BATMAN: THE DOOM THAT CAME TO GOTHAM (2023)
Label: WBHE
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 90 Minutes 6 Seconds
Audio: English, French and Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.78:1), 100p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Co-Director: Sam Liu, Christopher Berkeley
Cast: David Giuntoli, Christopher Gorham, Patrick Fabian, John DiMaggio, and David Dastmalchian, Gideon Adlon, Karan Brar, Jeffrey Combs, Darin De Paul, Brian George, Jason Marsden, Navid Negahban, Emily O’Brien, Tim Russ, William Salyers, Matthew Waterson
Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham (2023) is an Elseworld's tale based on the 3-issue comic book series by Mike Mignola (Hellboy), set in the 1920s it opens with world explorer Bruce Wayne (David Giuntoli, Batman: Soul of the Dragon) in Antarctica in search of the long missing expedition headed by Professor Cobblepot (William Salyers, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight). Wayne is joined by his youthful sidekicks Dick Grayson (Jason Marsden, Young Justice), Sanjay “Jay” Tawde (Karan Brar, Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Kai Li Cain (Tati Gabrielle, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), when they catch up with Cobblepot they find an bizarre At the Mountains of Madness type bit of Lovecraftian horror with Cobblepot having been mutated with a monstrous flock of mutant-penguins at his disposal. It's a cool Lovecraftian spin on The Penguin, and it's in this prologue that we also get the introduction of a cool variation on the Mr. Freeze character named Grendon (David Dastmalchian, Dune). Wayne realizes that there's some weird Old Ones styled cosmic horror happening there and decides to leave Cobblepot behind, but takes Grendon back to Gotham with him, locking him away on his ship, unaware that inside Grendon is a cosmic terror that may bring about Gotham's doom.
Back in Gotham Wayne dons his Batman persona to battle crime, it's a cool retro Bat suit, coming up against some re-imagined versions of his greatest foes; Ra’s al Ghul (Navid Negahban, Homeland), Talia al Ghul (Emily O’Brien, Days of Our Lives), Killer Croc, Poison Ivy (Gideon Adlon, The Craft :Legacy), Two-Face (Patrick Fabian, The Last Exorcism). We also get alternate versions of Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Christopher Gorham, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War), James Gordon (John DiMaggio, Futurama), Alfred (Brian George, Seinfeld), and the mystical Jason Blood/Etrigan (Matthew Waterson, The Croods: Family Tree), plus Kirk Langston who is notably voiced by horror Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator), and while we don't get a Langstrom version of Man-Bat I am pleased to say that we do get a cool version of Man-Bat here, but I won't spoil that here.
This Elseworld's tale us quite unlike any Batman tale, the mystic/cosmic horror of it certainly rings of Mignola's Hellboy series with old god baddies who have infiltrated our realm are and on the precipice of summoning the tentacled world-destroying big-baddie Iog-Sotha, but it's up to Batman to save Gotham, but only after realizing his own cosmic-horror origins. The Lovecraftian re-imagining of Batman's rogue's gallery is fantastic, I loved the horrific twists on Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, The Penguin and in particular Poison Ivy who is no longer a seductive villain but is out and out terrifying in her new incarnation. There are some tasty nods to Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and the title of the film itself is a reference to Lovecraft's short story The Doom That Came To Sarnath, plus visually the climax has a strong The Colour Out of Space vibe. This is absolutely oozing with cosmic terror, enhanced by some dynamic animation, backgrounds and character designs that in my opinion are a cut above the usual animated Batman tale, this is easily a top five animated Batman for me.
Audio/Video: Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham (2023) arrives on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray from WBHE in 2160p UHD and 1080p HD widescreen (1.78:1). The film is pretty dark and deeply shadowed and the UHD with wide gamut color0grading handles the darkness and vibrant colors quite nicely, edging out the Blu-ray with deeper hues and truer blacks with improved contrast. The colors have a nice pop to them, when things start getting mystical and cosmic the greens, otherworldly pinks and purples, and electric blues come alive, and the darker scenes of Batman stalking the night have excellent shadow detail. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with optional English subtitles, it's a solid track that offers an occasionally immersive sound design that pulls you into the cosmic happenings.
Extras on this release include the new 13-min Batman: Shadows of Gotham featurette with screenwriter Jace Rocci, producer/co-director Sam Liu, clinical psychologist and consultant Dr. Drea Letamendi, and voice director Wes Gleason. We also get a Audio Commentary with producer/co-director Sam Liu and screenwriter Jase Ricci, two Ra's As Ghul centric episodes of Batman: The Animated Series and archival Sneak Peaks of Gotham By Gaslight (9 min) and Superman: Red Son (11 min). The two-disc release arrives in a black, dual-hubbed keepcase with a single sided sleeve of artwork and a slipcover with he same artwork. Inside there's a redemption code for a digital copy of the movie.
Special Features:
- Batman: Shadows of Gotham (New Featurette) – An examination of themes of existential dread in a world drenched in gothic overtones that combine to create one of Batman’s most unique adventures. (13 min)
- Audio Commentary – Filmmakers and storytellers, including producer/co-director Sam Liu and screenwriter Jase Ricci, take in all the gothic horror and intrigue of Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.
- From the DC Vault: Batman: The Animated Series "The Demon's Quest - Part 1" (22 min) and "The Demon's Quest - Part II" (22 min)
- Sneak Peak: Gotham By Gaslight (9 min)
- Sneak Peak: Superman: Red Son (11 min)
Screenshots from the Blu-ray:
Extras:
