The Unusual Comic Crossover Movie You Might Have Missed
With comic book movies becoming the dominant genre in film, a common conversation amongst fans is when/if we might get to see a crossover film between companies. James Gunn stoked the fire on this conversation last year. He has been working as a director for Marvel and DC, putting out hit after hit with no signs of slowing down. Gunn revealed last year that he had discussions with both companies about a potential crossover in the future. So, it has become only a matter of time until the two companies give us the live-action crossover we deserve. Until then, it may delight you to hear that there has already been an animated comic crossover film based on DC and IDW properties.
In 2019, Warner Brothers teamed up with Nickelodeon to put out Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Based on the crossover comic series of a similar name, this film is sure to delight fans of both series. It's truly a best of both worlds scenario, delivering a surprisingly goofy yet graphic film. The two properties mesh with general ease. The Turtles feel right at home in Gotham with the film embracing the ridiculousness and campy nature of Batman's rogues' gallery. It feels similar to HBO Max's Harley Quinn in the sense that Batman is the anchor of seriousness while those around him feel more free-spirited and goofy. The Bat Family often struggles to take the TMNT seriously, while the Turtles struggle to take Gotham and its threats seriously.
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The film opens with a scene that feels very akin to Batman the Animated Series, with a red skyed Gotham and silhouetted figures. It doesn't take long to jump right into the action. Barbara Gordon is receiving a tour of a lab when she finds herself trapped in the middle of an altercation between the Turtles and the Foot Clan. A piece of the machine she came to see is stolen and she immediately reports to Batman. Following this theft, the GCPD alerts Bruce Wayne a similar theft is to occur at his labs. When the Foot Clan arrives to steal the piece, they are instead met with Batman. After taking down swarms of ninjas, Batman finds himself face to face with Shredder. One of the best fight scenes in the movie occurs here. Both Batman and Shredder deal crushing blows and counter each other's attacks with every move. Finally, Shredder has enough and delivers an ancient attack where he focuses all of his force on a two-fisted punch directly into the caped crusader's chest. This sends Batman flying back, immobilized, and bleeding from the mouth.
Meanwhile, outside of the lab, the Turtles have a confrontation with the Penguin. Michaelangelo can't help but gush over the many uses of Penguin's umbrellas. Upon his men being defeated, Penguin flies away with his umbrella and the Turtles realize the theft they came to stop has already occurred. While leaving, the Turtles see the Batmobile causing the only true Batman vs TMNT moment to occur. In a lengthy battle, Batman is able to defeat the Turtles one by one. In a standout moment, Batman punches Michaelangelo's foot, grabs his jaw while he screams, then throws Mikey through the window of a pizza joint. The action scenes in this movie, while constant, never cease to deliver.
After escaping Batman, the TMNT does some research into him. Leonardo says that he had heard stories of a bat in Gotham but always believed him to be a myth. This line shows a departure from the comic. In the comic, the Turtles find themselves transported to the DC Universe; while in the movie, they exist in the same universe as Batman. This is an old style that was used in early comic crossovers, such as Batman vs The Incredible Hulk, so that the plot can focus on the story wanting to be told without addressing how these characters actually wound up crossing universes. Realizing that they're all on the same side, Leonardo tracks down the location of the Bat Cave so they can convince Batman that they need to work together. Once they arrive, they fight with Damian Wayne. Batman puts a stop to the fight. After all the hostilities have cleared, together they are able to piece together that Shredder has teamed up with Ras Al Ghul to develop a machine to mutate all the humans in Gotham so that the city will be plunged into chaos.
The dynamics between characters feel very natural throughout the film. Both Batman and the TMNT are well known for their fighting skills and have deep ties to ninjas. Seeing Ras Al Ghul and Shredder teaming up and fighting side by side is surreal. The two often butt heads throughout the film, as they both need each other to gain what they seek. This dynamic is nothing compared to the title characters being side by side. It often feels strange to see the TMNT working alongside the Bat Family, but it also doesn't feel anything but perfect. The film makes great use of showing the similar dynamics between characters. Batman and Leonardo are both leaders that are driven in their missions; Batgirl and Donatello make an excellent scientific pairing; Damien and Raphael are both hot-headed and simply waiting for the fight; meanwhile, Alfred has his hands full trying to tame the wild Michaelangelo.
While this movie is essentially one long action scene, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fights can become surprisingly graphic in the first half, with shurikens to the head, knees to mouth causing blood and teeth to fly, and watching as the life is drained from characters' bodies. Many moments will have the viewer on the edge of their seat. The fight scenes between Batman and Shredder often feel so evenly matched that the outcome is never assured to be in Batman's favor. On the flip side, the fight between Ras and the Turtles feels so intense, you can't help but feel they stand no chance against the ancient master. While Batman and the TMNT face off against a mass breakout in Arkham you'll be excited to see who shows up and how each character fends off their foe. When Leonardo faces Scarecrow, he is sucked into a fear gas vision that shows his brothers dying before his eyes while Leonardo is helpless to do anything. This causes PTSD to the turtle, and he continues to see this vision in a later altercation. Though it's hard to imagine the heroes doing anything but winning in the end, the fight scenes often leave you wondering what will happen next.
The art style of this film is very much similar to the TMNT animated series that aired on Nickelodeon. This adds an extra layer of uniqueness to the Batman world and film as a whole. It's a style that feels very familiar to fans of the TMNT cartoon, yet adds a nice twist to the Batman characters. None of the designs feel out of place. In fact, there was a spinoff comic series to the initial crossover that saw both the TMNT animated series and Batman the Animated Series universes cross paths. The comedy and light-hearted tone fit the spinoff comic series, but the brutality of the action feels more akin to the source material of James Tynion IV's initial crossover series. Regardless of which franchise you are a fan of, there is something in here for you.
Prepare for a good laugh from this movie. While the action never stops, the jokes don't either. Of course. pizza is a big part of this film. Batman refuses to allow Batgirl and Robin to eat pizza while they're working on the case, only ordering stacks of pies for the Turtles so they'll focus more. Seeing Jim Gordon in shock as he sees the Turtles will definitely evoke laughter as he has to remind himself that he can imagine a world wherein retirement he won't have to deal with mutated turtles and clowns will actually be funny. Hearing Batman drop a dryly delivered "cowabunga" in the middle of a fight is shocking and hilarious. The TMNT's reactions to Gotham are just as priceless. They often make a mockery of the ridiculous nature of the villains that Batman faces (especially Penguin) with Michaelangelo even exclaiming, "Gotham is bonkers, yo!" It's hard to decide what is funnier, the Turtles' reaction to Gotham or Gotham's reaction to the Turtles.
Without giving too much away in this article, Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an absolute must-see for any fan of either of the characters. Stay tuned for a post-credits scene that teases a sequel. Sadly, there have been no announcements for one, but one can only hold out hope for the future. It is hard to stress just how crazy it is to see them all together and the film working so well. More than that, this proves that the animated medium would be perfect for comic crossover movies in the future. While a live-action crossover with some of our favorite characters and actors will no doubt be legendary, a cheaper medium like animation is teeming with the potential to bring more crossover storylines to life. Let's just hope that one day Warner Bros can make a deal with Disney like they did with Nickelodeon and give us the Marvel/DC crossover so many fans are anxiously awaiting.
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