Director(s) – Christopher Berkeley (Extreme Ghostbusters, Men in Black: The Series) and Sam Liu (Batman vs. Dracula, Superman: Red Son)
Starring – David Giuntoli (Grimm, Ghost Whisperer), Gideon Adlon (The Craft: Legacy, Witch Hunt), and Karan Brar (Hubie Halloween, Pacific Rim: Uprising)
Release Date – 2023
Rating – 3/5
I’ve been getting the DC animated films for review for several years now. While I wasn’t really a fan of animated flicks beforehand, I’ve found that I actually enjoy them now and often look forward to the next project. A few weeks ago I was at work when I received a package from WB. I rarely get packages anymore due to covid and the economy so when something shows up I get that little rush of adrenaline.
When I opened it I was pleased to find a copy of Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham. I was familiar with the comic series but I had no idea that it was being adapted into an animated film. I couldn’t wait to dig into this one but I had to due to the amount of films I was behind on reviewing. However, once I finished a few streaming links sent over I decided it was time to finally check this one out.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows wealthy rich playboy Bruce Wayne who is on an expedition when he discovers that Cobblepot and a few others have succumbed to madness after discovering something buried in the ice. When Bruce investigates he finds one survivor who is changing once he came in contact with the sleeping beast in the ice. Bruce inadvertently touches the ice encasing the creature which begins the awakening process. He rushes back to Gotham after a 20 year hiatus in hopes of uncovering the secrets of the being trapped in the ice only to be confronted with a world outside of science and a pact that traces back to his deceased parents. **Spoiler Alert**
The Doom That Came to Gotham could have been better but having a horror tale set around the dark knight in the 1920s is something I thought I would never see. While the animated films from DC tend to take a bigger risk their live action adaptations, I never expected that the series pinned by Hellboy’s Mike Mignola would get the animated film treatment. I really liked it especially as a fan of Mignola, Lovecraft, and the DC films but I couldn’t help imagine how much more fun it would have been if it would have fully embraced the horror side.
The voice acting in this one is not my favorite. I didn’t necessarily care for most of the casting choices but I know the cast tried to capture the look and sounds of the 20s. With that being said, Batman didn’t sound like Batman and most of the other characters had voices that didn’t really fit the characters. The cast doesn’t do a bad job but they don’t really fit the characters they were hired to portray. I really enjoyed the story for this one. It gives viewers an alternate take on many of our most beloved Batman characters while putting a H.P. Lovecraft spin to it. I liked the creativity that went into the characters backstories to match the time period and settings of the new story but I feel like a lot more detail could have been spent on the Lovecraftian influences.
Finally, I really enjoyed the animation and the setting for this one. Having the film take place during the time when Lovecraft was pinning his most famous tales. When you mix it with the solid animation done in a traditional DC style you have something that works for the story while catering to those DC fans that look forward to the animated films. Overall, The Doom That Came to Gotham is another solid DC animated flick that gives fans a story they would never see get the live action treatment. It’s a fun Lovecraftian spin on our favorite DC characters that I think a lot of fans will enjoy. Check it out
