by Jayden Leggett, Editor

What’s the matter, haven’t heard of this one before? Well, that’s probably because this DC Universe Original Movie isn’t an adaptation of any pre-existing comic book story. That’s right folks, this is a genuine 100% new and unseen tale, and what’s even better is the fact that it is based in the same universe as the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game series. Score!

The story for Batman: Assault on Arkham unfolds a little something like this: after a failed attempt at capturing (or killing) the Riddler thanks to interference from Batman, government agent Amanda Waller forcibly assembles a strike team consisting of some of Gotham’s deadliest villains: Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost, Black Spider, King Shark and Captain Boomerang. Being responsible for many “off-the-books” government initiatives with an incredible lack of morals and ethics, Waller has no problems with implanting an explosive in the back of each “Suicide Squad” member’s neck. Failure to follow orders results in instant decapitation. Hence the uneasily-allied super-criminals set forth on their covert assault on Arkham Asylum. Simultaneously, the Dark Knight is also on a mission: to locate and defuse a dirty bomb hidden somewhere in Gotham by the Joker, which if detonated could have catastrophic effects on the entire city.

One thing that I found particularly great about this film was the fact that it mainly followed the exploits of the Suicide Squad, with only brief glimpses of the Bat here and there until the final portion of the film, when he eventually makes a dramatic entrance as only Batman can. Following the events of the story from the point of view of the villains was a great mechanic, and left me kind of wanting the villains to succeed, or at the very least not get their heads blown off. When Batman does end up crashing in on the Suicide Squad I was instantly reminded that he is in fact the hero of the piece, and that cheering for the bad guys is wrong. Bad Jayden. Bad!

Let it be made clear right now that Batman: Assault on Arkham is in no way a children’s movie, as it is quite possibly the most violent and adult-orientated DC animated film I have seen so far. When we are first introduced to King Shark, he is soaking in a bathtub full of blood while the naked corpses of his victims hang upside-down from the ceiling of his hotel room. Harley Quinn’s introductory spotlight is equally as ferocious, as we see the psychotic jester deal with unwanted female interference by biting off a woman’s ear. Hell, even the Dark Knight himself gets in on the brutality, delivering a blood-spattering Bat-punch to a soldier’s jaw before breaking the arm of another. Savage stuff indeed. And if you thought that sounded “adults-only” enough on its own, I should also take this opportunity to inform you of the incredibly sexually-charged tone of much of the film’s dialogue. In fact, two members of the Suicide Squad even do the hippity-dippity (and no, I’m not going to spoil it by telling you who. You’ll just have to wait and see…)

Brutal violence is all well and good, but only if it’s backed up with some kick-ass action sequences, and thankfully Batman: Assault on Arkham delivers this in spades. The opening sequence beautifully illustrates what is in store for the viewer: a super action-packed fight sequence in which Batman utilizes his arsenal of gadgets and supreme martial arts mastery against a small military squad, with the slick fight choreography perfectly complimenting the fluid animation. Batarangs whiz through the sky, enemy attacks are expertly dodged and countered, even Batman’s grapnel gun is incorporated into this riveting fight sequence. Words simply can’t describe how Bat-tastic the combat in this film is, not to mention the slick, gritty art style. The Dark Knight simply beats the crap out of everybody in this movie.

Of course, when it comes to the world of animation, great visuals can easily become null and void if the voice acting sucks. Unsurprisingly, this is not the case with Batman: Assault on Arkham, thanks to a rock-solid cast of top-notch voice actors. Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) reprises his role from the games as the Batman, and Nolan North (Uncharted) also briefly returns in a short scene featuring the Penguin. While not previously featured in the games, other actor performances worthy of note were Neal McDonough (Minority Report), who’s calm yet calculating performance as Deadshot was a very enjoyable rendition of the character, Hynden Walch (Adventure Time), who brought just the right amount of crazy to the table as the ever-lovable Harley Quinn, and Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds), who was spot-on as the smug and arrogant Riddler. Other cast members include John DiMaggio (Adventure Time), Greg Ellis (Pirates of the Caribbean), Giancarlo Esposito (The Usual Suspects) and Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect 3), who all performed admirably as King Shark, Captain Boomerang, Black Spider and Killer Frost respectively. Alas, the mighty Mark Hamill wasn’t able to voice the Joker this time around, but thankfully the role was still handled incredibly well by Troy Baker (The Last Of Us), who voiced the Clown Prince of Crime in Batman: Arkham Origins.

In a nutshell, I loved Batman: Assault on Arkham: the fact that it mainly followed the journey of the bad guys, the incredible action sequences, the various sudden and unexpected deaths of several members of the Suicide Squad, an all-out skirmish between Arkham Asylum escapees and the police, this animated flick contained everything I could possibly ask for. My one and only gripe? It’s running time is just barely over an hour! Admittedly, the pacing of the narrative was spot on, so if the short running time was the result of the filmmakers ensuring that the viewer never got bored during this flick, then I can totally deal with that.

At the end of the day, if you are a Bat-fan, you need to buy this movie. Likewise, if you enjoy films featuring infiltrations, prison breaks, fast-paced action or a less than savory cast, Batman: Assault on Arkham will be right up your alley. Bring on more DC animations with original story lines, I say!

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives Batman: Assault on Arkham 4.5 out of 5 supervillain orgasms.

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