Review of Son of Batman (2014) by Dan F — 21 Sep 2014

Inspired by Grant Morrison's 'Batman and Son' arc, 'Son of Batman' relinquishes all the most interesting elements of that storyline (the tension between Tim Drake is essential but missing here, as is Drake) in place of a competent but not particularly striking buddy action movie dynamic.

Batman's voice takes some getting used to, but Slade/Deathstroke is horribly miscast (Ron Pearlman's turn in Teen Titans is a far better fit). Abandonment of the original story's key points means there's little focus on the father/son relationship, and an unnecessary detour to the British Isles highlights some massively embarrassing ignorance (Bruce Wayne is told that a location is nearby- the Outer Hebrides- while he is in London, a henchman is eaten by what appears to be a great white 50 miles off the coast of Scotland- um, nope).

So far, these animated films have peaked with Jay Olivia's 'Dark Knight Returns' ('Under the Red Hood' is a standout and boasts a script worthy of being a live action adaptation) and while there have been some fun outings, it might be useful for DC to remember that violence doesn't equal maturity or a compelling narrative.

Disappointing.