BATMAN: THE MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN (2003)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *sociological*

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

BATWOMAN was one of the last iterations of the Timm-Dini BATMAN franchise, though BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN was much later entry in that Bat-world. I didn't originally care for this movie on first viewing, but this time I found it a very efficient opus, with a better sense of the crime-milieu against which the Caped Crusaders (this time with the Tim Drake Robin in tow) must strive.

Originally, I felt that the "Batwoman" of the story didn't add much to the mythos, not being tied to either DC character of that name. But now I rather like that this character-- or characters, to be sure-- are just one-shots. The Big Reveal of BATWOMAN is that there are three female suspects for the new Bat-vigilante in Gotham, and this throws the Big Bat for a while until he realizes that all three women are working together. I'm not sure that this has much utility in the three ladies' main purpose, which is to take down a drug-smuggling ring operated by the Penguin (once more showing his iconic comic-book appearance), a big-wheel named Duquesne, and that jolly muscleman Bane. The alternating masquerade only works to keep Batman from figuring out the game of the Batwomen, and it's not even certain that he would have interfered with their agenda even if he knew their identities.

As one character points out, they really don't have a particular reason to emulate Batman costume-wise, though years ago one woman was rescued by the Big Bat from a conflagration. The appearance of a new Bat-female prompts Barbara Gordon to call Batman and tease him about getting an "older version," a rather racy byplay that suggests future events in the Dini-verse. 

Though the mystery isn't all that engaging, BATWOMAN is quite impressive in terms of spectacle. I have no liking for the villain Bane, but I have to admit that in this film he has one of his best brawls with Batman, either in comics or in animated cinema. Robin doesn't have a lot to do, since the climax has to give three costumed women their own scenes. Alfred gets the movie's best joke, remarking that, "I see from the paper that young Dennis the Menace has taken one closer step to correctional school."

BATWOMAN is also a touchstone in that it was the last hurrah, or close to it, for three of the voice-actors: Bob Hastings (Commissioner Gordon), John Vernon (Rupert Thorne), and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (Alfred).

The presence of Barbara in a cameo alone would suffice to make the movie a crossover, but the script's inclusion of two major villains, Penguin and Bane, is the more impressive interaction.