Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27565 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-12-19
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 77 minutes

From Amazon.com
Some diehard Batfans have been slow to warm to the animated series Batman Beyond even though it was created by the same team responsible for the excellent Batman cartoon of the early '90s. The Dark Knight should be a brooding avenger in a noir-nightmare Gotham City, the purists argue, not some smart-aleck teen four decades in the future, with jet packs, invisibility shields, and other sci-fi gizmos loaned him by an elderly Bruce Wayne (voiced, excellently as always, by Kevin Conroy, his stony bass given a raspy hint of old age), now confined to hobbling about on a cane and monitoring his protégé's activities from the Batcave. Between its respectful reexamination of the "tortured hero" mythos and its sleek, anime-inspired look, this feature-length movie should go a long way toward quieting their complaints. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they've brought back the most legendary figure in the Rogues Gallery (voiced by Mark Hamill, deliciously deranged), but exactly how and why the Joker has managed to turn up 40 years after his last meeting with Batman still as youthful and diabolical as ever is explained not only logically but terrifyingly as well. The secret behind his arrival is perhaps the saddest, grimmest twist any purported "kids' show" has dared to attempt. (Parents may well want to preview this tape before screening it for the very young.) Once again, Warner Brothers' cartoon Batman has outshone all the live-action films, never allowing the thrilling action set pieces or flashes of wry humor to drown out the drama, even tragedy, of the all-too-human superheroes. --Bruce Reid

Video Details
The greatest villain of all comes out of the past to threaten Batman, Bruce Wayne and all of Gotham City in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, the first feature-length Batman Beyond movie. The sleeker, deadlier and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back with his own unique brand of havoc and mayhem. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, discovers the greatest mystery in the life of the original Caped Crusader: What happened the night he fought the Joker for the last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's latest attacks, Batman vows to avenge his mentor and put the Joker to rest forever. Get ready for heart-stomping action, awesome adventure and amazing revelations in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

Review
Steeped in controversy, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is about as dark and violent as family animation can get. It also happens to be the best interpretation of the character since the Batman: The Animated Series premiered in 1992. While the story does, indeed, follow the heir to the Dark Knight's throne -- Batman Beyond -- anyone who is familiar with the revamped series will know how integral Bruce Wayne is to the basic story line. With Batman Beyond: The Movie already covering the original Caped Crusader's last days on the job, Return of the Joker takes things one step further and lets viewers in on the final, climatic battle with the clown prince of crime, The Joker. Told through flashbacks, it's a brutal and nasty moment that shows once and for all why the character is undoubtedly regarded as a psychopath. Credit should go to Mark Hamill, who devilishly takes center stage as the maniacal villain once again, concocting a wicked performance that's both hilarious and downright disturbing at the same time. Thankfully, the rest of the animated film is just as tight, combining the perfect amount of drama, mystery, and full-blown bat-action for the audience to eat up. With flawless character design and highly stylized fight choreography, the feature is a visual marvel that never fails to impress. In fact, the storytelling is so visceral and seamless that it's amazing that the film was done in such a short amount of time only to be dumped to the video market (for which, in all fairness, it was developed). It might be a little extreme for the youngins, but for all others, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a true classic that delivers an inventive and adventurous take on the character's mythos. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Customer Reviews

I'm tanned, I'm Rested and I'm Ready to Give this Town a Wedgy Again!
He was thought dead. The laughter was supposed to have ended.

But evil never dies.

The Joker is back!

His mission? Why, give Gotham a wedgy again!

But this Gotham is different than the one the Joker left behind. It's a new Gotham with a new Batman.

Plenty of surprises abound in this thrilling chapter in the Batman Beyond universe.

This movie is brilliant, pure and simple.

I've seen both the regular and the uncut versions of this film and it's the uncut version that's being reviewed here (the regular is virtually the same and has only a few altered scenes).

The uncut version doesn't hold back and isn't sensitive to the viewer's eyes. This one's much more violent than the regular version. In the original release, certain events were only implied. In this one, they are shown. (If anything, I was surprised at how graphic this cartoon was compared to the Batman Beyond and Batman: TAS episodes.)

Ah, yes, the joys of direct-to-DVD releases.

The Batman in Batman Beyond, Terry McGinnis, is real. You care about him, you relate to him. You want to be him even when the tension mounts between him and his mentor, Bruce Wayne.

The Joker's nasty in this and once more Mark Hamill, with that creepy laugh of his, reminds us why he was born to play the Joker. The dialogue, the jokes--utterly fantastic!

The story is stellar, with multiple plots going on at once. It also answers the questions you have about the fate of the characters from Batman: TAS, which had a series finale that fell flat. (It was just another episode, really.)

The first time I saw this film I couldn't believe what happened to one of the Bat regulars. It still blows me away every time I see it.

Evil never dies.

Language warning: Blasphemy.

Its Superb,Nothing short of excellence
Well,I watched the edited version,i really didn't understand tim drake's guilt.but after watching the unedited version, now i know why tim drake was guilty.I was really glad they didn't take out the violence and the final battle with the joker.The action was excellent,Voice-Overs are great,I Recommend the BB:ROTJ(UNCUT)Version to Friends.

Forget the "extras"...stick to the movie!
""Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" is an exciting addition to the ongoing saga of The Dark Knight. An older Bruce Wayne has passed the torch to Terry McGinnis but a dreaded nemesis (The Joker) has managed to return from the ashes and wreck havoc on the citizens of Gotham. With a crew of henchpersons, the Joker does not just plan to destroy Batman but he has fatal designs on the entire city.

As has been the case since the animated Batman took wing in the early 90's, the voiceover talent is incomparable. Kevin Conroy, Will Friedle, Mark Hamill, Dean Stockwell, Arleen Sorkin, and Angie Harmon bring their respective characters to brilliant life. They are truly deserving of awards for their effective deliveries.

Because of the mature subject matter of the film, it is not
recommended for anyone younger than ten. There are some scenes that, although an adult can explain them, are a bit too intense for small fry.

The DVD supplemental trappings are rather lackluster, especially the commentary by the animators.

In comparing the dialog with those of other DVD sets, the guys' reflections are quite dull and somewhat amateurish.

It's a good thing that they put together such a good movie.

They should leave the "chatting" part alone!