Batman Animated [2018] (DVD)

Synopsis: Collection of animations following the caped crusader. In 'Mystery of the Batwoman' (2003) Batman (voice of Kevin Conroy) is on the attack, targeting his arch enemy, the Penguin (David Ogden Stiers), and his criminal cohort, Rupert Thorn (John Vernon), who are plotting a scheme to sell illegal weapons. New vigilante in town Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) has more daring methods for saving the day, which may only create more problems for Batman. In 'Mask of the Phantasm' (1993) an unknown assailant is ridding Gotham City of its gangsters but Batman finds himself blamed for their homicidal ways. Meanwhile, his nemesis, the Joker (Mark Hamill), is keen to bring the mysterious figure down and Batman's former flame, Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany), arrives in town. In 'Under the Red Hood' (2010) a masked figure, known only as Red Hood (Jensen Ackles), has taken it upon himself to clean up Gotham City but his methods are brutal. Batman (Bruce Greenwood) soon realises he may know Red Hood's real identity and when the Joker (John Di Maggio) gets involved the situation becomes even more complicated. 'Gotham Knight' (2008), set between 'Batman Begins' (2005) and 'The Dark Knight' (2008), comprises six chronological stories charting Batman (Conroy)'s progression from gifted amateur to fully-fledged crime-avenger. 'Have I Got a Story for You' tells how a group of kids are variously affected by their encounters with Batman. In 'Crossfire', Gotham City's police force are forced to conquer their distrust of the Dark Knight when they come under fire from the mob. 'Field Test' focuses on the vast array of weaponry and gadgets at Batman's disposal as he fights injustice, while 'In Darkness Dwells' has the caped-crusader locking horns with the sewer-dwelling 'Killer Croc' and 'The Scarecrow' (Corey Burton). 'Working Through Pain' explores Bruce Wayne's gruelling training regime, instigated by a mysterious Indian woman named Cassandra (Parminder Nagra), while the final segment, 'Deadshot', draws the chapters to a conclusion, with Batman having to stop a ruthlessly efficient assassin with few moral qualms. In 'Year One' (2011) Batman (Benjamin McKenzie) returns to Gotham City after spending years away training on foreign territory. Meanwhile, honest policeman Jim Gordon (Bryan Cranston) has arrived in town after being transferred from Chicago. He is sent to track Batman down but with their shared interest in ridding Gotham of its corrupt cops and criminals, the two form an unlikely alliance.
Director: Brandon Vietti, Curt Geda, Tim Maltby, Yasuhiro Aoki, Yuichiro Hayashi
Cast: Kevin Conroy, Jr. Efrem Zimbalist, Loren Lester, Bob Hastings, Melissa Gilbert
Region Code: 2 (UK & Europe)
Cert: 15
Format: DVD