher language and more disturbing scenes from the comic are either removed completely or toned down e.g. in Part 2, [[spoiler: the cotton candy stand is shown at the fair with the Joker handing it out to a bunch of boy scouts shortly before Batman arrives.]] However, [[TheDarkKnightReturns [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns in the comic]], [[spoiler:it turns out that it was poisoned. Carrie is traumatized when she finds the bodies of the kids.]] This didn't get shown in this version.
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* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, as in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns comic]].
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* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, as in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns [[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns comic]].
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The DVD cases say Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and western-animated films go under Western Animation
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tdkr_269.png]]
->''"You try to hold me back, but you're weak... you know it in your soul... you're nothing but a hollow shell... a rusty trap... the time has come."''
-->'''--The Batman'''
A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[TheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
[[MovieMultipack The movie is split into two parts.]] Part 1 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtQVzJ3MEI trailer]]) was released Sept. 25. 2012. Part 2 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nD8S2pWexc trailer]]) then followed up on Jan. 29. 2013.
----
!!Tropes demonstrated in this film include:
* ActionGirl: Carrie Kelly, a 13 year old girl who decides to fight gang members and psychopaths as Robin.
* AdaptationalBadass: The film version of Carrie is proficient in acrobatics even before teaming up with Batman. She even attempts an EyeScream on the Mutant leader.
* AdaptationDistillation:
** Some of the harsher language and more disturbing scenes from the comic are either removed completely or toned down e.g. in Part 2, [[spoiler: the cotton candy stand is shown at the fair with the Joker handing it out to a bunch of boy scouts shortly before Batman arrives.]] However, [[TheDarkKnightReturns in the comic]], [[spoiler:it turns out that it was poisoned. Carrie is traumatized when she finds the bodies of the kids.]] This didn't get shown in this version.
** Batman's internal PrivateEyeMonologue is removed.
** The Joker has no involvement in Two-Face's scheme and remains comatose until after the Mutant Leader's defeat.
** Some characters, like Louis Gallagher of the Press Department of the G.C.P.D. and politician contact with the city hall of Gotham City, do not appear in the film. Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer does not appear in the David Endochrine's show but is mentioned.
** The homoerotic undertones of Joker's fixation on Batman are still present but reduced considerably.
* AdaptationExpansion:
** Batman's climactic fight with Superman in Part 2 is much longer and more epic than in the comic book.
** The Joker's rampage is also given a bit more detail.
** The deaths of Gotham's mayor, Dr. Wolper, and TV host David Endochrine are changed to be more graphic than in the comic.
* TheAgeless: Like in the comic Superman, due to his Kryptonian heritage.
* TheAlcoholic: Bruce becomes one during his retirement, [[DrowningMySorrows in order to stay retired]]. He stops drinking the moment he becomes Batman again.
* AntiHero:
** Unlike the comic where Batman is an UnscrupulousHero, he is much closer to a PragmaticHero in the film, spending less time enjoying the carnage he unleashes on criminals.
** The Sons Of Batman are {{Nominal Hero}}es like in the comic, though.
* AntiVillain[=/=]HeroAntagonist: The main role of Superman in this film.
* ArtEvolution: The drawing in the film is a little closer to the other DC animated universe adaptations while retaining some of Frank Miller's style, and leaves out the scratchiness of the original comic's artwork.
* {{Ascended Fan|boy}}girl: Carrie Kelly, who dresses up as Robin and tries to fight crime on her own, only to become Bruce's real sidekick.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The Mutant Leader is feared and respected by his army because he is the strongest among them. Likewise, Batman inadvertently gains authority over the Mutants by defeating him.
* AttemptedRape: The first crime stopped by Batman after his return.
* BadassGrandpa:
** Batman, who's now in his late 50s.
** Commissioner Gordon, who's turning ''70'', and takes down a much younger Mutant who had the drop on him with a machine gun.
** Alfred must be in his mid-to-late ''80's'', yet he's ''still'' carrying on his butlering duties, and performing life-saving surgery on his boss when the need arises.
** Ollie Queen, AKA Green Arrow, is presumably at least the same age as Batman and is missing an arm but still kicks ass.
** Superman is also around the same age as Batman, despite not looking it, and is still as powerful as ever... [[spoiler: until he takes a nuke to the face...]]
** And less sympathetically, the Joker too.
--> You have gotten old!
* TheBadGuyWins: Joker's final scheme was successful because he finally made Batman lose control and break his one rule and his death means that the cops would hound him and eventually try to kill him. Either way Joker wins.
--> I made you lose control...
* BaldWomen: All of the female Mutant members.
* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: Batman disarms a Mutant holding a hostage by shooting the gun out of her hand with a machine gun, [[ImpaledPalm damaging her hand]] in the process. (This "fixes" the sequence in the comic where it looks like Batman shot her dead even though his ThouShallNotKill rule is later invoked several times.)
* BombDisposal: Batman has mere seconds to disarm a bomb planted by Two-Face, but instead of a WireDilemma he merely destroys the timing circuitry by spraying it with liquid nitrogen.
* {{Bowdlerization}}:
** The adaptation removes or changes some of the most offensive lines from the original; for instance, the black man interviewed in one of the NewsMonopoly {{Montage}}s talking approvingly about how Batman was kicking butts the cops wouldn't? In the original, he was hoping that Batman would go after the "homos" next, not his landlord.
** They also cut out the deaths of the kids eating the poisoned cotton candy.
* BreakOutTheMuseumPiece: The 10+ year old Bat tank.
-->'''Batman''': Still purrs... like it was yesterday.
* CallBack:
** Gordon's comment about how Bruce used to sip ginger-ale while making everyone else think it was champagne "in the old days" is a reference back to the first time they met in ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''.
** In Jim Gordon's house, there's a wall photo that depicts him and his family as they looked in the animated adaptation of ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''. Since the previous film was also done by the same production company, it's an acknowledgement of continuity between both animated films.
* TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive: The [[BatOutOfHell demonic bat vision]] which continually haunts Bruce, until [[JumpedAtTheCall he can't take it anymore]].
* CastingGag: Late night talk show host ConanOBrien voices late night talk show host [[DavidLetterman David Endochrine]].
* TheCavalry: Batman rides in on horseback with his army of followers to stop a pitched battle between the people of Gotham and a gang of escaped criminals in order to keep order in the city. {{Justified}} because of the {{EMP}} blackout from an airburst nuke that shut down everything, including vehicles.
* ChallengingTheChief: Exploited by Batman to [[LosingTheTeamSpirit break the Mutant Gang's spirit]] by [[CombatByChampion destroying the Mutant Leader in front of them]]. Unfortunately, a segment of the Mutants start emulating him after this and become the [[SociopathicHero sociopathic]] "Sons of the Batman".
* CloseOnTitle
* ColorCodedSecretIdentity: At the start of the film, Bruce's racing car is all black, as is his racing jumpsuit. In a [[FreezeFrameBonus blink-and-you'll-miss-it]] moment, you can also see that Bruce's crash helmet has horns like a certain cowl he used to wear.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: News anchor Lola Wong makes a flippant comment that she doesn't know what to wear, due to the ''nuclear winter'' covering north america after the Soviets released airburst nukes.
