Batman vs. Robin

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Batman vs. Robin
Directed by	Jay Oliva
Screenplay by	J. M. DeMatteis
Produced by	James Tucker
Starring	Stuart Allan Jason O'Mara Sean Maher Jeremy Sisto David McCallum Grey DeLisle Kevin Conroy Robin Atkin Downes Troy Baker "Weird Al" Yankovic
Edited by	Al Bretienbach
Music by	Frederik Wiedmann
Production companies	Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment
Distributed by	Warner Home Video
Release dates	April 7, 2015 (2015-04-07) (digital) April 14, 2015 (2015-04-14) (physical)
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Batman vs. Robin is a direct-to-video animated superhero film which is part of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies and DC Animated Movie Universe. The film is partially based on the Batman: The Court of Owls story arc written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion, and serves as a sequel to 2014's Son of Batman. The film was shown during WonderCon on April 3, 2015. The film was released for downloading on April 7, 2015, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD formats on April 14, 2015.

Stuart Allan, Jason O'Mara, David McCallum, and Sean Maher reprise their respective roles from Son of Batman.

Plot

During an investigation of missing children, Damian Wayne — the current Robin and illegitimate son of Batman and Talia al Gul — has taken the Batmobile out to an abandoned toy factory without his father's consent. He finds the perpetrator, Anton Schott, who has mutated some of the victims into dolls. Batman arrives, and in the resulting battle, Robin chases Schott while Batman knocks out the dolls with gas and frees the remaining children. Upon defeating Schott, Robin chooses to spare him, but an owl-masked assassin named Talon suddenly kills Schott and frames Robin for the murder. Batman is eventually convinced of Robin's innocence after finding an owl feather at the crime scene.

The next night, Bruce Wayne (Batman's alter ego) has dinner at Wayne Manor with fellow wealthy socialite Samantha Vanaver, who meets Damian. Later, he tries to connect with Damian, but he voices his frustration towards Bruce for never trusting him. Bruce goes out, leaving Damian with Nightwing to look after him — an act which causes Nightwing to call off his date with Starfire — and starts to investigate the owl feather, which leads him to the Gotham Museum of Natural History's Hall of Owls. He is reminded of a childhood story about the Court of Owls, a secret society of wealthy men who ruled Gotham from the shadows and killed any who opposed them by sending agents called talons. On the night his parents were murdered, Bruce had seen an owl clutching a bat flying away from the crime scene. He became convinced that the Court of Owls was to blame, but after finding no evidence of their existence, Bruce dismissed the legend.

While continuing to investigate, Batman is attacked and nearly killed by three undead, owl-masked assailants. After killing one, Batman continues to fight, receiving many wounds in the process. At the end of the fight, Batman lies defeated and watches as the two remaining assailants prepare to kill him, only for them to suddenly liquefy into black ooze. Meanwhile, Damian, having escaped Nightwing and fled the mansion, is approached by Talon, who encourages Robin's choice of punishing criminals and offers Robin a chance to join him. Unsure of the decision, Robin returns home, where Bruce discovers him and warns him that he will be sent away to a school in Switzerland unless he learns to discipline himself.

While driving to a date with Samantha, Bruce is kidnapped by white owl-masked people. He is subsequently brought before the Court of Owls, who offer Bruce a chance to join them. After Bruce leaves, given time to consider the offer, Talon appears and it's revealed that he is working for the Court of Owls, who are secretly raising an army of inhuman, undead talons to destroy Gotham City and allow the Court to rebuild it in their own image. However, their current talons are imperfect and dissolve after a period of time. It soon transpires that Talon is having a romantic relationship with Samantha, who turns out to be the Court of Owls' leader known as the "Grandmaster". Though the Court intend for Talon to become one of their undead soldiers, with Robin serving as Talon's replacement, Samantha wishes to have him become a member of a court — thus saving him from the procedure and allowing them to rule Gotham together.

Damian, having contacted Talon, starts accompanying him to take out criminals, though he frustrates Talon upon hesitating to kill. Sensing how Robin looks up to Batman as a father, unaware that Damian is actually Batman's son, Talon reveals his origins; he used to help his father in partaking thefts, wanting to please him, but was subjugated to abuse after causing mistakes — an act which eventually led Talon to call the police on his abusive father, who was shot dead when brandishing a gun. It was then that Talon joined the Court of Owls. Batman then shows up, having tracked Damian's activity, but Robin stops him from pursuing Talon. Batman tries to convince Robin that Talon is using him, but Robin is unconvinced — believing that Batman is trying to hold him back from his potential. A confrontation breaks out between them when Robin, after again preventing his father from going after Talon, attacks Batman. The fight ends with Robin threatening to stab Batman, but instead leaves after reaffirming for finishing him off.

Batman sneaks into the Court of Owls's headquarters through the sewers, but is exposed to psychotropic gas by the Court, causing Batman to hallucinate. He is rescued by Nightwing and Alfred Pennyworth. Meanwhile, Talon introduces Robin to the Court and the Grandmaster. When Damian complies at the Court's order to reveal himself, Samantha recognizes Damian and deduces that his father is Batman. She subsequently orders Talon to kill Damian, but he instead turns on the Court — dispatching all its members before confronting and killing Samantha. Now in control of the Court's army of talons, Talon authorizes an assault on Wayne Manor; he leaves Damian behind, offering him another chance to join him once he has killed Batman.

Talon and his soldiers attack Wayne Manor, breaking into the Batcave as Batman, Nightwing, and Alfred fight them off. Though all the soldiers are disposed off, Talon defeats Nightwing before going on to injure Batman in a fistfight. He prepares to kill Batman, but Robin — who escaped from the Court's headquarters — intervenes and takes his father's place. Damian eventually defeats Talon and, holding a sai to his throat, tells him that he could never replace Batman for the latter is his father. However, Talon commits suicide by forcing Robin's sai through his own neck, leaving Robin stunned and confused.

With Talon dead and his army defeated, Batman tries to welcome Robin back home; however, he refuses and insists that he needs to sort out who he is. At his father's suggestion, Damian leaves Gotham for a monastery in the Himalayas.

Cast

• Stuart Allan – Damian Wayne / Robin
• Jason O'Mara – Bruce Wayne / Batman
• Jeremy Sisto – Talon
• Sean Maher – Dick Grayson / Nightwing
• David McCallum – Alfred Pennyworth
• Troy Baker – Court of Owls Lieutenant
• Kevin Conroy – Thomas Wayne
• Grey DeLisle – Samantha Vanaver
• Robin Atkin Downes – Court of Owls Grandmaster
• "Weird Al" Yankovic – Anton Schott / The Dollmaker
• Trevor Devall – Jack
• Griffin Gluck – Young Bruce Wayne
• Peter Onorati – Draco
• Andrea Romano – Jill

Reception

Batman vs. Robin received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on five reviews. It earned $3,787,536 in domestic home video sales.

Sequel

In 2016, a sequel to Batman vs. Robin was released under the title of Batman: Bad Blood.

External links

• Batman vs. Robin at the Internet Movie Database