Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

***Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker*** is an American direct-to-video animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It is the third film in the DC Animated Universe and is based on the animated series *mh:besttvshows:Batman Beyond*.

## Plot

Terry McGinnis (Batman) prevents a new faction of the Jokerz gang to steal high-tech electronic equipment. It is revealed that the leader of the gang is the former Batman's archenemy, the Joker, who is supposed to be dead according to Bruce Wayne.

## Why The Joker's Back In Town

1. Great animation, as expected from a DCAU animation, that still has the "tech-noir" environment like the original show.
	* The design of the city and the characters are also well made, and improved a lot compared to the original show, making it more like a comic-book style.
2. Terry McGinnis is still a likeable protagonist which still carries on the legacy of being the Batman, and proving to everyone, including his mentor Bruce Wayne that he is capable to defeat Joker.
3. Like the previous DCAU shows, the Joker is a threatening yet incredible villain to watch, remaining his funny yet sadistic personality in several scenes he appears.
4. Great and entertaining fight scenes, like Batman's fight with the Jokerz gang in the opening, and the fight between him and the Joker.
5. Great voice acting, especially from Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Original Batman, Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis/Batman and, of course, Mark Hamill as The Joker.
	* Speaking of Mark Hamill, he still give us one of the best Joker performances in DC Universe, specially giving us his iconic laugh in several moments.
6. Great soundtrack that still tie in with the show's futuristic style of the original show.
7. The entire flashback scene is one of the most memorable and important moments in DC Animated Universe, as it shows about Joker's demise and how his death was impactful for the story. The flashback shows Robin/Tim Drake getting kidnapped and tortured by the villain to learn Batman's secrets. After a big fight between Joker and Batman, Robin kills the Joker, by shooting him (in the edited version, Robin pulls Joker in water tubing, getting electrocuted).
8. Speaking of Joker's death, it was one of the most iconic death scenes in the DC Universe and one of the best Joker deaths ever created, specially when the villain says "That's not funny" before his death (this only happens in the uncut version).
9. Great dialogue that give some funny and awesome moments, especially from Terry and Joker. Like when Terry confronts the Jokerz gang, and says *"It's a school night, boys and girls. I'm gonna have to call your folks."*, or when Joker confronts Bruce Wayne, and says *"Hello... **Batman**."*.
10. The final fight scene between Terry and Joker is incredible not only for the fight itself, but for the famous scene when Terry teases Joker for his motives and jokes to corrupt the Batman, and calling him pathetic, making the villain very angry, saying the famous ***"You're not Batman!"***.
11. The ending is very satisfying, and gives a good way to end the *Batman Beyond* franchise. The Joker is finally gone from Tim Drake's brain, Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake make amends, and Terry McGinnis continues carrying on Batman's legacy.

## Bad Qualities

1. Due to the controversy around violence in children's media, and for the Columbine Massacre in April 1999, the creative team was forced to make edits in the movie, like making the fight scenes less violent, some changes in the dialogue, and the famous Joker's scene was also drastically changed, as mentioned in WIR#7. Fortunaly the uncensored version was released on April 23, 2002.
2. The Jokerz gang (with the exception of the Dee-Dee twins despite there sexist) are shallow and uninteresting characters, and doesn't pose too much of a threat compared to the Joker.
3. Jordan Pryce is a bland and unlikeable character, who hates Bruce for returning to the Wayne Enterprises, and hires the Jokerz to take him out.
4. Many people wonder why Max Gibson (Terry's friend and sidekick) wasn't in the movie to help.

## Reception

The movie received mixed to positive reviews from critics and received 91% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7.71/10 based on 11 reviews.