Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 (2013)

SPOILER WARNING!!! This post spoils movie Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 (2013).

This is second part of animated version of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. What makes this more interesting now, is that Man of Steel sequel is inspired by that comic. I wrote earlier about first part (http://kvestimovies.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/batman-the-dark-knight-returns-part-1-2012/) . You can watch this without seeing the first one. You miss some background information of couple minor characters. I first part Batman returned. This time we see return of Joker and get some hints what happened to superheroes in this universe.

This starts three months after that. Batman has copy cat gang called Sons of Batman. Joker woke up in mental hospital after he heard Batman has returned. We learn that world is on brink of nuclear holocaust. Superman is now puppet of president. When president is like Ronald Reagan, you can easily tell that source material is from 80's.

After seeing this movie, I started to wait Man of Steel sequel. In this movie Superman is just hitman of President. He fights against Soviet Union for him. He takes care of people who are problematic to government. Superman fights against Batman because Batman helps people better than government. Government doesn't like that. Superman doesn't argue with president. He just goes to fight against Batman. He tries to talk Batman to quit because he makes government to look bad. Superman never thinks that he might be on wrong side and what he does is wrong. He just does what he is told to do.

Superman even starts nuclear war and never thinks it might be his fault. He fights against Soviet Union for control of one island. Because he is too powerful Soviet Union starts nuclear attack. Superman can stop attack before anything is hit. This how ever causes power outages around America and nuclear winter around the world. During following chaos Batman manages to restore order when authorities can't do so. This is too much for president and he sends Superman to take care of Batman.

Whole theme of this movie is how authorities can't do anything right and how they just disturb others doing what they want to do. Whole Joker angle is about this. Joker can murder people when police is fighting against Batman. Everything starts to work out when local police let Batman do his thing. All president does is cause harm. He is overconfident against Soviet Union because Superman works for him. When Soviet Union strikes back, he goes hiding. When Batman makes him and his government look bad, he tells Superman to take care of Batman.

Then the fight. I spoiled it few posts ago. Batman will "win" Superman. If you want to know what I mean by "win" you should watch this movie. Superman was not at his prime because of nuclear blast he received while stopping Soviet nuclear strike and following nuclear winter. Batman had his Iron man like suit. Little help from his friends and some kryptonite. I really want to know how much of this they will take to Man of Steel sequel. Probably only the fighting.

This is must see for every Batman fan as comic is must read for every Batman fan. When you watch this, you see how much influence the comic has had with every Batman movie after 60's Adam West movie. Comic has sequel The Dark Knight Strikes Again. That was published 15 after The Dark Knight Returns. It is also from Frank Miller. I don't remember much more about that than I was disappointed. And I wasn't only one.