Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

A cartoon version of the 1966 Adam West Batman series.

Many others have said they struggled with Adam West sounding so old, but that was not so much an issue with me.

This is a wonderful tribute to a 50 year old TV series. I could have done without a few minor changes to the old show (since when is space travel apart of 1966 Batman?) but all things considered, well worth watching.

Another film followed in 2017 after but this 2016 one keeps to the 1966 style better than the next one. Despite having the voice talents of William Shatner, the next one has a grim tone that seems out of place here.

It is too bad these animated movies were not made all the time (beginning in about 2006) but copyright issues prevented such a thing from happening.

What a dose of Nostalgia. I heard that the opening credits incorporated many classic comic book covers with some fantastic animation, so I took a look this morning before heading to more important tasks -- but I could not stop watching. Fascinating, funny, festive, friendly, and very alliterative, the actors, writers, and animators knocked this out of the park.

I think I spotted at least 50 sly references, and I'm sure I missed many others. Labels, labels, labels galore. I was thoroughly amused throughout. One thing I've noticed is that nearly everyone is staying spoiler-free, but the twists are like punchlines to good jokes. None of the dozens of punchlines are particularly surprising, but they are all fun, and many of them require the set-up, animation, and acting to be meaningful. For example -- "Begora" is one of these punchlines. Explaining why it's funny wouldn't be funny, so why ruin the joke?

The movie does get a bit dark. In one particular scene, Robin is horrified by a punch that doesn't follow Marquess of Queensberry rules. Robin's reaction to that punch and subsequent actions keep the movie grounded and friendly. I have to give special acclaim for Burt Ward, here -- his exuberance and delivery hasn't changed an iota.

Does the movie get some things wrong? Like the Joker's hidden mustache? Yes and perhaps. There are dozens of things that are not quite like the 60's show, and hundreds of things that are spot-on perfect. I don't recall hearing the Riddler's music cue, but the Batman theme is incorporated well in many places. The producers have already mention that some of the "mistakes" are intentional, such as the colors of Robin's logo being flipped in a throwaway shot, an homage to mistakes in previous animations. I will be watching this many times.

The sequel has already been announced, with William Shatner as Two- Face.

This is the most enjoyable movie I've seen in years. Highly recommended.

In a climate where it feels like Batman is always trying to be grim, dark, brooding and epic; it feels like a breath of fresh air when someone says "Hey remember the 60's Batman? Wasn't that fun! Let's do something like that!" I watched that old 60's movie all the time when I was a kid and I still get a kick out of it. While I haven't watched a lot of the old series, from what I have gathered this movie mimics it perfectly. The crazy gadgets, the silly alliterations, the kooky villains, and even the fact that they add the word "bat" to everything Batman creates. However, it does have a few dull spots for me and it feels like some of the ahem "action" sequences go on a bit too long. However, I think we need to measure a film by what it's trying to do and how well it executes it despite how it makes you feel. And since this movie is obviously trying to homage the old show as well as be it's own thing, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders does a great job! It has an interesting story, fun characters and some great dialogue. If you wanna see a new spin on the classic Adam West Batman, then look no further!

Batman has changed a lot since the days of Adam West came and put on the suit. It is to the point where it seems like no one even remembers that Adam West was the original Batman. However DC animation has helped bring back the old Adam West styled Batman in a major way. While also realizing those original fans have probably grew up now so is more willing to lace the film with more sexual humor and also press buttons with the whole Batman taking around a boy with tights and how strange that really is.

This movie also takes a clean shot at the new darker Batman who is more willing to be on the edge and do whatever it takes to make the villains pay for there crimes. It is quite a interesting look on what Batman was in the 60s to what Batman is today.

Catwoman also is updated to be a little more similar to the type of character she has become today. Selina Kyle has started to run that line between hero and villain and this movie easily lets us know that is trying to do that. From her working with the boy wonder to help Batman or taking on the villains she had once partnered with. The film does a great job showing us the new Catwoman.

Overall Batman Return of the Caped Crusaders is a great return to that 60s Batman world and knows how to have fun with its inclusive stories and campy aspects as well. The movie is quite a whole lot of fun to enjoy for those fans

When the 60s series first aired in Australia, the country did not yet have colour TV. I watched endless repeats of the series in colour when we moved to Texas in 1969. With my growing interest in the female gender, I was a big Julie Newmar Catwoman fan and had great admiration for her dangerous curves.

Return of the Caped Crusaders is OK, but it is hard to poke fun at something that always used to poke fun at itself. As such, I can fully understand why someone who has never had much exposure to the 60s series would not find the movie all that interesting. The series was out-of-step with the original DC character which debuted in 1939, and it took a great deal of effort on the part of movie-makers to return the character to its dark roots.

Fans of the 60s series are likely to enjoy this movie... aging character voices and all. But that is where it lives. It is not a part of either the contemporary or original Batman universe, and should not be compared to either.