Merry Little Batman

4 outta 5

While Batman and Christmas may not seem like a pairing that goes together, there are a bunch of Batma/Christmas stories. Probably the most well-known is the Christmas set Batman Returns, but there’s also the ‘90s Batman animated episode Christmas with the Joker, the Christmas issue of Long Halloween, a badass one-shot issue of Detective Comics where Joker ties up Robin and goes on a Christmas joy ride. Something about the grim, dark nature of the Batman contrasts nicely with the yuletide season. For a different spin, the latest Christmas Batman story, Merry Little Batman, ditches the grim stuff for a fun animated romp. Batman is a loving, if somewhat overprotective dad, while his son, Damian Wayne, is a chipper youngster, as opposed to the brutal way Damian has been portrayed. Things are true to the character’s nature; Damian just wants to be a crimefighter like his father, and Batman wants to protect the people he loves. The animated designs are unique, the film is wall to wall jokes, and there are multiple deep cut references to Batman lore, making for a fun holiday story.

Damian Wayne (Yonas Kibreab) is the son of Bruce Wayne, the Batman (Luke Wilson), living at stately Wayne manor with their butler, Alfred (James Cromwell). Things around Gotham city have gotten a little quiet as when Batman found out he was going to be a father, he sent the supervillains packing. On Christmas Eve, Bruce gives his hyperactive son a utility belt, however Damian is irresponsible with the belt and Bruce takes it away as he goes on a mission out of town. When Alfred goes shopping, two robbers show up to Wayne manor. Damian takes on the persona of Little Batman and runs the robbers out of the house, but not before they escape with his utility belt. The scrooge ruining Christmas is the Joker (David Hornsby) and he plans to steal Christmas with the help of his fellow supervillains. With Bruce stuck in an arctic wasteland with a broken Batwing, it is up to Little Batman to save Christmas, but confronting the Joker and his goons is tough for an 8-year-old wannabe superhero.

The movie has nifty references to Batman projects from the past, with multiple pulls from the Batman movies of 1989-1997. Joker’s crew features the Penguin (Brian George) and Penguin makes a reference to being tossed in the sewer as a baby, which was from ‘92s Batman Returns. And there’s also Poison Ivy (Theresa McLaughlin) and her muscle goon sidekick, Bane, which was their villain pairing in ’97’s Batman and Robin. Mister Freeze (Dolph Adomian) downed Batman’s plane, and Freeze’s vocal styling and overabundance of ice puns is reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on Freeze in Batman and Robin. When Joker and his goons steal Christmas presents, it is like when Penguin kidnapped Gotham’s kids in Returns. There’s also parade floats from the villains, which Joker had in the 1989 film. Damien ends up in the Batcave looking over suits and the first one he sees is the classic 1930s costume that Damien dismisses as too bulky, and then appraising an abs and nipples Batsuit from Batman and Robin Damien says it “Leaves nothing to the imagination.” It’s fun to find these references as Batman and Robin is oftentimes forgotten (undeservedly so! It is much more enjoyable being viewed as a tonal successor to the Adam West show).

The animated style of Merry Little Batman is outlandish and a bit garish. The characters are misshapen and weird looking, and some look like deformed hunchbacks. But Bane is always misshapen and weird looking, and the characters are expressive which is key for animation. Bruce is doting dad complete with a beard and later Joker mentions that it ups the intimidation factor. Wilson’s vocal performance makes no attempt to do some sort of growling Batman voice, he’s very much a loving father who just happens to have a job as Batman. Kibreab as Damian is overexcited and eager to be a superhero, chasing down the cat Selina while doing Batman moves. Damian gets in lots of good moments throughout. When the burglars sneak in, it becomes Home Alone with Little Batman. Later when Damain gets his own Batsuit it comes equipped with an AI of his father called Bat Dad, so Damian gets to relate to his father even though it’s a computer in the suit. Through some convoluted plot turns, Damian says goodbye to the AI suit version of his father for some easy pathos.

In an odd but fun bit of vocal casting is James Cromwell as Alfred the Butler, and Cromwell voices him as elderly and British. His accent is outsized and absurd, just like how the character design of Alfred looks frail and has misshapen fingers. As the Joker, Horsby gets to go loud as Joker often does but there’s also a hint of sadness that after Batman cleaned up Gotham, Joker was left alone without any supervillain buddies. This culminates in a final scene with the Bat-family and Joker at a dinner and Batman is just irritated to be around him.

Merry Little Batman continues the surprising but effective tradition of inserting Batman into Christmas stories. This one is much more lighthearted than most Batman stories, but it succeeds as an offbeat and funny Batman Christmas special.