Batman: Caped Crusader Review – A Different Dark Knight

When it was first announced that Bruce Timm – one of the people behind Batman: The Animated Series – was going to be developing a new Batman animated series, I was excited and then quickly trepidatious. Sure, some people might want new episodes of the brilliant 1990s cartoon, but more of the same isn’t always great. Thankfully, Batman: Caped Crusader borrows the best things from The Animated Series while throwing many new elements into a great noir crime story. The series has a long list of executive producers, including Timm, J. J. Abrams (Lost), Matt Reeves (The Batman), and Ed Brubaker (Co-creator of the Winter Soldier).

Brubaker and Timm were also writers for the series alongside Greg Rucka (The Old Guard), Halley Gross (The Last of Us: Part II), and others. Bruce Wayne/Batman is voiced by Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass), Alfred by Jason Watkins (The Crown), and Harvey Dent by Diedrich Bader (Office Space). They’re joined by Eric Morgan Stuart (Life Is Strange) voicing Commissioner Gordon, Krystal Joy Brown (The Equalizer) voicing Barbara Gordon, Michelle C. Bonilla (9-1-1: Lone Star) voicing Renee Montoya, and Jamie Chung (Big Hero 6) voicing Dr. Harleen Quinzel. 

The Story of Batman: Caped Crusader

Batman: Caped Crusader follows the familiar tale of Bruce Wayne, who trains to fight crime while dressed up as a bat after witnessing the murder of his parents as a child. It’s a by-the-numbers Batman adaptation, except it feels like it’s set in the 1940s. There’s a new villain every episode, with the ones Batman fans might be familiar with, like Harley Quinn and Penguin, changed somehow, alongside more obscure villains like Onomatopoeia and Nocturna. This ensures that the story stays fresh for Batman fans. 

Batman isn’t relying on his Batwing or Batcomputer and nobody has a cell phone. Most detective work is done by characters following the villains, like a mature Scooby-Doo mystery. Half the time, the story isn’t even focused on Batman; instead, it follows Barbara Gordon or Detective Montoya. It’s a suspenseful tactic that works because when Batman shows up it makes his next move all the more intriguing. We aren’t shown too much of how he operates, so we don’t know what he’ll do next. 

The series has an overall story weaving through its 10 episodes, with even seemingly standalone episodes contributing to the story arc of Harvey Dent’s mayoral campaign. Many Harvey Dent/Two-Face stories have been told since the character’s inception, and the one in Caped Crusader isn’t too different from most. But, we do spend time with Harvey throughout the series and empathize with his attempts to be a good man toward the end. Bader’s performance is the second-best one in the series because of how well he wrings out Dent’s pain, physically and emotionally. 

Look, It’s the Bat!

Linklater’s performance as Batman is fantastic, bringing the character’s darkness to the forefront. He elegantly portrays Bruce Wayne as the mask, as his painful front while trying to do detective work during the day. Every voice performance is at least good, and they fit the character designs, which are also great. Caped Crusader’s art style is fantastic, and the designers have brought to life a visually distinct version of Gotham and its characters. 

Batman: Caped Crusader has a distinct and consistent tone that is propped up by its enveloping detective story, noir style, and of course, the tremendous score. The score by Frederik Wiedmann (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight), adds to the suspense of every episode and instills a macabre feeling that is supported by the design of the world. The biggest issue with the show is the animation. There are points at which it just looks bad. Whenever there’s a wide shot, cars are moving, or there’s a complex movement, the animation feels clunky. It’s a shame because it distracts from the terrific art style. 

Ultimately, Batman: Caped Crusader is great for what it’s setting out to be. Some of the episodes are better than others and there are easter eggs for people in the know. It could be a little longer, but what we do have is a fantastic watch. With a gorgeous art style, fresh story, and consistent suspenseful tone, Batman: Caped Crusader does justice to the World’s Greatest Detective. If you like Batman – specifically Matt Reeves’ The Batman or Batman: The Animated Series – then this is the show for you.

 You can watch all the episodes of Batman: Caped Crusader on Amazon Prime Video now.