Review: Son of Batman

When the mercenary Deathstroke stages a coup to seize control of the League of Assassins, Talia al Ghul seeks out Batman to help protect the League's rightful heir. As it turns out, said heir also happens to be the Dark Knight's son. With this new revelation hanging over his head, Batman must stop Deathstroke and learn to cope with his wayward son.

Son of Batman is a 2014 animated film starring Jason O'Mara, Stuart Allan, Morena Baccarin, Thomas Gibson and David McCallum. It is based off of the 2006 graphic novel Batman and Son, written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Andy Kubert.

As the sixth Batman-centric film from DC Universe Animated Original Movies line, Son of Batman is less about the Dark Knight himself and more about his spunky new sidekick. We're introduced to Damian Wayne in the film's opening scenes as Ra's al Ghul's loyal grandson and as a fearsome warrior in his own right. From then on, much of the action of the film pivots on Damian as a character and his development from unquestioning assassin to Batman's partner. The film hits all the right notes with Damian in this respect. He's got significantly more attitude than any previous Robin and he's also the most violent, but this also means he has the most to learn about being a hero from Batman. As such, Son of Batman becomes a story of Damian's growth from would-be villain to reluctant hero.

While this film is an adaptation of Batman and Son, many changes are made to alter the characters and narratives of the source text. Damian's behaviour, for instance, is toned down. Tim Drake is also phased out as Batman's partner in the film in favour of using Dick Grayson instead. The most notable change, however, was the shifting of antagonists. Batman and Son was a character assassination of Talia al Ghul, transforming her from Batman's true love to being an all-out murdering rapist. Morrison played fast and loose with Talia's character and past, making her out to be someone she wasn't. The writers and producers of Son of Batman rectify that. Talia is far more affectionate and caring in this film, looking out for Damian's best interests. With Talia firmly rooted in the role of protective mother (and later damsel in distress - eye roll), Deathstroke steps in as the film's villain.

Deathstroke fits in remarkably well within the narrative of the League of Assassins and is the ideal villain for this story. His motivations are carefully laid out and certainly makes him seem far more power-hungry than the lame version we got in Arrow. Interestingly, the film doesn't explore the notion of Deathstroke being a rival to Batman. We do know that Slade was miffed about Talia falling for Bats, but the focus never wavers from the grudge between him and Damian. In this sense, it's a little less predictable and convinces audiences to invest more in Damian.

The animation for Son of Batman follows the same style of Justice League: War, as it should considering they're meant to be within the same continuity. There's a vague anime quality to it, in addition to its vaguely noir aesthetic. The settings provide a very rich background for the story to play off of. From Gotham City's harbour to the League of Assassins home base, we see a veritable tapestry of looks for this film. I'm also rather fond of the character models. Batman's is a little off, particularly due to his overlong ears, but the rest look pretty snazzy. I'm particularly obsessed with the look Talia sports, as it's a beautiful update on what she looked like in the DC Animated Universe. Also worth noting are all of the carefully choreographed fight scenes. This film features some pretty cool action sequences that are among the best from the DCUAOM line.

Son of Batman is an entertaining film through-and-through. Despite its lack of focus on Batman himself, I do like the dynamic established between Damian and his father. I also appreciate the effort put into developing Damian as a multi-dimensional character. In fact, one of my favourite scenes occurs near the end when he is reunited with his mother. It's a sweet scene that illustrates the good aspects of both his character and Talia's. Son of Batman is full of action too and it's bloody action at that. Fans of Batman are sure to be satisfied with this film, but those who are on the fence about Damian's character aren't likely to be swayed. Also, did Talia al Ghul really have to be a damsel in distress? That's my one big complaint. Other than that, Son of Batman is pretty darn enjoyable.

RATING: B