Review: "Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero"

To kick off this blog, I'm going to write about the first movie I watched with a new HBO Max subscription (free with AT&T!)

I had heard about this film before, only because I was interested in "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm," which this film is a sequel to. I haven't watched that one yet, but I said, "Why not?" and watched this film. And, boy, what a movie.

First off, the animation is nothing short of stunning. For a direct-to-video film, the way they blended traditional with CGI animation is really cool. Then again, DC has a reputation for having great animation in its home video features. The film also really makes use of its 66-minute runtime, which is always a good quality.

Then there's the voice cast. I think Kevin Conroy was a good choice for Batman, and as for the rest of them, they're good, too. The story and plot are also very well crafted, and the end can be a bit of a tear-jerker. The only problem I have with this film is the way Robin is portrayed in the film, which makes him seem like the dude who wants to solve everything and, of course, gets hurt trying. I've never liked that character archetype, but it's not too bothersome.

All in all, I definitely recommend seeing this film if you have HBO Max, and if you don't, if you're willing to shell out a few bucks to watch it, go ahead. You may cringe at the idea of watching an animated film at first, but as soon as the title screen is over and the action starts, you'll be engrossed.

RATING: 8/10