Batman Ninja (2018)
Stars: Koichi Yamadera, Wataru Takagi, Ai Kakuma
Runtime: 85 minutes
Animation: 9/10
Performances: 5/10
Screenplay: 3/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Performances: 5/10
Screenplay: 3/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Verdict: When a fight against Grodd goes wrong, Batman and all his entourage find themselves trapped in Ancient Japan, where the caped crusader must defeat all his enemies to go back to present times.
Ever since the trailer for the movie came out, the idea of mixing some of the most beloved western characters with Japanese culture intrigued me. And in a way, that mix actually worked. The character designs were incredible, and the animation succeeded in making the movie look like an anime. Even the tonally eastern score worked pretty well, even though it did eventually get a bit repetitive.
However, it's in its writing that the animated film suffers. The characters were really disappointing, especially the Joker, who in my opinion is one of the most annoying Jokers ever put to screen. The other villains don't have a lot of screentime, but none of them especially stood out. Batman and Catwoman were fine at most, but still far from the level of their other animated equals. The voice performances didn't help either (I watched the film in English, but I believe there's a Japanese version out there), as most deliveries were not convincing in the least. The narrative was poorly written as well. I wasn't invested at all in the story told, which saw a messy conclusion similar to an entry in the Transformers franchise.
In the end, "Batman Ninja" is a case of style over substance, which is too bad since the idea behind it is quite original.
However, it's in its writing that the animated film suffers. The characters were really disappointing, especially the Joker, who in my opinion is one of the most annoying Jokers ever put to screen. The other villains don't have a lot of screentime, but none of them especially stood out. Batman and Catwoman were fine at most, but still far from the level of their other animated equals. The voice performances didn't help either (I watched the film in English, but I believe there's a Japanese version out there), as most deliveries were not convincing in the least. The narrative was poorly written as well. I wasn't invested at all in the story told, which saw a messy conclusion similar to an entry in the Transformers franchise.
In the end, "Batman Ninja" is a case of style over substance, which is too bad since the idea behind it is quite original.
Final Grade: 5/10
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