Merry Little Batman put a Caped Crusader spin on the Yuletide season.
Sometimes painting outside the lines is what it takes a tired and worn icon as Batman to bring something new to the table. Merry Little Batman aims the Caped Crusader and the Yuletide season with a different angle on laughs and style to great success.
After years Batman (voice by Luke Wilson), now a father, fully commits to the cleanup of Gotham City. Five years later he is successful in his task and Gotham is the safest town in the world! Without a need for Batman, Bruce Wayne retires to raise his son Damien (Yonas Kibreab) in peace. Though Damien will have none of it. Batman’s biggest fan is his own son. Damien wants nothing more than to be Batman when he grows up. So much so Damien spends much of his time in a Batsuit of his own creation training for that moment.
Damien will get his chance on Christmas Eve when Bruce is pulled out of retirement by the Justice League, no less, and is forced to contend with robbers in Wayne Manor. Though this isn’t merely a single robbery but a full-on plan to ruin Christmas in Gotham City by Batman’s most infamous rouges; Joker, Bane, Poison Ivy, and even the Penguin! Can Damien with the aid of his own Batsuit and Batman AI (also voiced by Wilson) take on his father’s mantle and foil his father’s rogue gallery’s ultimate plan??
Starting with the unconventional Maurice Sendak style animation style to the voice casting director Mike Roth and writers Morgan Evans, Jase Ricci, and Etan Cohen have conceived of a Batman story that defies the norms of what we expect from Batman. There’s a sense of fun and adventure that is often missing from the Cape Crusader. More akin to Batman ’66 in its aim towards children, is a welcome and refreshing change. Merry Little Batman has more in common with Home Alone than it does with any Batman story of recent memory.
Merry Little Batman isn’t just an action-adventure but a film that’s family-appropriate but not one that will be a snooze. There’s enough punk rock in its ability to get dark and play a little harder that will have kids and adults entertained. The soundtrack alone is worth the time with poppy ditties that will have you searching out the playlist on your favorite music app. Add in that Luke Wilson may be the (intentionally) funniest Batman playing up the Dad part of the story to laughs and heartwarming effect.
Like any Christmas story, Merry Little Batman ensures that everyone – including its audience – has a happy holiday by its end. This is one that both Bat-Fans and Non-Fans alike can enjoy.