Home Entertainment Review: Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Blu-Ray (Warner)

HOLY COWABUNGA BATMAN!!! The crossover that every comic book fan has dreamed of has finally come true.

no images were found

While touring at Powers Industrial, Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) witnesses a powerful generator being stolen by the Foot Clan and she also spots four mysterious creatures she believes are metahumans during the robbery. She later meets with Batman then goes to intercept the Foot Clan at Wayne Enterprises. Batman makes quick work of the Foot to then have a pretty epic battle with Shredder. We then see Penguin trying to steal from Wayne Enterprises as well from afar rooftop and he is met by the Turtles who have come to stop Shredder and his new mysterious ally. After the brothers defeat the Penguin the Turtles meet Batman in an alleyway and proceed to fight him as both sides believe the other is working with Shredder. The Turtles are forced to retreat when Batman gains the upper hand on them.

After researching Batman and his reported locations, Donatello manages to lead the Turtles into the Batcave, where they have a brief scuffle with Damian Wayne (aka Robin). After Batman and Batgirl arrive, the Turtles introduce themselves and offer their assistance to the Bat Family when they realize they have the same goal. Robin reveals to the group that Shredder and the Foot Clan are working with his grandfather Ra’s al Ghul. Shredder wants the secrets of the Lazarus Pit, and in return will aid Ra’s in building a machine that will infect everyone in the city with mutagen. Shredder and Ra’s break into Arkham, where they make a deal with Joker gives him a canister of mutagen in return for his formula for Joker Toxin.

The Bat Family and the Turtles go to Arkham after they get word of a disturbance. When they get there they find that Joker has used the mutagen to turn the Rogues Gallery into more powerful mutant versions of their former selves. Batman is subdued after a communications snafu with the Turtles and is injected with a new hybrid mutagen/Joker Toxin making Batman a giant unhinged Bat. Batgirl and Donatello were working on a retro-mutagen and after a brief battle return Batman to normal.

As Batman recovers in the Batcave, the two teams put together the clues to find out the endgame of Ra’s and Shredder. Batman wakes up very angry at the Turtles and demands that they go home. Raphael does not agree and fights for his brothers to stay and finish the fight. A huge battle ensues and the two teams defeat mutated versions of the Foot Clan and League of Assasins. Batman gets another shot at Shredder defeating him while the Turtles destroy the machine. During the explosion, Shredder is knocked into a vat of chemicals. After the battle, Batman treats the teams to a HUGE pizza party in the Batcave. The end credits show a stinger for a possible sequel that if you are reading the Batman/TMNT III crossover will make you happy.

This was similar to the comic in many ways but was also very different which for me was my only dislike. The main difference was that in the movie the Turtles and Batman reside in the same universe. Whereas in the comics it was more true to canon and that the Turtles had to get back to their dimension. Also disappointing was that there was no Splinter, Batman meeting Splinter was a key part in the comic and I felt should have been included.

Features to the movie include:

COWABUNGA BATMAN! WHEN COMIC BOOK WORLDS COLLIDE- This feature explores the crossover comic concept and how they got together for this series.

FIGHT NIGHT IN GOTHAM- Take an exciting look at both Batman’s and the Ninja Turtles’ fighting styles, and how the creators make it feel like you’re in the fight!

SNEAK PEAK AT THE NEXT DC ANIMATED FEATURE MOVIE: Batman: HUSH-  An advance look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movie collection.

But the small differences do not take away that this movie was EXCELLENT in many ways! JQ gives is a 9 out of 10!