Changes Hurt, Don’t Kill Batman: The Killing Joke

(Ed. note: This review has spoilers, necessary to describe how the movie differs from the decades-old graphic novel.)

Batman: The Killing Joke is directed by Bruce Timm and Sam Liu and based on the famous 1980’s graphic novel of the same name which was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by the great Brian Boland. Bruce Timm should ring a bell with fans as he was the co-creator and character designer of the legendary Batman: The Animated Series in the 1990s. I, like many, was a huge fan of the book growing up, seeing it as something very dark, gritty and controversial — a story so hugely important to the Batman and Joker mythos that it unquestionably inspired choices in all forms of the lore from that point forward, notably in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman and Christopher Nolan’s 2008 The Dark Knight.

The novel’s treatment of Barbara Gordon was one of the biggest plot points, where she was crippled by the Joker, and after the novel was published went on to have her return to the mythos as computer genius/hacker Oracle. Many also saw the tale as a rare example of the Joker writing a love letter of sorts to his adversary Batman, reaching out to try and give him a glimpse of why he is what he is, and that they’re not that different. Still, many now look back at its treatment of Barbara’s character as a “woman in a refrigerator,” a reference to the Green Lantern books of the 1990s where then-Lantern Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend was famously killed by a villain and then stuffed into his fridge. The term — made famous by a blog post by comic writer Gail Simone — basically encapsulates the use of violence toward a female character in a story as a plot device to advance the male character forward. Does The Killing Joke “fridge” Barbara Gordon? Or do the filmmakers handle her differently than the novel?

Batgirl changes
About a week ago or so, it was revealed that the filmmakers took some dynamic new directions with the character of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the story. The film opens up with a 31-minute prologue of sorts which is focused on Barbara (Tara Strong, reprising her role from the animated series) and her journey in Gotham as Batgirl, with Batman (Kevin Conroy) as a partner of sorts. This result is controversial because it leads to a Babs/Batman sex scene.

The controversial Babs/Bruce sex scene has been divisive because many feel it’s unnecessary and doesn’t add much to Barbara’s character. I would have to agree — it comes out of nowhere, and though the filmmakers claim it was used in an attempt to help humanize Barbara, it seems out of place and odd.

In the graphic novel, Barbara was little more than a plot device to move the narrative forward (fridging it). Once she’s shot and crippled by the Joker (in the movie, Mark Hamill, the one and only), the story kicks into high gear. In this movie, that shooting does occur, but the lead-up with her being Batgirl paints Barbara in a strange and harsh light. She seemingly only became Batgirl to be closer to Batman, which is just bizarre. The whole thing feels half-baked and underwhelming, and while the early scenes of Batgirl kicking ass and taking names are fun, the balance struck to her being an impulsive hormone-driven crimefighter is uneven. Bruce Timm is one of the biggest proprietors of the Babs/Bruce intimate relationship, glimpsed in The Animated Series and then referenced once more in the future of his animated universe in Batman Beyond, as well as the books spun-off from the shows, so it’s no surprise that Timm also had a hand in this adaptation as co-director.

Once the film settles into the more streamlined The Killing Joke mode, it plays a lot better, as it morphs into a very straightforward adaptation with small changes along the way. Hearing and seeing Mark Hamill reprise the Joker with Kevin Conroy as Batman in this classic work is a real treat, and both add so much to the film that it certainly elevates it. Fans well know that for decades Conroy and Hamill wanted to do this piece together and you can tell they’re engaged and enjoy it. Ray Wise’s James Gordon is empathetic and terrific, the animation is on point and gorgeous at many points, the score composed by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion and Lolita Ritmanis propels everything so well (including a very dark but fun Joker musical number) and respect is given to the source material in almost every way. For fans of the graphic novel, they will overall love this adaptation. For Barbara Gordon fans and female character fans in general, I’d wager to say that they will not like the prologue or perhaps what follows.

In the novel, did Alan Moore fridge Barbara Gordon? I think yes, he did. In this adaptation, did Bruce Timm and Sam Liu fridge Barbara Gordon once more, albeit differently in a more sexual manner? I believe so, yes. While more is given to Barbara’s character, humanizing is one thing. The need to sexualize her is trivial, and to turn her into such a pithy needy girlfriend way is just plain odd (there’s literally a scene where she calls Batman on her cell phone and very dramatically says “It was just sex.”) But again, for whatever reason, Bruce Timm loves the Babs/Bruce ship and the inevitable and natural conflict that comes with that intimacy.  

The only intended effect that Babs/Bruce’s rooftop sex foray gives is to throw maybe more emotion behind Batman’s hunt for the Joker, even after the Clown Prince kidnaps James Gordon and emotionally, physically and mentally tortures the man. The filmmakers imply that maybe Bruce has more feelings for Babs than he lets on. And in this universe that they built in the film, I suppose he does. And that will divide fans and viewers alike, one way or another.

Did we deserve this long sought-for film adaptation? Did it deliver? I think, yes. But at what price? I rate The Killing Joke adaptation at a strong 7/10. The film is fun, engaging, dark, overall faithful to the source material, but I for one can’t get past that prologue. I hold Barbara Gordon near and dear to my heart, and in Season 3 of the web series I am involved in, Nightwing: Escalation, one will see more of why and how. Many fans do as well, and even casual fans who don’t know Barbara will be a bit put off, especially female viewers. The leap the filmmakers force the audience to take hurts the film’s credibility and it is to the film’s ultimate detriment. “Why aren’t you laughing?!”