Batman: The Killing Joke

Alan Moore’s iconic graphic novel, which tells the most definitive and depraved Joker origin story, has been one of the most anticipated and called for comic adaptations since comic book films became box office monsters.

The film sees Mark Hamill (The Joker) and Kevin Conroy (Batman) reprise their roles from the animated series in the mid-1990’s, although this time around the subject matter is much darker and certainly not for children.

The film opens with an interesting monologue/interview from Hamill which explains the moments that influenced his decision to take on the role and some of the choices he made in his performance. This is one of the most compelling elements for anyone who has already read the graphic novel.

The second section of the film has us exploring the romantic dynamic between Batman and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, which again is very interesting if you’ve already read the book.

While the remainder of the film plays out true to the novel and will leave all fans satisfied, it would have been nice to see them delve deeper into the darkness. The story does however tell the most compelling Joker origin story and proves that both he and Batman could very easily have switched roles had their “one bad day” gone slightly differently. (JA)

★★★