The Batman vs. Dracula (2005) Reviews

• Surprisingly Excellent

  lycanthropic_nerev2006-12-10

  I got this expecting a usual icon vs. icon movie like Alien vs. Predator, good in theory, but really only good for a few laughs over how goofy it is. Unexpectedly, I received a very good movie. Dracula was very well done as an aristocratic noble/bloodsucking Nosferatu. Batman has his typical gadgets and intelligence, also using his ability to view every angle to not completely ignore the obvious like most vampire movie heroes. Having an enemy that was truly more powerful than Batman was a welcome reprieve after a seventeen years of watching the invincible superman on my television. I suggest getting this movie as soon as possible.

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• Good? Yes. Great? Oh Yes.

  gohmifune2005-10-16

  First off, non-fans of The Batman animated series will be harsh on this, but if you aren't a fan you should still give it a watch. The story is Dracula is causing trouble in Gotham. It's a simple story, which is fine, the movie is only about 80 or so minutes long, but it has time to breath and doesn't drag. The show, is a very vibrant, action oriented, in your face cartoon, which is fine, it suits the show. As a movie, that presents some hurdles, primarily ta deficit in plot development and the potential for overlong climaxes. Well there are no pacing issues, the movie starts off pretty fast, but manages to keep speeding up at a noticeable, but not problematic, pace, as a good and well thought out movie should. Voice acting and music is top notch, there were some really strong themes towards the end, and I wish they had put more into the music, but it provides more than enough. I'd buy a score if one were released, as I would also be looking forward to more in the ways of arrangement and music come a second feature. Many will try to compare this to Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, or Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and some will try to compare this to Batman Begins, which is all fine and good, except that it is quite difficult see beyond in the style in the four movies. And that is what this is, an exercise in style, but much to my delight, it is not style over substance. Though short, the film is quite solid in both character development and tone. Lastly, where the movie excels is in the action. Do no forget, The Batman is fighting a villain that physically outclasses him, but the fights themselves are well animated, well organized, and visually impressive, as in The Batman's fluid movements, he some how gives an incredible fight. This is an excellent movie, and I am glad I have seen it. Fans of the show,will love it, and fans of the comic will enjoy a solid representation of the mythic hero if they can remain unbiased. Though it is a bit violent and in your face when it comes to gore, it is a great film, and I eagerly await more. It looks like we have a winner.

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• A pretty good movie AND A few corrections

  garryhess2005-12-11

  Overall a really good flick. much better than dini's later efforts for Batman direct to video movies. First of all, Vicki Vale IS a redhead contrary to what the other user posted, she was turned blonde by Hollywood, but DC comics the original character was a redhead. Secondly Batman did use his head, he knows his strengths and he knows ho to goad his enemies into doing what he wants them too, Bruce put his body on the line to get Dracula into the position he needed him in, He had to go hand to hand again, to save Vicki and the citizens, also he had the sense to give Alfred his position so that he could ready that sun machine - it was strategy, just like chess sometimes you have to sacrifice valuable pieces for the ultimate victory. One thing i really liked is we finally (in this incarnation of batman) got to see the scientist behind the bat. I love the animation in this as well, the fight scenes are choreographed and animated superbly, it's still not as complex as Batman TAS overall - but if they keep doing DTV movies with more mature themes I think they will easily have some classics on their hands, this movie was fun a little corny, but all super-heroics are, but overall very fun to watch.

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• Good vampire film, animated or not

  minamurray2009-11-17

  This review comes from a fan of Gothic vampire stories like Dracula, and someone who has sporadically enjoyed Batman in comic books but never cared about the film series - including Dark Knight. Batman VS Dracula: The Animated movie (2005) is refreshingly old-fashioned and successfully atmospheric story where Dracula has his Gothic style, including preference for eeriely beautiful graveyards. This is not some trashy upstart like vampires from cooler-than-thou garbage Blade - and to put it bluntly, the word "cool" makes me think sleazy bully who tortures fat nerds and sleeps in his own filth when drunk. One typical mistake - Dracula burns in sunlight, unnecessary twist added by movie makers in 1922 - is used in the film, but that does not affect the atmosphere, of course. Animated or not, this is one of the best vampire films of the decade, which has been full of trash.

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• Only By the Night

  RainDogJr2008-09-07

  Unlike the "Batman Beyond" series I haven't watch a single episode of "The Batman" series but similar to "Batman Beyond" I decided to watch its movie without being an "expert" of the series. I have found all the animated Batman films at least fun to watch at so I never considered like a true risk to purchase "The Batman vs. Dracula" on DVD. It looked really interesting to me and in a way it was going to be the stuff that can make me going after "The Batman" series or just not. First, the movie looks really great with those wonderful colors and it begins like the special stuff it is with, in the first minutes, the Penguin and the Joker once again free in Gotham. I liked a lot the design of these characters and I do like this Joker a lot. Also, the guy who has been dubbing, in Spanish but not in Spain!, the Joker in the past animated stuff ("Batman: The Animated Series" and in the movie "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker") was working on this one again (I'm not sure in the series but at least he is on this one). I usually dislike watching dubbed films however I usually prefer cartoons in their dubbed version and I don't know the name of that guy who makes the voice of the Joker but he does a terrific job. Anyway, in order to have the character Count Dracula in Gotham the writer Duane Capizzi could have make pretty bizarre theories of how in the hell Dracula's body is in Gotham but actually we have a pretty simple idea and to have Dracula in Gotham delivers pure and absolute fun for us. Basically the Penguin is the one to blame; is really funny his first meeting with Dracula and for obvious reasons the Penguin ended as the servant of the master. I liked a lot the design of Count Dracula, some blood and he is back again, some more blood and he is again the elegant Count. The story of Dracula in Gotham is quite simple but what else could have he done apart of making many citizens vampires? The story works and delivers some terrific moments with the fight of the bats; one this one Batman finds a really major enemy. We have also a love story that is simple and predictable, basically Dracula wants to "change" Bruce Wayne's new love interest for his own and dead girlfriend Carmilla. I saw this one with my cousin and both were like "damn Batman is a really great but to find the cure of vampirism?", he does success but he will need a little more for Dracula. On this one both the Joker and the Penguin delivers the funniest moments. The Penguin has a very unfortunate end, basically nobody remembers being a vampire so nobody will believe the vampire story of the Penguin. Poor Penguin!!! This movie was more than just a decent introduction to "The Batman". It does have some flaws but also I found it as a terrific 85 minutes Batman movie. R4 DVD: it does have some extra material; a short featurette about the facts and superstitions behind the vampires. Is narrated by Batman meanwhile he is doing his own research on the subject, is the classic stuff and for example if the superstition is that vampires are damaged by garlic the fact is that if humans eat garlic we secrete a toxin that repels blood sucking mosquitoes. Other extra is the tour to Gotham with interactive menus for 3 places of Gotham (for example if you select the Arkham Asylum and then you select the Penguin you watch a video related to him). Is a really good extra and also there are some previews (including of Season 2 of "The Batman) and a featurette with the dubbing actors. Really good DVD!

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