Nerds That Geek Movie Review - 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1'

Written by Scott Edwards

​It is hard to give up on what you are good at, even if the world tells you it is time. I cannot imagine what will happen when I am no longer needed to do what I do, but I know that the day is coming and coming soon. Talent is something that cannot be taught, it is something that is bred into you and when the time comes, there is nothing to replace the thrill of doing it, no matter what anybody says.

It has been ten years since Batman has been seen on the streets of Gotham and things could not be worse. With the Mutants taking over the streets, the city is in peril and needs someone to take them back once and for all. With Commissioner Gordon about to retire, the Mayor believes that the city will fall back into line with him out of the way, but the Mutants are not willing to wait to find out. As Harvey Dent is released from Arkham with both sides of his face looking the same, he is looking to take over the city once again and with nobody to stop him, he will be able to cash in with his knowledge and power that someone tried to take away from him.

Bruce Wayne may not be happy with his retirement, but he is happy to be out of the game, but when he starts seeing what is happening around the city, he knows that he is the only one who will be able to make a difference. Putting on the suit once again, Batman becomes mainstream news and there is nobody that can stop him. In one night, the Batman is able to take out several plots that would have changed the Gothamite outlook on life with minimal effort. Although he is older and slower, Batman is able to show that one man can make a difference and will not stop until the leader of the Mutants has been captured and dealt with. Gordon knows that Batman is the only answer to what has been happening around the city and will not put any of his men on the case to stop him. With his retirement looming, Gordon still holds the key to the city and knows that Batman is the answer to bringing the Mutants down once and for all.

Carrie Kelly was a witness to Batman’s return to the city and now she wants to help with the effort against the evil that has taken over the city. Suiting up in a Robin costume, she is ready to show what she can do and with Batman getting older, she knows that she can make a difference. Watching as Batman takes on the leader of the Mutants, she sees that he might not be strong enough to take down the younger, stronger man. Being able to return Batman to his cave to heal up, Carrie is given the task of infiltrating the Mutants and getting them to centralize. As the leader of the Mutants has been put into prison, he is given an early release by Batman for one final showdown that will change the outlook of all of his followers. Does Batman have enough left in the tank to defeat the stronger man or will this show make the Mutants more powerful than they have ever been before?

This is the first of a two-part series and I am more than happy with how it played out. I have never hid my love for Batman and his stories and this one does not disappoint. Being retired from the streets, Bruce Wayne is still looking for thrills, but since he is no longer battling evil, he has to find other methods to keep the blood pumping. Watching as he starts to see his past come alive once again, it is great to see how he takes the news to heart when the Mutants move into Gotham. Even at an older age, Wayne knows that he is able to make a difference in Gotham and one-night shows what he is capable of. Even though he has lost a step, he is still able to defeat the sinister villains on the streets and make them think twice about what they are doing. Even when the news starts to criticize him about what he is doing, it will not deter Batman from doing what he knows is right. 

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