Review: Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
★★★★
“Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman” is actually a pretty underrated installment in the DC Animated Universe. No, it doesn’t have Bruce Timm and Paul Dini at the creative helm, doesn’t feature Paul Williams as Penguin, and doesn’t enjoy a Shirley Walker score. But it still possesses virtually all the delightful style and acting we’ve come to expect from the DCAU. And on top of that, this movie reflect a genuinely interesting attempt at reinterpreting an ancient character from the comics — this was before DC reintroduced Batwoman as a new character in 2006 — and couching it in a fun mystery and endearing romance.
The most impressive aspect of “Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman” is how it introduces three entirely new characters but actually gets the audience to care about them. Kathy, Rocky, and Sonia are all distinct and compelling additions to this world. Their struggles are eminently understandable. Their voice acting matched the standard set by the DCAU and each possessed great chemistry with the protagonists. And Batwoman’s visual design is just awesome, especially the cool glider that honestly makes way more sense with a character like her instead of the Green Goblin.
This movie is in general smart with its approach to Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery, incorporating a collection of characters that all pose different threats and relate to the protagonists (and the new characters) differently. Penguin is generally underused and it’s nice to see him here. The way he has a foot in both Gotham’s elite world and Gotham’s underworld makes him a great foil for Batman.
Also impressive is this movie’s ability to juggle so many competing plot threads and relationships while both introducing and developing these three new characters. The action often takes great advantage of neat set pieces but never becomes obnoxious. The narrative tension (romantic or otherwise) is really driven by the relationships between Bruce and the women he suspects of being Batwoman.
The one romantic relationship here is between Bruce and Kathy and it’s one of the few rare times when we end, not on a somber note, but on a happy one that makes us feel optimistic for Bruce having a functioning romantic relationship. Of course, the events in Batman Beyond make it clear that this relationship doesn’t last. But it’s still nice to see Bruce achieve little victories in the form of the occasional respite from his brooding.
Following up “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,” “Batman: Sub-Zero,” and “Batman Beyond,” this installment had a very high bar to live up to. But I think it deserves a second look by many fans of the DCAU as it makes for quite the enjoyable standalone Batman story.
