Batman & Mr. Freeze - SubZero (1998)

Batman & Mr. Freeze-SubZero......

In this direct-to-DVD release, Batman and Robin face off against Mr. Freeze as he kidnaps Barbara Gordon for use in an experiment meant to reanimate his deceased wife. Out of all the animated films I have, this one-I'm not too crazy about. Don't get me wrong, the animation is just fine and the story itself is servicable(although a bit simplistic) but it's just not too compelling to me. Course, Mr. Freeze(except for his appearances on "The Batman") hasn't always been a very intriguing adversary for Batman to go up against, anyways. Because of that, he has never really been a big favorite of mine out of all of Batman's villains. At least, we get some cool extras on the DVD. For extras, WB provided a cast and crew listing and a variety of theatrical trailers for other Batman products along with the teaser trailer for Scooby Doo. We're also given "The Art of Batman" that features production artwork interspersed with action from the film. An artist briefly demonstrates how to draw Batman in the "Get the Picture" feature(click the slow-mo if you want to learn how to draw him), and finally there's "The Hunt for Mr. Freeze" game. It directed by Boyd Kirkland and stars the vocal talents of Kevin Conroy, Michael Ansara, Mary Kay Bergman, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Marilu Henner and Loren Lester.

Batfans will surely want to add this to their collection, like I did. However, I don't know if I can recommend this to anyone else. Maybe, for the parent whose child loves cartoons and Batman but that is stretching it. The best thing I can suggest is to rent it before you buy and make up your own mind on it.

August 8, 2008

Freeze

Here is another great animated batman movie. i swear that the mr. freeze in this movie is alot better than the freeze in batman & robin. this movie is chillingly awesome. August 8, 2008

Baby it's cold outside

Many reviews of Sub Zero compare it unfavorably to Mask of the Phantasm. The criticisms usually come down to two things, the prominence of Barbara Gordon over Batman, and the awkward melding of traditional with computerized animation. Regarding the former, the movie is a bit slow at the midpoint with its' focus on Barbara and her many attempts at escape, and while Batman's absence is noticeable, he fortunately has starred in many other cartoons, so his reduced role here is not as troublesome. Concerning the latter, the two different animation styles do appear awkward at first sight, but are much less apparent, if not downright enjoyable, after repeated viewings. The Batwing especially looks awesome. The story once again focuses on the touching and tragic relationship between Victor Fries and his beloved wife Nora, with Babs being thrust right into the heart of matters as a possible savior for Nora. Unfortunately for her, she may not be around afterwards to take any bows. The movie climaxes with a thunderous crescendo atop an abandoned oil derrick during an exciting action packed finale reminiscent of a James Bond flick. The romantics among us will enjoy the closing few minutes especially. So forget the comparisons, for despite a few minor flaws, Sub Zero stands on its' own as yet another strong entry in the impressive pantheon of Batman animated features. May 13, 2008

Very brilliant

I must say I certainly did enjoy this Batman animated film as much as I enjoyed Mask of the Phantasm. Like the usual Batman the Animated Series, it has emotion, thrills, drama and action/adventure. This time Batman and Robin are up against the cold-hearted Mr.Freeze.

The story goes as Mr.Freeze who is desperately trying to save his wife Nora who is fatally ill. He heads to Gotham City to search for a cure with his assistance Gregory Belson, a top-level Cryogeneiticist at the Wayne Company. They figure out that to save Nora, they need an organ donor similar to her blood type which is uncommon. Unfortunately they find out that Babara Gordon alias Batgirl matches her type. They kidnap Batgirl and take her to their hideout.

Batman and Robin search for clues to lead them to Mr.Freeze and to resuce Babara Gordon before they kill her for the operation. This won't be too easy as Mr.Freeze is one of Batman's most deadliest foes.

This is probably one of the few greatest direct-to-DVD films. The animation and music in this film is spectacular.The animation this time included Computer Generated Images (CGI) for most of the vehicle scenes. Most of the time it was evident that the footage had become CGI and not traditional animation, but it was worth it. The Batwing sequence was amazing and was better than the Batwing sequences in Batman and Batman Forever. As for the rest of the animation, it was not up to par at first, but the costumed characters (Batman, Robin, Freeze) were extremely well done in the second half of the film.

Even for an hour long film, this is well worth the cash to purchase and add to your collection. If you haven't already seen it, rent it or buy it today. You will not be sorry. May 5, 2008

Literally cool Batman animated feature

The only complaint I have with this movie is it's too short and it also needs more action. A superb animated feature nonetheless. March 26, 2008

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