Review of Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014) by Refin W — 29 Mar 2015

Party all night with good companies. Despite having the hero's name on the title, Batman: Assault on Arkham mainly focuses on Suicide Squad, a ragtag group of villains brought together by their needs to not die. This is an excellent animation which divides its spotlights to the eclectic ensemble. These characters' interactions are fun to watch, though it may be odd rooting for the villains, a fact that they constantly emphasize with conniving acts or outright homicidal urges.

Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost and others unfortunate bad guys are roofied and herded together to Amanda Wheeler who then gives them a task to retrieve sensitive files from The Riddler. As fate would have it they must infiltrate Arkham where The Riddler is being hold. Fail to accomplish said mission or comply will result in their immediate terminations. The film is as much their stories as Batman's. The colorful dubious criminals are whimsically entertaining, some with their own secret agendas. Dubbers did a fine job portraying their on-screen personalities. They sound disturbingly charismatic and charming.

Like any dysfunctional instant group consists of strong tempers, they eventually exchange banters with wit, and the quip sometimes might even be accompanied by fisticuffs. A lot of the dialogues are superbly crafted, funny and sharp yet still fits the convict who spews them. I find it amazing that the film manages to flesh out high amount of characters and subplots while still maintaining brisk pace. A couple of these villains are legitimately capable of leading the title. Batman is still around, he gets his equal share of impactful screen time as he inevitably enters the fray, otherwise it wouldn't be called a Batman movie.

Animation is great, with design for the character, city streets and Arkham itself looking exceptionally smooth. Muscle tone and skin complexion are done beautifully as each character don their respective signature visage. Combats are exhibited with poise, very fast with controlled focus. Punches thrown and bullets shot display robust brutal effects.

The film has a prevalent gritty ambiance, although it doesn't stray from animation style. This semi-realism production also offers more mature content, expect some surprisingly bloody yet creative gore and occasional flashes of creamy skin. This is borderline rated R content, so as they say, viewer discretion is advised.

With the runtime of 75 minutes, the film is shorter than average, but one would be surprised with the amount of content it packs. The night escapade in Arkham is one with riveting character and healthy dose of fireworks, invitation is optional. It should not be missed as it will definitely please fans of Batman series, the games and even action aficionado in general.