DCU’s newest film, Batman and Harley Quinn, brings The Caped Crusader, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn together to find Poison Ivy and Jason Woodrue (aka The Floronic Man). The trio has a limited amount of time to find the couple, as they root out the secret to the bio-restorative compound, which will allow plants to retake the Earth.
Of course, Harley Quinn working with the Dynamic Duo is humorous – she has a different way of looking for her best friend Ivy than the World’s Greatest Detective does. Her ideas include beating up an old boyfriend for deserting her before the senior prom and a curvaceous karaoke version of the Nerves Hanging on the Telephone. There might even be a Batusi sighting for eagle-eyed viewer.
The concept is definitely something right out of the Shadow of the Bat story arc in the mid-90s, with most of the same players and similar results. Make no mistake, Batman and Harley Quinn takes the DC Universe by the horns and amplifies its comedic and more seductive aspects. I imagine the production meeting starting with “We’re getting the band back together,” and it unabashedly runs with that concept throughout the movie’s 74 minutes.
The film itself is gorgeous, and feels much like the animated series we all grew to love. Part of that has to be Bruce Timm’s heavy influence (in addition to being the writer, Timm voices Booster Gold). Kevin Conroy reprises his role as the voice of Batman, and Loren Lester (New Batman Adventures) is the voice of Nightwing. Harley Quinn is voiced by Melissa Rauch, who brings a bit of Arleen Sorkin into the mix. As a longtime fan of the guardian of the Green (aka Swamp Thing), it was nice to see the homage to Alan Moore’s take (two words: psychedelic yams) on the creature (whom even creator Len Wein has applauded). Ivy and Jason’s quest is an honorable one at its core, but has been tainted by junk science and their evil genius.
As a fan of the new Harley comics, it was nice to see Harley living outside of Joker’s world and taking care of herself via a “real job” as a waitress. It is her love of Ivy that propels her to work with the Good Guys, despite wanting to leave the world of capes for a while. Harley’s never been more human on the screen, and she’s the real star of Batman and Harley Quinn.
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language, violence and action, and for rude humor, it both feels like a logical arc of Batman: the Animated Series and something your pre-teen self would have turned down in front of your parents. Viewers see just what’s under Harley’s costume, as well as feel the heavy sexual tension.
Batman and Harley Quinn was released via a Fathom Event on August 14th only, and then released on digital just after the Fathom event ended. It is available digitally from your favorite retailer (that includes YouTube and Vimeo, as well as iTunes). The physical version will be available later this month (August 29th).
I cannot wait to see what my local comic store has planned for Batman day this year – I hear Harley might be involved. But, more on that as the day (September 23) grows closer!