* CrapsackWorld: At the beginning of the film, Gotham has slowly become this since Batman's original retirement. Crime is out of control. In addition to the normal thieves, rapists and murderers having relatively free reign due to a now impotent police force, the new Mutant gang is murdering men, women and children ForTheEvulz with the intent to take over the city and impose their own [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans violent, blood-soaked despotic rule]]. Everyone else lives in fear for their lives. Finally, Bruce [[JumpedAtTheCall can take it no longer]] and decides that Gotham will get better because [[DarkMessiah he will force it to.]]
* CreateYourOwnVillain: {{Invoked}} by Wolper concerning ''all'' of Batman's rogues. Apparently his mere presence propagates a social disease that creates costumed psychopaths.
* CurbStompBattle:
** The Mutant Leader delivers one to Batman in their first confrontation. Batman tried to match strength with strength and failed to even put a dent in the leader while nearly being killed himself.
** Subverted in the final fight with Superman in the second film. Supes could have ended the fight before it even started if he'd had no scruples about killing Batman as quickly as possible. Superman regarding Bruce as a friend, having a no-kill rule, and being somewhat weakened by other events turned the fight into fairly evenly matched PummelDuel.
* CyberPunkIsTechno: The score mixes the styles of gritty 80's action movies like TheExterminator and Hans Zimmer's ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'' score. And it is [[AwesomeMusic glorious]].
* DarkerAndEdgier
* DeadpanSnarker: Even in old age, Alfred's still got it.
-->'''Alfred:''' If it's [[DeathSeeker suicide you're after]], I have an old family recipe. It's slow and painful. You'd like it.
* DeathByIrony: Dr. Wolper, the most vocal person against Batman and driven to prove that it is actually Batman's actions that cause the problem, is killed by Joker who was supposed to be his evidences. Also was killed by having his throat slit by a coffee mug, rendering him unable to talk.
* DefiantToTheEnd: Superman practically begs Batman to stop fighting because he doesn't want to kill him. Batman responds by mocking Superman for the entire fight.
* DePower: The attempted nuking of Corto Maltese, the resulting nuclear winter (and a kryptonite arrow) bring Superman down to a level that Batman can defeat just long enough for him to gloat [[spoiler:before having a heart attack and dying. Or did he?]]
* DiesWideOpen: The Joker goes out this way, laughing until the end.
* TheDreaded:
** As he used to do in his GloryDays, a big strategy that Batman employs for his return is to terrify criminals and Mutants who have so far been enjoying a free reign of mayhem in Gotham.
** Selina Kyle is genuinely terrified when she sees the Joker.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Carrie poses as a Mutant in order to gather the gang at the location of the second fight between Batman and the Mutant leader.
* DrivenToSuicide:
** The General that sold the Mutants military grade weapons shoots himself after Batman confronts him for it.
** Two-Face tries to blow himself up with the two biggest skyscrapers in Gotham after being consumed by his dark half.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Carrie gets brushed off by the people she saved from an attempted mugging.
* DumbMuscle:
** Batman accuses the Mutant Leader of being one.
-->'''Batman:''' We're all slow when we're thigh deep in mud... and you're not too bright.
** {{Invoked}} by Batman about Superman, calling him out for being little more than a stooge doing the muscle work for the government.
* TheEndIsNigh: Bruce walks by two men holding these signs early in the film.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Alfred accepts his stroke that way after blowing up Wayne Manor.]]
* FakingTheDead
* FemmeFatalons: When the Joker's helper has Robin pinned down, she uses her nails to claw his face.
* FightingYourFriend: Superman really doesn't want to fight Batman because he knows how ridiculously mismatched they are and doesn't want Bruce to die. Bruce knows too, and just doesn't care.
* ForTheEvulz:
** The Mutant Leader rips the mayor's throat out with his teeth because he can.
** This is the motivation for the entire Mutant gang. They loot and kill because to them, it's ''fun''.
* FriendToAllChildren:
** Batman still has this trait to him. Despite the child screaming and about to be killed by Mutants, once in Batman's arms he went quietly to sleep.
** Batman cares for Carrie Kelly rather like a surrogate daughter, holding and comforting her after she nearly falls to her death.
* FromBadToWorse:
** In the final scene of ''Part 1'', the Joker wakes up from his decade-long coma.
-->'''Joker''': Bbb... Bb... Batman... ''darling''!
** In ''Part 2'', Batman is on the run after defeating the Joker, and then a flight of Soviet airburst nukes [[{{EMP}} shut down all electrical power]] in the country and chaos ensues. {{Subverted}} in Gotham where Batman unites the gangs into a police force to maintain order during the crisis.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Carrie's [[ParentalObliviousness stoned parents]] talking in the background. The best exchange occurs while they're watching a news report about Gordon surviving an assassination attempt by shooting his assailant.
-->'''Dad''': What a downer. Seventeen years old.
-->'''Mom''': Macho cops. Just like Chicago. Remember Chicago?
-->'''Dad''': Not really. [[StonersAreFunny I was tripping the whole time.]]
* FunTShirt:
** Dr. Wolper can be seen in a Superman shirt, and later an anti-Batman shirt.
** Trish from the News wears a shirt that says "[[MyBreastsAreDownHere All This And Brains Too]]".
** Two Mutants wear shirts saying "my name is ROB" and "my name is DON".
* FutureSlang: The Mutants' slang, mixed with a bit of HulkSpeak.
-->'''Rob''': You see, Don? Batman nasty. Leader’s bagging.
-->'''Don''': Leader billy berserk, Rob. He peg Batman, you see.
* GeniusBruiser: Batman, who uses both strength and smarts to finally take down the younger and fitter Mutant Leader.
* GoodIsNotNice / GoodIsNotSoft: Par for the course for Batman, however it is highlighted particularly when he throws a batarrang directly into the Joker's eye, indicating that he's going to KickTheSonOfABitch. Naturally, Batman losing all restraint pleases the Joker.
-->'''Joker''': Are you out of your mind!?
-->'''Batman''': I'm through ''playing'', Joker!
-->'''Joker''': Be still, my heart.
* GoThroughMe:
** {{Inverted}} when the Joker [[ProtectedByAChild takes a kid hostage.]]
-->'''Kid''': You're the Joker, right? Batman's gonna kick your ass!
-->'''Joker''': He's gonna have to [[HumanShield go through]] ''you'' first!
* GoryDiscretionShot: Semi-Averted. Joker's helper is still seen getting his head chewed up by the roller coaster gears, but his girth hides the actual damage inflicted. All we see is his blood and Carrie's horrified expression.
* GottaKillThemAll: The Joker's only goal once he escapes is to kill as many people as he possibly can before Batman stops him. He does this to torment Batman and try to get him to completely lose it and kill the Joker outright.
* GrandfatherClause: Batman using regular hook-and-lines on a few occasions instead of his GrapplingHookPistol, in order to preserve memorable scenes from the pre-GrapplingHookPistol era comic.
* GreenEyedMonster: The reason the government wants Batman dead, because he is able to keep order where they can't.
* GunsAreWorthless: As in the comic, Batman says this to the vigilantes who have joined his cause and promises to teach them to use his weapons and methods instead.
* HandicappedBadass: Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow, missing his left arm and still probably the best shot in the world.
