Batman: Assault on Arkham

Batman: Assault on Arkham
Home video re-release cover art (2016)
Directed by	Jay Oliva Ethan Spaulding
Written by	Heath Corson
Based on	Characters appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment
Produced by	James Tucker
Starring	Kevin Conroy Neal McDonough Hynden Walch Matthew Gray Gubler Troy Baker CCH Pounder
Edited by	Christopher D. Lozinski
Music by	Robert J. Kral
Production companies	Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment MOI Animation (Animation services)
Distributed by	Warner Home Video
Release date	July 25, 2014 (2014-07-25) (San Diego) July 29, 2014 (2014-07-29) (Digital) August 12, 2014 (2014-08-12) (Physical)
Running time	76 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Batman: Assault on Arkham is a 2014 direct-to-video animated superhero film that is the 20th film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies.^[1] Jay Oliva and Ethan Spaulding direct, with a script by Heath Corson, and James Tucker producing.^[2] The film was screened at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, 2014, and it was released digitally on July 29 and on physical media on August 12.^[3]

The film is set in the universe of the Batman: Arkham video game franchise, occurring after Arkham Origins;^[4] Jay Oliva states it takes place about two years before Arkham Asylum.^[5] The story focuses primarily on the Suicide Squad, particularly Batman villains Deadshot and Harley Quinn with Batman in a supporting role. In the film, a Suicide Squad of six criminals is dispatched by Amanda Waller to break into Arkham Asylum, where they must contend with the asylum's inmates and Batman as they attempt to complete their mission.

The film stars Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman (reprising his role as Batman from the DC animated universe, among other numerous DC properties, including the Arkham series), Neal McDonough as Floyd Lawton/Deadshot, Hynden Walch as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn (who reprises her role from The Batman) and Matthew Gray Gubler as Edward Nygma/Riddler. In addition, Troy Baker, CCH Pounder, Nolan North, and Martin Jarvis reprise their roles of Joker, Amanda Waller, Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin and Alfred Pennyworth from Arkham Origins (with Pounder previously appearing in the DCAU and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and North and Jarvis appearing in Arkham City as well) while Jennifer Hale reprises her role of Louise Lincoln/Killer Frost from the DCAU and other properties.

Plot[]

Batman rescues the Riddler from a black ops assassination ordered by A.R.G.U.S.' director Amanda Waller, returning him to Arkham Asylum. Invoking Priority Ultraviolet, Waller captures wanted supercriminals Black Spider, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, KGBeast, Killer Frost, and King Shark for the Suicide Squad. Their mission is to break into Arkham and recover a thumbdrive in Riddler's cane containing sensitive knowledge about the squad. She forces compliance by threatening to detonate nano-bombs implanted in their necks, and KGBeast is killed when he attempts to walk out on Waller. The remaining six are sent to Gotham City to get equipment from the Penguin, and while staying the night at the Iceberg Lounge Harley and Deadshot sleep together. The next day Harley commits a crime to lure Batman out, who is looking for a dirty bomb the Joker had hidden in the city. Harley is taken back to Arkham.

At Arkham, the incarcerated Joker taunts Harley, which causes her to fire a gun at him in a rage. While this is happening, the other members of the squad infiltrate the Asylum, and loop the previous day's security camera footage to keep both Batman and Waller from noticing them. The team finds Riddler's cane and Harley's mallet, but the cane contains nothing. Batman arrives after having noticed the security camera ruse and fights the squad. He defeats them one by one before being seemingly killed by Black Spider. Killer Frost splits from the group and goes to Riddler's cell; Waller secretly ordered her to carry out the real mission of the squad, to kill Riddler. Riddler reveals that Waller can't detonate his neck explosive because he knows how to disarm them, and the squad agrees to help him escape if he can disarm theirs. Meanwhile, Joker notices a weakness in his cell walls from Harley's attempt to shoot him and short-circuits the door to escape.

Riddler hooks the squad up - minus Black Spider - to a electro shock machine to fry the explosives. Riddler turns on the machine as Waller calls for an update; seeing the bombs' signals fading and learning of the squad's betrayal, she activates them. Harley, Deadshot, Boomerang, and Frost survive, but King Shark's head explodes due to his thick skin blocking the electricity. The group questions how Black Spider's bomb didn't detonate, and Riddler realizes that "Black Spider" is actually Batman in disguise; Black Spider had just been killed by the bomb detonation on his neck by Waller moments ago. After revealing himself, Batman demands the squad explain why they're in Arkham. Joker arrives and attacks Batman, providing a distraction for the squad to escape. Joker, enraged at Deadshot for "touching his stuff" by sleeping with Harley, intercepts them, but Harley sweet-talks him into forgiving her. As the remaining squad members flee, Batman encounters them and deduces from Deadshot that Joker has hidden the dirty bomb in Harley's mallet, which he then activates. Joker releases Arkham's inmates (including Two-Face, Bane, Scarecrow, and Poison Ivy) as a distraction to allow him to escape.

Frost is killed in the chaos by Bane, and Deadshot subdues Captain Boomerang to board a helicopter and escape. Batman notices three heartbeats coming from the helicopter and realizes Joker and Harley have stowed away in it. He follows them in the Batwing while Deadshot and Joker fight. The helicopter collides into a building; Batman knocks out Harley and disarms the bomb. At the same time, Deadshot pins Joker inside the helicopter - which then falls to the ground and explodes.

In the aftermath, Batman confronts Waller over the incident. He clarifies that her actions allowed Riddler to escape from Arkham, and warns her to discontinue the Task Force X program. Waller dismisses his warning and taunts that Joker's body was not found in the helicopter crash. Once Batman leaves, Waller notices a gun's laser trained on her. Deadshot is shown to be the source, reunited with his daughter, and the movie ends before he pulls the trigger - leaving Waller's fate uncertain.^{[N 1]}

Voice cast[]

Some characters from the Arkham games appear in non-speaking cameos including Bane, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy.

Soundtrack[]

The soundtrack to Batman: Assault on Arkham was released on July 30, 2014, with music composed by Robert J. Kral.^[10]

Track list[]

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

Scott Mendelson of Forbes roundly praised Assault on Arkham for its action, art style, humor, voices, and characters, calling it one of the best films of DC's direct-to-video lineup. He described it as a "gleefully immoral" heist film which, having "no real [plot] arc to speak of", relies on its violent action and clever character dynamics within the Suicide Squad to carry it. Due to its villainous protagonists, dark comedy, and sexual content, Mendelson considers the production of Assault on Arkham an experimental decision by DC, and a successful experiment as it tells a style of comic book story that would never get approval as a live-action project.^[11]

Seth Robison of Newsarama was far more critical, considering the animation, characterization, and storytelling in the film poor. He had particular dislike for the voice acting, which he believed squandered a talented cast by delivering a "disjointed" performance, and for Assault on Arkham's interpretation of Amanda Waller, which he believed simplified her into merely another villain. He further found Deadshot's sympathetic characterization opaque to non-comic readers and Harley Quinn's crazy act obnoxious. Overall, Robison deemed the experience of the film "superficial" and thought it compared unfavorably to those offered by the Arkham video games and the Justice League Unlimited episode "Task Force X".^[12]

Sales[]

The film earned $5,820,248 in domestic home video sales.^[13]

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

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