Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero

To start with, the animation is fantastic. The story is exciting and fast paced. Not as dark as the previous animated film, but it was like the way Batman acts in the comics and show. He solves the crime, looking for clues and has a great fight with the bad guy. This could have been a big screen contender but because Batman and Robin failed, Warner Bros. said no and released it to video. But this is still great and superior to Batman and Robin. They have to make another animated Batman film, and not that Batman Beyond film they're talking about. Recommended for all.

For me, "SubZero" is mostly about context. This is a Mr. Freeze story by the people behind "Batman: TAS", so you know it's top-shelf. And, coming a year after "Batman and Robin" was like a salve for Schwarzenegger's portrayal. Context also applies to the CGI use. Back in '98, it looked pretty good (at the very least, expensive). Despite its aging, it was good for the time.

The only real complaint I have is the the abbreviated running time. Shorter even than "Mask of the Phantasm", the clipped pacing doesn't allow for much in the way of character development. But the animation is strong, and so is the action; particularly the submarine opening and Dick's chase with Freeze. There's great imagery in this movie and I love that Freeze has polar bear henchmen. It's a little touch, but man, does it work.

7/10

Mr. Freeze's wife needs an organ transplant and Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, is the only acceptable blood match. So Freeze kidnaps her while she's on a date with Dick Grayson, aka Robin. Batman and Robin race against time to rescue Barbara before it's too late. Very good animated movie that's miles better than Joel Schumacher's craptacular movie that also featured Mr. Freeze and Batgirl, released not long before this. What might surprise some is that Batman is largely absent from the first half of this. It still works, though, due to the great characterizations and writing. Although this is nowhere near as strong as the award-winning "Heart of Ice" episode of Batman: The Animated Series. That episode was the best Mr. Freeze story ever told in any form of media. This is still a very enjoyable movie, hampered slightly by some sloppy animation. The story does feel like it could have been a two-part episode of the TV series but since the series was excellent I fail to see how that's a negative.

Batman & Mr. Freeze tells a fun tale of Batman and Robin chasing down yet another looney from Gotham and using their detective work to race against the clock. The movie makes Mr. Freeze not only a sympathetic villain but in the end almost redeemable. The only real problem with the movie is a few minor hiccups in the animation here in there, particular in the 3d scenes, and some of the clues Batman finds being a little bit deus ex machina. Other than that it's a solid animated Batman adventure.

Batman: Subzero is the second film of the Dc animated universe after Mask of the Phantasm and although it is dated a little for toady'd standards, it makes up for it with (a) an entailing story, (b) well made and realistic characters (!) and (c) an antagonist ,who is motivated by love, the real Mr. Freeze. This flick was at first planned to be released in 1997, but due to the massive back lash, which the abomination Batman and Robin received the date went back a whole year!

Now Let's dive in to the main components that make it so good. Starting with (a) the story. We follow Doctor Victor Freeze , who is desperate to find a donor of his wife in order to save her and for that he devise a plan in order to find a suitable donor and fast.So he abducts Barbara Gordon AKA Batgirl and it is up to the Boy Wander and the Knight of Gotham City to find her. OK, the story may lacks some originality,but its job of make you understand why everyone do what his or her is doing, so we are fine here

To the (b) realism of the Characters, I want to emphasize here for that animated video movie was more realistic from its live action counterpart. Every character needs are logical and even the design of Gotham feels like an metropolis buzzing around the clock, which is awesome.

To the "villain" of the film (!),Mr. Freeze, I am a big fan of this guy and here they show really well ,that his criminal actions aren't due to his greed, need of vengeance or ego ,he does them for his wife .Also the fact that he can' hag her o kiss makes you at times feel bad for the fellow and I was rooting for him to get what he wanted.

Final and Bonus fact the animation. Two are the facts that decrease the quality of the movie from an awesome story to a solid, decent one. The first is the unoriginal of the story and the other the animation it isn't as top notes as an animated film of that universe needs to be. The reason for that is that the Bruce Tim's team tried to use some CGI 'in to the designs and remember it is 1998 and cgi is not a evolve as now ,so that is the reason. But it isn't awful at least, it is just fine.

In the end although dated, the film is the best interpretation of Mr. Freeze so far and I wish this one will inspire the Warner Bros. to make it in a big Budget live action film, somewhere after the Justice League movies for it is a shame to not give a chance to doctor Victor.