* HatesEveryoneEqually: Bruce is a total misanthrope towards nearly everyone, save for Alfred, Carrie Kelly and Selina Kyle. Even Jim Gordon informs Ellen Yindel after his retirement that he and Bruce no longer talk.
-->'''Gordon:''' Were you a friend?
-->'''Clark:''' I think so. I honestly couldn't say.
-->'''Gordon:''' Sounds about right.
* HonorBeforeReason: Batman abandons the safety of his tank to fight the mutant leader directly, as in the comic. He justifies it to Alfred, saying that he needs to do it in order to ''know'' that he's still the goddamned Batman.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: The hulking Bruce Wayne as Batman and the tiny Carrie Kelly as the new Robin.
* HulkSpeak: Many of the Mutants, particularly the Mutant Leader.
-->'''Leader:''' I call you coward!
* HypocriticalHumor: One of the people being interviewed about crime in Gotham goes about on a long speech of how they should use a diplomatic approach and reeducate the Mutants back into society. He then immediately adds that he would never live in the city.
* IAmAHumanitarian: The Mutant Leader regularly makes speeches on how he'll eat his victims, and later rips out the mayor's throat with his bare teeth.
* IAmTheNoun: {{Invoked}}. When all electricity in Gotham gets shut down and there is chaos in the streets, Batman IS the law.
* IdenticalStranger: Ellen Yindel, Gordon's replacement, looks like an older Carrie Kelly.
* IGotYouCovered: Oliver Queen and his kryptonite arrow turn the tide for Batman in the final battle.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In the final battle with Superman, Batman uses everything he can think of at his disposal, including a sonic pistol, Gotham's entire electricity output focussed into Batman's gauntlets, two massive wheels ripped from a steam roller, a wrecking ball, a concentrated acid spray in the eyes, a sticky bomb that can blow a decent sized crater in the ground, kryptonite gas, and finally Batman's own fists and boot heels.
* InformedDeformity: After the surgery that fixes him, Harvey actually believes that he's completely deformed on both sides of his face.
* InspectorJavert: Commissioner Ellen Yindel.
* IWasQuiteALooker: Selina. Where we all can recall her from [[http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2011/10/screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-4.30.05-pm.jpg Year One]]. Best summed up by the Joker.
-->[[LampshadeHanging "The years have not been kind to you."]]
* KnightInSourArmor:
** Commissioner Gordon. Every time he questions whether he is doing the right thing, he reminds himself that he is doing it to keep his wife safe.
** Ellen Yindel eventually becomes one when Gotham is nearly reduced to a WorldGoneMad from an {{EMP}} blackout with mass looting and violence, and she sees firsthand how much of a force for good Batman really is.
* LanternJawOfJustice:
** Unlike his comic counterpart, Bruce has an enormous one.
** Superman also has his trademark chin.
* LargeHam: The Mutant Leader.
-->'''Leader''': I KILL YOU! I [[PunctuatedForEmphasis EAT! YOUR! HEART]]!
* LawfulStupid:
** Every authority figure trying to maintain law and order except for Batman and Gordon. Even ''Superman'' of all people.
** The new police commissioner Ellen Yindel starts out this way, choosing the InspectorJavert stance with regards to Batman's activities. Once she sees him making a real positive difference by keeping order in Gotham during an {{EMP}} induced blackout, Yindel gives up pursuing him and becomes a KnightInSourArmor like Gordon before her, accepting that the Dark Knight is "too big" to judge.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Joker's only reaction, after getting hit in the [[EyeScream eye]] with a batarang, is to ask if Batman is out of his mind.
* ManBitesMan: The Mutant Leader sinks his teeth into Batman's shoulder in their first fight, and rips out the Mayor's throat with his bare teeth later.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Joker has Wolper completely wrapped around his little finger.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: When Carrie Kelly first puts on the Robin Costume in her room, we see a costume store bag on the floor, explaining where she got the outfit, and numerous medals and trophies from gymnastics competitions, explaining her abilities.
* MovieMultipack: Is divided into ''Part 1'' and ''Part 2''.
* MuggingTheMonster:
** Early on, a couple of Mutant gang members try this on Bruce. They leave without attacking because "he's into it".
** In Part 2, Bruno tries ShootingSuperman.
* MutualDisadvantage: In Batman's final fight with Superman, both are suffering from their own disadvantages; Superman is weakened from taking a nuclear blast to the face, along with the lack of sunlight from the fallout, and Batman is 50 years old using PoweredArmor that while able to lift and swing around dozens of tons of weight, is still not enough to do any lasting damage to Supes.
* MythologyGag:
** The rookie cop catch a glimpse of Batman and said "Did you see that?". A line first spoken (also by a cop) in the beginning of "On Leather Wings", the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', and the first entry of the DCAnimatedUniverse.
** The rookie's eldest partner has a sort of Irish accent, like [[Series/{{Batman}} Chief O'Hara]].
* NewAgeRetroHippie: Carrie Kelly's parents, while not seen, sure sound this way every time they talk.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The police are camped on the roof of the building hosting the Dave Endochrine show in order to capture the Joker if he tries anything. Batman goes to the building also with the intent of stopping the Joker. After gassing 206 people, the Joker escapes because both Batman and the police become occupied with fighting each other on the roof.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Like in the comic, the President (while not named) is for all intents and purposes, RonaldReagan.
* NoodleIncident: Oliver Queen lost his left arm in unspecified circumstances, but he strongly implies that Superman tore it off because he [[ItsPersonal wants some payback]] against the "schoolboy".
* NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: Batman suggests that Superman is the most powerful and irreplacable weapon that the US Government has (and the only person who is really capable of stopping Batman), which is why Batman puts so much significance on defeating him.
-->'''Superman''': If it isn't me it will just be someone else.
-->'''Batman''': Really? Who do they send after you?
* NotSoInvincibleAfterAll: Batman proves this about Superman in the opening stages of their battle by making the Man of Steel ''[[FauxSymbolism bleed.]]''
* OhCrap: Carrie has a a couple of these
** When Bruno spots her and starts shooting at her.
** When she catches that Superman [[spoiler:knows Bruce is still alive]].
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: Batman vs. the Mutant Leader.
* OneManArmy: Superman's fight against the Soviet forces attacking Corto Maltese really drives this home.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark or "...''him''".
* OnlySixFaces: The Mutants have a lot of members that look very similar to each other. All of the Female Mutant members look and dress exactly the same, even when Carrie was disguised as one.
* OrangeAndBlueContrast: The cover for the part 1 DVD is blue, while the cover for part 2 is orange.
* ParentalNeglect: Carrie's parents are this. It is quite obvious they are too high to care what their daughter is up to. In fact they aren't even mentioned again after she becomes Robin. It is all but stated that Bruce took her in. A scene cut from the comics shows one even asking "didn't we have a kid?", suggesting they were not even aware that she existed.
* PerilousOldFool: Alfred accuses Bruce of being one.
* PragmaticAdaptation: Batman's PrivateEyeMonologue is removed, with some of the more important or famous lines shifted into actual dialogue, and multiple scenes are reworked or relocated to help each film have a ThreeActStructure.
