Is Batman: Knightfall Part 1 Worth Watching?

 Recently, DC released an animated adaptation of its iconic 1993 storyline, “Batman: Knightfall,” on Amazon Prime.  This brutal story features an exhausted Batman as he fights to restore order to Gotham, only to discover that the one behind it all is the very one who will ultimately break him.   But is it worth watching?  For the purposes of this review, we will not be comparing the animation to the comics but will instead hold it up on its own merits. We may, however, release a comparison article at a future date. Also, please be warned that there will be spoilers.

This story is a dark and heavy story as it shows a very exhausted Batman dealing with the loss of Jason Todd (the previous Robin). In his own way, he’s trying to protect everyone, but he’s sacrificing his mental and physical health to do it. This is the backdrop for all the events taking place in the story.  It’s relatively introspective, as it discusses the burden one feels to protect and the danger of feeling like the only one who can do it.

To tell this story, it quickly introduces viewers to several characters. It opens up with a slight introduction to Azrael at the beginning of his relationship with the Bat-family, then sprinkles in backstory and his current issues throughout the film. It spends a lot of time establishing Bane’s story in the 2nd act of the film. It shows his tragic upbringing to help frame his mindset but also develops a throughline to establish his motive for coming to Gotham in the first place. Those new to Batman will be able to catch on to who these characters are pretty easily, though it does seem to rely on a dedicated fan base who’s aware of major Batman history such as the death of Jason and the relationship with Tim Drake (the current Robin) and Alfred.

Where the story suffers is the fact that this is part 1 of a 3-part movie series. This entire film is designed to set up the world and bring us to a shocking head. This honestly has made reviewing this film awkward. Whereas in a film you focus on “Act 1, 2, and 3,” this entire film is Act 1. Not to mention, the entire story is told in an hour and 18 minutes. As a result, the amount of world-building is immense, but they do a decent job of doing so while telling a complete story.

Visually, the film is striking. I can’t confirm this, but I believe this may be the first time I’ve ever seen anyone animate the pointy shoulder batsuit. The art doesn’t use the current trend of heavy black lines around characters to emulate a comic book feel in the movie, but it does a good job of creating a natural separation between characters and backdrops. The animation is smooth and does a solid job of creating moments that one could easily take stills for artistic purposes. 

As I said in the beginning, this is a heavy and dark story. There are a lot of gruesome moments where characters are being shot, beaten, stabbed, and squeezed. The part where Batman is beaten is hard to watch. This is not something for small children. 

Overall, the story told in Batman Knightfall is fascinating, and it keeps you hooked all the way through. People unfamiliar with the Batman franchise may need to ask a few questions, but overall it’s a solid movie that most people can get into and follow. Is it worth watching? Yes, it absolutely is, especially if you’re a fan of the Batman franchise and are interested in a darker story that deals with the reality of carrying burdens on your own.