The New Batman Adventures
Based on the success of "Mask of the Phantasm" and "Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero," "Mystery of the Batwoman" is the third film in the B: TAS universe. It introduces Batwoman to the animated series, though a very different Batwoman than the comics. If you're a current comics reader or Arrowverse watcher, you're probably familiar with Kate Kane as Batwoman. A kick ass lesbian who is Bruce Wayne's cousin. This movie came out before she premiered so the movies Batwoman is based loosely on the Silver Age Batwoman. She was Kathy Kane a Gotham City heiress and former circus performer who became Batwoman to help out but mainly to get Batman's attention because she had the hots for him. This was all a an editorial ploy to quash rumors that Batman and Robin were super gay. Ah, the Silver Age. "Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman" was released on October 21, 2003, about 4 years after the final episode of "The New Batman Adventures."
Bruce Wayne: "The last thing Gotham City needs is a vigilante running amok."
Alfred Pennyworth: "As they say on the streets, 'I ain't touchin' that one.' "
Alfred Pennyworth: [reading a newspaper] "I see where Dennis the Menace is one step closer to Juvenile Hall."
There is a vigilante taking out dangerous, futuristic laser cannon arms shipments in Gotham City dressed like a bat. I know what you're thinking, Batman, right? But, not this time. This time there is a Batwoman out there who's methods are a little more violent and a little more dangerous than the Dynamic Duos. Batman is not pleased with Batwoman giving vigilantes a bad name. Batwoman seems to be targeting the terrible trio of Penguin, Rupert Thorne and Carlton Duquesne. This also gives Batman three different suspects on who Batwoman could be: Bullock's new partner, Sonia Alcana, Duquene's daughter, Kathy and a new scientist at WayneTech, Roxanne "Rocky" Ballantine. Can Batman figure out who Batwoman really is and stop her before it's too late? Time is running out, especially since Bane got involved.
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| My glider is so cool. |
I hate saying this, but while "Mystery of the Batwoman" is perfectly serviceable, it is definitely the weakest of the films set in the "Batman: The Animated Universe" so far. It has the hallmarks of the series: slick animation, tight action sequences, almost perfect voice acting. It's not terrible, but "serviceable" and "not terrible" are not adjectives I want to use to describe to movies set in this world, especially since I rank "Mask of the Phantasm" as the best Batman movie of all-time, animated or live-action.
I think I have to start off with the part of the movie that really felt like glaringly terrible and that is Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl's role in this film. To be clear, this is the first time I've seen "Mystery of the Batwoman." I always meant to and I just never did. It was kind of my B: TAS blind spot if you will. I knew that Babs played a big role in "The New Batman Adventures," so I was prepared for her to be in this movie. And she was. But not like this. I should preface this with a minor spoiler from "Batman Beyond," the sequel series to B: TAS, which I plan to cover at some point. It's alluded to in that series that Barbara and Bruce were a romantic item at one point. "Mystery of the Batwoman" was made after the conclusion of "Batman Beyond" so I guess they wanted to make this less vague so they basically let everyone know that yes, there was some romantic feelings between Bruce and Barbara, but it clearly went deeper for Babs than it did for Bruce.
This is ick on so many levels. First off, Babs was pretty heavily involved with Dick when the show went off the air. Secondly, Bruce just looks like a grooming predator in these scenes. In a relationship between Batman and Batgirl, there is a pretty clear power imbalance and it definitely feels like Bruce preyed on her sexually. And like, there's just no way that Bruce would ever make the moves on Barbara. Even if she fell for him, which, I don't think she ever realistically would. The whole sequence where Barbara calls Bruce and asks if she wants him to come home to help with the Batwoman situation is played for laughs, but it is very uncomfortable. Barbara comes off as needy and desperate and it comes off like her offer of help is just a really flimsy excuse for her to see Bruce. Bruce is full disgusting dude, playing her off, being completely turned off by her apparent feelings for him, trying to get help from Tim and Alfred, who both ignore him before using crinkled up paper to act as static so he can hang up on her. It's all so cringe and unnecessary. I'm not sure what writers Michael Reaves and Alan Burnett were thinking here, but it's not a good look. Maybe it played better in 2003 (which I doubt) but it definitely goes over like a lead balloon in 2021.
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| Vigilantes be vigilanting. |
I understand that the plot of the movie sort of hinges on Batman's... complicated relationship with women, but it doesn't do a great job of showing us that. "Mask of the Phantasm" works as well as it does because you believe the relationship Bruce has with Andrea Beaumont. You believed that this was a formative relationship for him. You believed that they loved each other. The issue here is that you don't believe in the relationship that Bruce forms with Kathy Duquesne. It doesn't feel legit. You are supposed to believe that though initially Bruce entangling himself to her, getting closer to her, is a con. A way for him to find out if she was Batwoman. But eventually he really does form real feelings for her, but it still feels like a con. It doesn't feel like he really cares about her. It doesn't feel like the very little they have in common really would cause them to be together, which is heavily implied at the end of the movie.
The big reveal that all three women are Batwoman is also not the shocking reveal that the movie seems to think it is. I pieced it together pretty quickly. The movie kind of shows its hand at the beginning when the voice of Batwoman is Kyra Sedgwick. It's fine and it makes sense, but it is pretty clearly telegraphed.
Like I said, the movie isn't terrible by any stretch. It's just like a long, mediocre episode of "The New Batman Adventures." The action as always is pretty superb. That opening scene with Batwoman going after the goons with the futuristic weapons is super dope. It's a thrilling way to open the movie and the rest of the action scenes follow suit. There are some funny scenes. Alfred is full of sass and snark and I'm always here for that. Tim is not nearly annoying as he is in the main series.
I watched this on HBO Max and post credits there was a fun short called "Chase Me." It is silent and features Batman chasing Catwoman through Gotham City until they get to the zoo. It's a good time and I daresay I enjoyed it almost more than the main movie, until the end. Catwoman sees that Batman has been scratched and she's so overcome with concern that she kisses Batman and that allows him to cuff her to the gate of the zoo. It definitely feels out of character for the cat burglar and it's kind of a bummer ending to an otherwise enjoyable story.
"Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman" is a decent direct to DVD movie but a lackluster epilogue to "The New Batman Adventures."
Grade: C+
Next up, Batman and Harley Quinn team up.
What do you all think? Am I not giving the movie enough credit? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.
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