* ProductionForeshadowing: An animated version of Batman fighting the Mutant Gang in the city dump was featured in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''' episode ''[[RashomonStyle Legends of the Dark Knight]]'', 14 years before members of the same team went on to produce these films.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: ''"I EAT! YOUR! HEART!"''
* PsychoStrings: [[FromBadToWorse When Joker wakes up]].
* PyrrhicVictory: Bruce realises this is the only victory he can achieve against Superman.
* RealityEnsues: When Bruce takes up the mantle of Batman once again, ten years of retirement shows its effect on him when he can barely pull himself up a rope and his joints start to ache.
* RecklessGunUsage: The Joker shoots in ''all'' directions while Batman chases him. If he aims at all, it's to hit as many people as possible before he runs out of bullets.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Mutant Leader has glowing red eyes.
* RobotKid: "Bobby" and "Mary", the flying, Joker venom-spewing, doll-shaped timebombs seem to have personalities of their own.
* RoofHopping: Carrie's self-imposed training regimen so that she can become an effective Robin.
-->'''Carrie:''' Didn't suck!
* SequelHook: [[FromBadToWorse Joker wakes up]].
* ShesGotLegs: Carrie, whose outfit and fighting style really shows off her legs.
* ShockAndAwe: In the climactic fight, Batman opens by electrocuting Superman with a gauntlet wired to Gotham's entire electrical grid.
* ShootingSuperman: "Bruno" tries it, with predictable results.
* ShoutOut:
** There are four comics on the stand in the convenience store where Gordon shoots the 17-year old Mutant: ''ComicBook/SwampThing'', ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', and ''ComicBook/VForVendetta''.
** The Tim Burton Batmobile from ''Film/{{Batman}}'' makes a cameo as a weight Bruce uses to test his suit of PoweredArmor out on.
** Also there are some comics in the comic stand like the ''JusticeLeagueOfAmerica''.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer, only because she doesn't appear in the David Endochrine's show along with Joker.
* SplitPersonalityTakeover: Played with.
** Two-Face appears to have been taken over by his "dark side", only to have a [[DeathSeeker death wish]] because of it.
** Bruce Wayne meanwhile swears off crime fighting following [[DeadSidekick Jason Todd's death]], only to become so disgusted with the world a decade later that he's consumed by his Batman persona again.
* StealthPun: Oliver shoots a glowing Green Arrow.
* StrawmanPolitical:
** Nearly all of the anti-Batman TalkingHeads are portrayed as [[IdiotBall fools]] like Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, {{Troll}}s who just rave Batman is a facist stomping civil rights, or {{Hypocrite}}s with no real plans of their own to deal with Gotham's rising crime rates.
** One of the people being interviewed gives a long speech about how we should strive to reintegrate criminals, and not revel in their misery, before scoffing that [[{{Hypocrite}} he would never live in the city]].
* StickySituation: Batman throws a pellet filled with an expanding, sticky substance straight into the Mutant Leader's face at the end of their first fight.
* StonersAreFunny: Carrie Kelly's parents.
* SuicideMission: Bruce sees his final fight with Superman as this, [[spoiler: so he makes it a SuicideMission on [[FakingTheDead his own terms]]]].
-->'''Bruce:''' He'll still be weak, between the nuke and so little sunlight. Just how weak, we'll see when he finds my first surprise.
-->'''Carrie:''' Yeah but, how long do you expect to last against... him?
-->'''Bruce:''' Long enough.
-->'''Carrie:''' Boss... I'm trying to get the plan here. I mean, you gonna die tonight or what?
-->'''Bruce:''' Figure I will.
* TheTag: In the final scene of ''Part 1'', TheJoker [[FromBadToWorse wakes up]].
* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, as in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns comic]].
* TakeThat: The Million Mom's coalition protesting Batman is a jab at [[MoralGuardians One Million Moms]].
* ThanatosGambit: Happens twice from two different characters. The first time is played utterly straight while the second time is decidedly less so
* TherapyBackfire:
** Dr. Wolper. His "help" drove Dent to be consumed by his dark side.
** And gets him gruesomely killed by the Joker.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Near the beginning of Part 1, Bruce gives one to himself in the only preserved piece of internal monologue from the comic where he accuses himself of being pathetic, hollow and incomplete unless he embraces the bat once again.
** Practically everything Batman says to Superman in their final fight.
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Rob and Don
* ThreeActStructure: The structure of ''Part 1'', with each act being separated by Bruce having a new confrontation with his vision of a [[BatOutOfHell demonic bat]].
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Carrie and her friend Michelle.
* TwoDecadesBehind: The movie retains the comic book's TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture of TheEighties setting, despite being made [[TheNewTens 30 years later]].
* UngratefulBastard: Despite Batman's actions against the Mutants, many Gotham residents keep on saying that he's a nuisance or worse.
* {{Understatement}}: The President describes the Soviets as "mighty sore losers" when they launch a nuclear strike against the United States.
* VampiricDraining: Superman is severely weakened to the point of near-death by a nuclear blast. He crashes onto an island with a raging storm from the nuclear fireball above blocking out the sunlight which heals him and gives him his strength. He grabs a flower and literally drains the solar energy stored in the surrounding plants and trees, causing them to wither and die.
* TheVoice:
** [[InvisibleParents Carrie Kelly's stoner parents are heard, but never seen]].
** The woman talking to Bruce on the radio in the opening race is never seen either. In the comics is Carol Ferris, [[Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]]'s fiancée.
* WalkingShirtlessScene:
** [[FanDisservice The Mutant Leader]].
** A rare female one with Bruno with only swastikas painted over her breasts.
* WeWinBecauseYouDidnt: Batman's strategy with Superman is to beat him as soundly as possible using every trick he has, and then [[spoiler:die]] so that Superman can never turn the tables and win (as he inevitably would).
* WhamLine: At the end of ''Part 1''.
-->'''The Joker''': [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCyXZYfCmJw Bbb... Bb... Batman... darling!]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Ellen Yindel disappears after Batman retakes Gotham during the blackout. Her last appearance is a blink and you miss it where she is at [[spoiler: Bruce's funeral]].
* WouldHitAGirl:
** Batman hits one female Mutant in the face with the end of a rifle, and shoots dozens more with rubber bullets from inside his Bat Tank. In the second part, he also hits Bruno and Ellen Yindel.
** SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker also hits -and kills- several women in the second part.
* WouldHurtAChild: Joker, as he happily gives out poison cotton candy to children.
* WouldntHurtAChild: One of the few things the Mutants didn't do... [[MoralEventHorizon until recently]].
* WrongGenreSavvy: This is Dr. Wolper's character. Everything out of his mouth is just out there, with one of his statements being he thinks Batman is the sociopath and Joker is just a victim. Saying how wrong he is would just be an Understatement.
-->'''Lana''': That's the biggest bunch of bull I have ever heard.
-----
->''"You try to hold me back, but you're weak... you know it in your soul... you're nothing but a hollow shell... a rusty trap... the time has come."''
