Review of Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) by Rvwfromuphere — 01 Aug 2016

As soon as we found out we were getting an R-rated Killing Joke cartoon everyone was ecstatic. It's been a tough year for Batman; first we have the terrible Fox show Gotham, showing us what Gotham City would be like without Batman. This is the equivalent of making a Spiderman show about the Daily Bugle. Nobody gives a s***. On top of that we had Batman V. Superman, where our favorite DC superheroes were crucified before our eyes for nearly three agonizing hours. You could argue that Ben Affleck's Batman was the best part of that movie; which is like saying the best part about being strangled to death is knowing I don't have to pay bills the next day. Nevertheless DC gave us what we wanted all along by making an R-rated Killing Joke, and unfortunately, they have boned us once again.

The movie starts with an inner-monologue from Batgirl, and immediately you are enthralled. Then her and Batman beat up some bad guys and everything is going great. Batman then tells her it's getting too dangerous and she needs to back away from the case so he can catch the bad guys himself (classic Batman). Batgirl says no and continues to fight crime anyway (classic Batgirl). Then Batman catches her fighting crime and she's like, you're not my dad! Or some stupid bulls***, and then she attacks him, one thing leads to another and they end up f***ing underneath a gargoyle. Now, I haven't read the comic in a few years, but I'm pretty f***ing confident that was never in it. Anyway, after they bang it out Batman doesn't talk to her for a while (classic guy) and Batgirl tells her gay librarian friend all about her sexual encounter (classic girl). Then one night Batman and Batgirl cross paths when they are fighting crime together and Batgirl is all like, I'm sorry, you were right, and Batman is like, I know, I always am. Batgirl decides to retire from crime fighting and Batman randomly goes looking for The Joker, only to find he has escaped. Batgirl and her father are eating dinner at her apartment, and The Joker shows up and shoots Batgirl in the spine, paralyzing her. He then kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and tries to make him crazy. Batman finds out, visits Barbara in the hospital, and that's the last we see of her for the whole film. What was once a Batgirl centered production is now a classic Batman vs. The Joker standoff. Meanwhile there are flashbacks to The Joker's origin story; all of which are boring and unimaginative. At one point The Joker's wife dies and he reacted to it as if he watched the finale to Season 1 of Heroes (blandly). Anyway, The Joker is torturing Commissioner Gordon (classic purveyor of evil and disdain) and Batman is trying to catch him (classic demigod). Batman catches up to him and there is a showdown, but first Batman gives a speech. It goes along the lines of , I don't know how our relationship is going to end. Maybe I'll kill you, maybe you'll kill me...I know how it ends Batman, you don't kill the f***ing Joker, you don't kill anyone, that's your biggest gimmick. Anyway the movie ends with The Joker telling Batman a joke that makes him laugh.

Huge question. Why is this rated R? There was nearly no gore and pg-13 language at best. The most promiscuous thing about this movie is tasteful nude photographs of an injured Batgirl, and we kind of almost see Commissioner Gordon's c***.