Review: "Batman: The Killing Joke" A Contemporary Classic, Even In Film

The Killing Joke classic has become a contemporary classic, and adapting it to film was no easy task. There are several liberties that a comic book can take that a film can’t, especially when releasing to a general audience. 

The first of which is familiarity of the characters. Everybody knows Batman and The Joker, but Batgirl not so much. Even the animated series leaves much to interpretation, such as her age, though it is assumed that she is a teenager. 

The Killing Joke movie dedicates the first 18 minutes of the film to grounding Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (Tara Strong), which was not done in the original comic. Through these scenes, we learn how old Batgirl is, her profession, her struggle with boys, how villains treat her, and how she views Batman (Kevin Conroy), the last of which threw critics and fans alike in a fit because of a controversial scene in which Batman and Batgirl have sex. 

Without context, the scene is appalling. Other Batman media portrays Batman and Batgirl’s relationship to be almost that of a father and daughter, but The Killing Joke does away with that. Barbara Gordon is in her twenties and has a steady job as a librarian. She’s been with Batman for three years, and they have a partnership, not a mentorship.

She is all grown up and has developed feelings for Batman. However, by pursuing her feelings, she ruins her relationship with Batman, who pushes her away. The 18 minutes added were a serviceable prelude to his tussle with The Joker (Mark Hamill), who is out to prove that one bad day can make anyone mad.

Alan Moore’s dialogue from the comic have been adapted beautifully to screen by Brian Azzarello. It is easily the best part of the film, second only to the narrative. Many have criticized The Killing Joke for being a product of its time, but at its essence, it’s a concentrated Joker tale with excellent commentary on the psychological aspects of the relationship between Batman, and The Joker.

The animation could be better, but it’s serviceable. Many have called out the at times choppy animation of the film, but this is a staple of Warner’s animated features. The art style tries to recreate The Killing Joke as faithfully as it can in a natural way, and for the most part it hits its mark. The soundtrack is everything you’d expect from an animated Batman feature, and it definitely enhances this time-tested tale. 

This is not a perfect film, but it is a really good one. Sure, there are some scenes in the beginning that could be shortened or cut, but the quality of the narrative, dialogue, characterization, and psychological themes make this a must-see Batman movie. 

The Joker at one point says “not everything has to be good to be a classic,” but The Killing Joke really is really that good. It’s not just a product of its time, and it hasn’t lasted just because of its shock value. This is a serious narrative supported by some of the best writing in the business.  

The film adaptation enhances the original, with the exception of the end credits scene, which was completely unnecessary and takes away some of the impact of the final scene a rare moment where Batman and Joker are just sharing a laugh. When you end on a perfect note like that, adding anything else will ruin it. 

The Batgirl scenes at the beginning can be a bit distracting to fans of the animated series, but they’re passable if you can leave all prior knowledge of the character at the door, and let the movie explain itself. 

Despite its flaws, Batman: The Killing Joke is an incredibly polished adaptation of a deep narrative brought to life by the most talented voice actors to ever play these characters. Don’t let a bunch of bandwagoning critics tell you otherwise. A