-->'''--The Batman'''
A film in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, based on [[TheDarkKnightReturns the comic of the same name]]. Batman has been retired for ten years, alcoholic and consumed with grief after the death of Jason Todd. Comicbook/{{Superman}}, still as young and handsome as ever, has become little more than an icon, answering to the government and trying to stay as neutral as possible. Commissioner Gordon is weeks away from retirement, SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker has been silently locked away in Arkham for years, and Two-Face is about to be released back into the world with a brand new skin. In Batman's absence, and in the midst of a killer heat wave, Gotham City is overrun with crime, plagued by a monstrously violent gang known as The Mutants. After encountering a Mutant gang in the alley where his parents were murdered, Bruce Wayne resurrects Batman, aided in his renewed crusade by Carrie Kelly, a 13-year-old girl who becomes the new Robin. Defeating the Mutants, though, turns out to be child's play compared to what Batman faces next...
The cast of voice actors includes PeterWeller (''RoboCop'') as Batman, ArielWinter (''ModernFamily'') as Carrie Kelley, Wade Williams (''PrisonBreak'') as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, David Selby (''Series/DarkShadows'') as Commissioner Gordon, Michael [=McKean=] (''LaverneAndShirley'') as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, MichaelEmerson (''Series/{{Lost}}'') as TheJoker, and Mark Valley (''Series/HumanTarget'') as Superman. Many of the tropes in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns original comic]] apply to the film.
[[MovieMultipack The movie is split into two parts.]] Part 1 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtQVzJ3MEI trailer]]) was released Sept. 25. 2012. Part 2 ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nD8S2pWexc trailer]]) then followed up on Jan. 29. 2013.
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!!Tropes demonstrated in this film include:
* ActionGirl: Carrie Kelly, a 13 year old girl who decides to fight gang members and psychopaths as Robin.
* AdaptationalBadass: The film version of Carrie is proficient in acrobatics even before teaming up with Batman. She even attempts an EyeScream on the Mutant leader.
* AdaptationDistillation:
** Some of the harsher language and more disturbing scenes from the comic are either removed completely or toned down e.g. in Part 2, [[spoiler: the cotton candy stand is shown at the fair with the Joker handing it out to a bunch of boy scouts shortly before Batman arrives.]] However, [[TheDarkKnightReturns in the comic]], [[spoiler:it turns out that it was poisoned. Carrie is traumatized when she finds the bodies of the kids.]] This didn't get shown in this version.
** Batman's internal PrivateEyeMonologue is removed.
** The Joker has no involvement in Two-Face's scheme and remains comatose until after the Mutant Leader's defeat.
** Some characters, like Louis Gallagher of the Press Department of the G.C.P.D. and politician contact with the city hall of Gotham City, do not appear in the film. Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer does not appear in the David Endochrine's show but is mentioned.
** The homoerotic undertones of Joker's fixation on Batman are still present but reduced considerably.
* AdaptationExpansion:
** Batman's climactic fight with Superman in Part 2 is much longer and more epic than in the comic book.
** The Joker's rampage is also given a bit more detail.
** The deaths of Gotham's mayor, Dr. Wolper, and TV host David Endochrine are changed to be more graphic than in the comic.
* TheAgeless: Like in the comic Superman, due to his Kryptonian heritage.
* TheAlcoholic: Bruce becomes one during his retirement, [[DrowningMySorrows in order to stay retired]]. He stops drinking the moment he becomes Batman again.
* AntiHero:
** Unlike the comic where Batman is an UnscrupulousHero, he is much closer to a PragmaticHero in the film, spending less time enjoying the carnage he unleashes on criminals.
** The Sons Of Batman are {{Nominal Hero}}es like in the comic, though.
* AntiVillain[=/=]HeroAntagonist: The main role of Superman in this film.
* ArtEvolution: The drawing in the film is a little closer to the other DC animated universe adaptations while retaining some of Frank Miller's style, and leaves out the scratchiness of the original comic's artwork.
* {{Ascended Fan|boy}}girl: Carrie Kelly, who dresses up as Robin and tries to fight crime on her own, only to become Bruce's real sidekick.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The Mutant Leader is feared and respected by his army because he is the strongest among them. Likewise, Batman inadvertently gains authority over the Mutants by defeating him.
* AttemptedRape: The first crime stopped by Batman after his return.
* BadassGrandpa:
** Batman, who's now in his late 50s.
** Commissioner Gordon, who's turning ''70'', and takes down a much younger Mutant who had the drop on him with a machine gun.
** Alfred must be in his mid-to-late ''80's'', yet he's ''still'' carrying on his butlering duties, and performing life-saving surgery on his boss when the need arises.
** Ollie Queen, AKA Green Arrow, is presumably at least the same age as Batman and is missing an arm but still kicks ass.
** Superman is also around the same age as Batman, despite not looking it, and is still as powerful as ever... [[spoiler: until he takes a nuke to the face...]]
** And less sympathetically, the Joker too.
--> You have gotten old!
* TheBadGuyWins: Joker's final scheme was successful because he finally made Batman lose control and break his one rule and his death means that the cops would hound him and eventually try to kill him. Either way Joker wins.
--> I made you lose control...
* BaldWomen: All of the female Mutant members.
* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: Batman disarms a Mutant holding a hostage by shooting the gun out of her hand with a machine gun, [[ImpaledPalm damaging her hand]] in the process. (This "fixes" the sequence in the comic where it looks like Batman shot her dead even though his ThouShallNotKill rule is later invoked several times.)
* BombDisposal: Batman has mere seconds to disarm a bomb planted by Two-Face, but instead of a WireDilemma he merely destroys the timing circuitry by spraying it with liquid nitrogen.
* {{Bowdlerization}}:
** The adaptation removes or changes some of the most offensive lines from the original; for instance, the black man interviewed in one of the NewsMonopoly {{Montage}}s talking approvingly about how Batman was kicking butts the cops wouldn't? In the original, he was hoping that Batman would go after the "homos" next, not his landlord.
** They also cut out the deaths of the kids eating the poisoned cotton candy.
* BreakOutTheMuseumPiece: The 10+ year old Bat tank.
-->'''Batman''': Still purrs... like it was yesterday.
* CallBack:
** Gordon's comment about how Bruce used to sip ginger-ale while making everyone else think it was champagne "in the old days" is a reference back to the first time they met in ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''.
** In Jim Gordon's house, there's a wall photo that depicts him and his family as they looked in the animated adaptation of ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''. Since the previous film was also done by the same production company, it's an acknowledgement of continuity between both animated films.
* TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive: The [[BatOutOfHell demonic bat vision]] which continually haunts Bruce, until [[JumpedAtTheCall he can't take it anymore]].
* CastingGag: Late night talk show host ConanOBrien voices late night talk show host [[DavidLetterman David Endochrine]].
* TheCavalry: Batman rides in on horseback with his army of followers to stop a pitched battle between the people of Gotham and a gang of escaped criminals in order to keep order in the city. {{Justified}} because of the {{EMP}} blackout from an airburst nuke that shut down everything, including vehicles.
* ChallengingTheChief: Exploited by Batman to [[LosingTheTeamSpirit break the Mutant Gang's spirit]] by [[CombatByChampion destroying the Mutant Leader in front of them]]. Unfortunately, a segment of the Mutants start emulating him after this and become the [[SociopathicHero sociopathic]] "Sons of the Batman".
* CloseOnTitle
* ColorCodedSecretIdentity: At the start of the film, Bruce's racing car is all black, as is his racing jumpsuit. In a [[FreezeFrameBonus blink-and-you'll-miss-it]] moment, you can also see that Bruce's crash helmet has horns like a certain cowl he used to wear.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: News anchor Lola Wong makes a flippant comment that she doesn't know what to wear, due to the ''nuclear winter'' covering north america after the Soviets released airburst nukes.
* CrapsackWorld: At the beginning of the film, Gotham has slowly become this since Batman's original retirement. Crime is out of control. In addition to the normal thieves, rapists and murderers having relatively free reign due to a now impotent police force, the new Mutant gang is murdering men, women and children ForTheEvulz with the intent to take over the city and impose their own [[DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans violent, blood-soaked despotic rule]]. Everyone else lives in fear for their lives. Finally, Bruce [[JumpedAtTheCall can take it no longer]] and decides that Gotham will get better because [[DarkMessiah he will force it to.]]
* CreateYourOwnVillain: {{Invoked}} by Wolper concerning ''all'' of Batman's rogues. Apparently his mere presence propagates a social disease that creates costumed psychopaths.
* CurbStompBattle:
** The Mutant Leader delivers one to Batman in their first confrontation. Batman tried to match strength with strength and failed to even put a dent in the leader while nearly being killed himself.
** Subverted in the final fight with Superman in the second film. Supes could have ended the fight before it even started if he'd had no scruples about killing Batman as quickly as possible. Superman regarding Bruce as a friend, having a no-kill rule, and being somewhat weakened by other events turned the fight into fairly evenly matched PummelDuel.
* CyberPunkIsTechno: The score mixes the styles of gritty 80's action movies like TheExterminator and Hans Zimmer's ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'' score. And it is [[AwesomeMusic glorious]].
* DarkerAndEdgier
* DeadpanSnarker: Even in old age, Alfred's still got it.
-->'''Alfred:''' If it's [[DeathSeeker suicide you're after]], I have an old family recipe. It's slow and painful. You'd like it.
* DeathByIrony: Dr. Wolper, the most vocal person against Batman and driven to prove that it is actually Batman's actions that cause the problem, is killed by Joker who was supposed to be his evidences. Also was killed by having his throat slit by a coffee mug, rendering him unable to talk.
* DefiantToTheEnd: Superman practically begs Batman to stop fighting because he doesn't want to kill him. Batman responds by mocking Superman for the entire fight.
* DePower: The attempted nuking of Corto Maltese, the resulting nuclear winter (and a kryptonite arrow) bring Superman down to a level that Batman can defeat just long enough for him to gloat [[spoiler:before having a heart attack and dying. Or did he?]]
* DiesWideOpen: The Joker goes out this way, laughing until the end.
* TheDreaded:
** As he used to do in his GloryDays, a big strategy that Batman employs for his return is to terrify criminals and Mutants who have so far been enjoying a free reign of mayhem in Gotham.
** Selina Kyle is genuinely terrified when she sees the Joker.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Carrie poses as a Mutant in order to gather the gang at the location of the second fight between Batman and the Mutant leader.
* DrivenToSuicide:
** The General that sold the Mutants military grade weapons shoots himself after Batman confronts him for it.
** Two-Face tries to blow himself up with the two biggest skyscrapers in Gotham after being consumed by his dark half.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Carrie gets brushed off by the people she saved from an attempted mugging.
* DumbMuscle:
** Batman accuses the Mutant Leader of being one.
-->'''Batman:''' We're all slow when we're thigh deep in mud... and you're not too bright.
** {{Invoked}} by Batman about Superman, calling him out for being little more than a stooge doing the muscle work for the government.
* TheEndIsNigh: Bruce walks by two men holding these signs early in the film.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Alfred accepts his stroke that way after blowing up Wayne Manor.]]
* FakingTheDead
* FemmeFatalons: When the Joker's helper has Robin pinned down, she uses her nails to claw his face.
* FightingYourFriend: Superman really doesn't want to fight Batman because he knows how ridiculously mismatched they are and doesn't want Bruce to die. Bruce knows too, and just doesn't care.
* ForTheEvulz:
** The Mutant Leader rips the mayor's throat out with his teeth because he can.
** This is the motivation for the entire Mutant gang. They loot and kill because to them, it's ''fun''.
* FriendToAllChildren:
** Batman still has this trait to him. Despite the child screaming and about to be killed by Mutants, once in Batman's arms he went quietly to sleep.
** Batman cares for Carrie Kelly rather like a surrogate daughter, holding and comforting her after she nearly falls to her death.
* FromBadToWorse:
** In the final scene of ''Part 1'', the Joker wakes up from his decade-long coma.
-->'''Joker''': Bbb... Bb... Batman... ''darling''!
** In ''Part 2'', Batman is on the run after defeating the Joker, and then a flight of Soviet airburst nukes [[{{EMP}} shut down all electrical power]] in the country and chaos ensues. {{Subverted}} in Gotham where Batman unites the gangs into a police force to maintain order during the crisis.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Carrie's [[ParentalObliviousness stoned parents]] talking in the background. The best exchange occurs while they're watching a news report about Gordon surviving an assassination attempt by shooting his assailant.
-->'''Dad''': What a downer. Seventeen years old.
-->'''Mom''': Macho cops. Just like Chicago. Remember Chicago?
-->'''Dad''': Not really. [[StonersAreFunny I was tripping the whole time.]]
* FunTShirt:
** Dr. Wolper can be seen in a Superman shirt, and later an anti-Batman shirt.
** Trish from the News wears a shirt that says "[[MyBreastsAreDownHere All This And Brains Too]]".
** Two Mutants wear shirts saying "my name is ROB" and "my name is DON".
* FutureSlang: The Mutants' slang, mixed with a bit of HulkSpeak.
-->'''Rob''': You see, Don? Batman nasty. Leader’s bagging.
-->'''Don''': Leader billy berserk, Rob. He peg Batman, you see.
* GeniusBruiser: Batman, who uses both strength and smarts to finally take down the younger and fitter Mutant Leader.
* GoodIsNotNice / GoodIsNotSoft: Par for the course for Batman, however it is highlighted particularly when he throws a batarrang directly into the Joker's eye, indicating that he's going to KickTheSonOfABitch. Naturally, Batman losing all restraint pleases the Joker.
-->'''Joker''': Are you out of your mind!?
-->'''Batman''': I'm through ''playing'', Joker!
-->'''Joker''': Be still, my heart.
* GoThroughMe:
** {{Inverted}} when the Joker [[ProtectedByAChild takes a kid hostage.]]
-->'''Kid''': You're the Joker, right? Batman's gonna kick your ass!
-->'''Joker''': He's gonna have to [[HumanShield go through]] ''you'' first!
* GoryDiscretionShot: Semi-Averted. Joker's helper is still seen getting his head chewed up by the roller coaster gears, but his girth hides the actual damage inflicted. All we see is his blood and Carrie's horrified expression.
* GottaKillThemAll: The Joker's only goal once he escapes is to kill as many people as he possibly can before Batman stops him. He does this to torment Batman and try to get him to completely lose it and kill the Joker outright.
* GrandfatherClause: Batman using regular hook-and-lines on a few occasions instead of his GrapplingHookPistol, in order to preserve memorable scenes from the pre-GrapplingHookPistol era comic.
* GreenEyedMonster: The reason the government wants Batman dead, because he is able to keep order where they can't.
* GunsAreWorthless: As in the comic, Batman says this to the vigilantes who have joined his cause and promises to teach them to use his weapons and methods instead.
* HandicappedBadass: Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow, missing his left arm and still probably the best shot in the world.
* HatesEveryoneEqually: Bruce is a total misanthrope towards nearly everyone, save for Alfred, Carrie Kelly and Selina Kyle. Even Jim Gordon informs Ellen Yindel after his retirement that he and Bruce no longer talk.
-->'''Gordon:''' Were you a friend?
-->'''Clark:''' I think so. I honestly couldn't say.
-->'''Gordon:''' Sounds about right.
* HonorBeforeReason: Batman abandons the safety of his tank to fight the mutant leader directly, as in the comic. He justifies it to Alfred, saying that he needs to do it in order to ''know'' that he's still the goddamned Batman.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: The hulking Bruce Wayne as Batman and the tiny Carrie Kelly as the new Robin.
* HulkSpeak: Many of the Mutants, particularly the Mutant Leader.
-->'''Leader:''' I call you coward!
* HypocriticalHumor: One of the people being interviewed about crime in Gotham goes about on a long speech of how they should use a diplomatic approach and reeducate the Mutants back into society. He then immediately adds that he would never live in the city.
* IAmAHumanitarian: The Mutant Leader regularly makes speeches on how he'll eat his victims, and later rips out the mayor's throat with his bare teeth.
* IAmTheNoun: {{Invoked}}. When all electricity in Gotham gets shut down and there is chaos in the streets, Batman IS the law.
* IdenticalStranger: Ellen Yindel, Gordon's replacement, looks like an older Carrie Kelly.
* IGotYouCovered: Oliver Queen and his kryptonite arrow turn the tide for Batman in the final battle.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: In the final battle with Superman, Batman uses everything he can think of at his disposal, including a sonic pistol, Gotham's entire electricity output focussed into Batman's gauntlets, two massive wheels ripped from a steam roller, a wrecking ball, a concentrated acid spray in the eyes, a sticky bomb that can blow a decent sized crater in the ground, kryptonite gas, and finally Batman's own fists and boot heels.
* InformedDeformity: After the surgery that fixes him, Harvey actually believes that he's completely deformed on both sides of his face.
* InspectorJavert: Commissioner Ellen Yindel.
* IWasQuiteALooker: Selina. Where we all can recall her from [[http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2011/10/screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-4.30.05-pm.jpg Year One]]. Best summed up by the Joker.
-->[[LampshadeHanging "The years have not been kind to you."]]
* KnightInSourArmor:
** Commissioner Gordon. Every time he questions whether he is doing the right thing, he reminds himself that he is doing it to keep his wife safe.
** Ellen Yindel eventually becomes one when Gotham is nearly reduced to a WorldGoneMad from an {{EMP}} blackout with mass looting and violence, and she sees firsthand how much of a force for good Batman really is.
* LanternJawOfJustice:
** Unlike his comic counterpart, Bruce has an enormous one.
** Superman also has his trademark chin.
* LargeHam: The Mutant Leader.
-->'''Leader''': I KILL YOU! I [[PunctuatedForEmphasis EAT! YOUR! HEART]]!
* LawfulStupid:
** Every authority figure trying to maintain law and order except for Batman and Gordon. Even ''Superman'' of all people.
** The new police commissioner Ellen Yindel starts out this way, choosing the InspectorJavert stance with regards to Batman's activities. Once she sees him making a real positive difference by keeping order in Gotham during an {{EMP}} induced blackout, Yindel gives up pursuing him and becomes a KnightInSourArmor like Gordon before her, accepting that the Dark Knight is "too big" to judge.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Joker's only reaction, after getting hit in the [[EyeScream eye]] with a batarang, is to ask if Batman is out of his mind.
* ManBitesMan: The Mutant Leader sinks his teeth into Batman's shoulder in their first fight, and rips out the Mayor's throat with his bare teeth later.
* ManipulativeBastard: The Joker has Wolper completely wrapped around his little finger.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: When Carrie Kelly first puts on the Robin Costume in her room, we see a costume store bag on the floor, explaining where she got the outfit, and numerous medals and trophies from gymnastics competitions, explaining her abilities.
* MovieMultipack: Is divided into ''Part 1'' and ''Part 2''.
* MuggingTheMonster:
** Early on, a couple of Mutant gang members try this on Bruce. They leave without attacking because "he's into it".
** In Part 2, Bruno tries ShootingSuperman.
* MutualDisadvantage: In Batman's final fight with Superman, both are suffering from their own disadvantages; Superman is weakened from taking a nuclear blast to the face, along with the lack of sunlight from the fallout, and Batman is 50 years old using PoweredArmor that while able to lift and swing around dozens of tons of weight, is still not enough to do any lasting damage to Supes.
* MythologyGag:
** The rookie cop catch a glimpse of Batman and said "Did you see that?". A line first spoken (also by a cop) in the beginning of "On Leather Wings", the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', and the first entry of the DCAnimatedUniverse.
** The rookie's eldest partner has a sort of Irish accent, like [[Series/{{Batman}} Chief O'Hara]].
* NewAgeRetroHippie: Carrie Kelly's parents, while not seen, sure sound this way every time they talk.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The police are camped on the roof of the building hosting the Dave Endochrine show in order to capture the Joker if he tries anything. Batman goes to the building also with the intent of stopping the Joker. After gassing 206 people, the Joker escapes because both Batman and the police become occupied with fighting each other on the roof.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Like in the comic, the President (while not named) is for all intents and purposes, RonaldReagan.
* NoodleIncident: Oliver Queen lost his left arm in unspecified circumstances, but he strongly implies that Superman tore it off because he [[ItsPersonal wants some payback]] against the "schoolboy".
* NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: Batman suggests that Superman is the most powerful and irreplacable weapon that the US Government has (and the only person who is really capable of stopping Batman), which is why Batman puts so much significance on defeating him.
-->'''Superman''': If it isn't me it will just be someone else.
-->'''Batman''': Really? Who do they send after you?
* NotSoInvincibleAfterAll: Batman proves this about Superman in the opening stages of their battle by making the Man of Steel ''[[FauxSymbolism bleed.]]''
* OhCrap: Carrie has a a couple of these
** When Bruno spots her and starts shooting at her.
** When she catches that Superman [[spoiler:knows Bruce is still alive]].
* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: Batman vs. the Mutant Leader.
* OneManArmy: Superman's fight against the Soviet forces attacking Corto Maltese really drives this home.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Franchise/{{Superman}} is never addressed by his superhero identity, only as Clark or "...''him''".
* OnlySixFaces: The Mutants have a lot of members that look very similar to each other. All of the Female Mutant members look and dress exactly the same, even when Carrie was disguised as one.
* OrangeAndBlueContrast: The cover for the part 1 DVD is blue, while the cover for part 2 is orange.
* ParentalNeglect: Carrie's parents are this. It is quite obvious they are too high to care what their daughter is up to. In fact they aren't even mentioned again after she becomes Robin. It is all but stated that Bruce took her in. A scene cut from the comics shows one even asking "didn't we have a kid?", suggesting they were not even aware that she existed.
* PerilousOldFool: Alfred accuses Bruce of being one.
* PragmaticAdaptation: Batman's PrivateEyeMonologue is removed, with some of the more important or famous lines shifted into actual dialogue, and multiple scenes are reworked or relocated to help each film have a ThreeActStructure.
* ProductionForeshadowing: An animated version of Batman fighting the Mutant Gang in the city dump was featured in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''' episode ''[[RashomonStyle Legends of the Dark Knight]]'', 14 years before members of the same team went on to produce these films.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: ''"I EAT! YOUR! HEART!"''
* PsychoStrings: [[FromBadToWorse When Joker wakes up]].
* PyrrhicVictory: Bruce realises this is the only victory he can achieve against Superman.
* RealityEnsues: When Bruce takes up the mantle of Batman once again, ten years of retirement shows its effect on him when he can barely pull himself up a rope and his joints start to ache.
* RecklessGunUsage: The Joker shoots in ''all'' directions while Batman chases him. If he aims at all, it's to hit as many people as possible before he runs out of bullets.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Mutant Leader has glowing red eyes.
* RobotKid: "Bobby" and "Mary", the flying, Joker venom-spewing, doll-shaped timebombs seem to have personalities of their own.
* RoofHopping: Carrie's self-imposed training regimen so that she can become an effective Robin.
-->'''Carrie:''' Didn't suck!
* SequelHook: [[FromBadToWorse Joker wakes up]].
* ShesGotLegs: Carrie, whose outfit and fighting style really shows off her legs.
* ShockAndAwe: In the climactic fight, Batman opens by electrocuting Superman with a gauntlet wired to Gotham's entire electrical grid.
* ShootingSuperman: "Bruno" tries it, with predictable results.
* ShoutOut:
** There are four comics on the stand in the convenience store where Gordon shoots the 17-year old Mutant: ''ComicBook/SwampThing'', ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', and ''ComicBook/VForVendetta''.
** The Tim Burton Batmobile from ''Film/{{Batman}}'' makes a cameo as a weight Bruce uses to test his suit of PoweredArmor out on.
** Also there are some comics in the comic stand like the ''JusticeLeagueOfAmerica''.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: Dr. Ruth Weisenheimer, only because she doesn't appear in the David Endochrine's show along with Joker.
* SplitPersonalityTakeover: Played with.
** Two-Face appears to have been taken over by his "dark side", only to have a [[DeathSeeker death wish]] because of it.
** Bruce Wayne meanwhile swears off crime fighting following [[DeadSidekick Jason Todd's death]], only to become so disgusted with the world a decade later that he's consumed by his Batman persona again.
* StealthPun: Oliver shoots a glowing Green Arrow.
* StrawmanPolitical:
** Nearly all of the anti-Batman TalkingHeads are portrayed as [[IdiotBall fools]] like Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, {{Troll}}s who just rave Batman is a facist stomping civil rights, or {{Hypocrite}}s with no real plans of their own to deal with Gotham's rising crime rates.
** One of the people being interviewed gives a long speech about how we should strive to reintegrate criminals, and not revel in their misery, before scoffing that [[{{Hypocrite}} he would never live in the city]].
* StickySituation: Batman throws a pellet filled with an expanding, sticky substance straight into the Mutant Leader's face at the end of their first fight.
* StonersAreFunny: Carrie Kelly's parents.
* SuicideMission: Bruce sees his final fight with Superman as this, [[spoiler: so he makes it a SuicideMission on [[FakingTheDead his own terms]]]].
-->'''Bruce:''' He'll still be weak, between the nuke and so little sunlight. Just how weak, we'll see when he finds my first surprise.
-->'''Carrie:''' Yeah but, how long do you expect to last against... him?
-->'''Bruce:''' Long enough.
-->'''Carrie:''' Boss... I'm trying to get the plan here. I mean, you gonna die tonight or what?
-->'''Bruce:''' Figure I will.
* TheTag: In the final scene of ''Part 1'', TheJoker [[FromBadToWorse wakes up]].
* TankGoodness: This version of the Batmobile, as in the [[ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns comic]].
* TakeThat: The Million Mom's coalition protesting Batman is a jab at [[MoralGuardians One Million Moms]].
* ThanatosGambit: Happens twice from two different characters. The first time is played utterly straight while the second time is decidedly less so
* TherapyBackfire:
** Dr. Wolper. His "help" drove Dent to be consumed by his dark side.
** And gets him gruesomely killed by the Joker.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Near the beginning of Part 1, Bruce gives one to himself in the only preserved piece of internal monologue from the comic where he accuses himself of being pathetic, hollow and incomplete unless he embraces the bat once again.
** Practically everything Batman says to Superman in their final fight.
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Rob and Don
* ThreeActStructure: The structure of ''Part 1'', with each act being separated by Bruce having a new confrontation with his vision of a [[BatOutOfHell demonic bat]].
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Carrie and her friend Michelle.
* TwoDecadesBehind: The movie retains the comic book's TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture of TheEighties setting, despite being made [[TheNewTens 30 years later]].
* UngratefulBastard: Despite Batman's actions against the Mutants, many Gotham residents keep on saying that he's a nuisance or worse.
* {{Understatement}}: The President describes the Soviets as "mighty sore losers" when they launch a nuclear strike against the United States.
* VampiricDraining: Superman is severely weakened to the point of near-death by a nuclear blast. He crashes onto an island with a raging storm from the nuclear fireball above blocking out the sunlight which heals him and gives him his strength. He grabs a flower and literally drains the solar energy stored in the surrounding plants and trees, causing them to wither and die.
* TheVoice:
** [[InvisibleParents Carrie Kelly's stoner parents are heard, but never seen]].
** The woman talking to Bruce on the radio in the opening race is never seen either. In the comics is Carol Ferris, [[Franchise/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]]'s fiancée.
* WalkingShirtlessScene:
** [[FanDisservice The Mutant Leader]].
** A rare female one with Bruno with only swastikas painted over her breasts.
* WeWinBecauseYouDidnt: Batman's strategy with Superman is to beat him as soundly as possible using every trick he has, and then [[spoiler:die]] so that Superman can never turn the tables and win (as he inevitably would).
* WhamLine: At the end of ''Part 1''.
-->'''The Joker''': [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCyXZYfCmJw Bbb... Bb... Batman... darling!]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Ellen Yindel disappears after Batman retakes Gotham during the blackout. Her last appearance is a blink and you miss it where she is at [[spoiler: Bruce's funeral]].
* WouldHitAGirl:
** Batman hits one female Mutant in the face with the end of a rifle, and shoots dozens more with rubber bullets from inside his Bat Tank. In the second part, he also hits Bruno and Ellen Yindel.
** SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker also hits -and kills- several women in the second part.
* WouldHurtAChild: Joker, as he happily gives out poison cotton candy to children.
* WouldntHurtAChild: One of the few things the Mutants didn't do... [[MoralEventHorizon until recently]].
* WrongGenreSavvy: This is Dr. Wolper's character. Everything out of his mouth is just out there, with one of his statements being he thinks Batman is the sociopath and Joker is just a victim. Saying how wrong he is would just be an Understatement.
-->'''Lana''': That's the biggest bunch of bull I have ever heard.
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