“The Dark Knight Returns” is one of the most iconic comic book series of all times. Such is its allure that is has led to the making of an amazing animated film while influencing live-action movies like Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises and Zack Snyder’s Dawn of Justice. Yet, people still harbor a desire to see a live-action movie which is completely dedicated to the graphic novel.
It seems their desires have finally been fulfilled, albeit at a smaller scale.
Filmmaker Wyatt Weed has created a fan-made live-action version of the iconic comic book by Frank Miller. It is shot in the area of St. Louis and made on a quite humble budget of $2500. But what makes it special is the loyalty of the film to the novel. According to Weed, his movie stays true to the Gotham depicted in the graphic novel, a world where darkness is engulfing the people yet light remains.
It looks like that Weed (who wrote, directed, produced and even starred in the film) understood more about the source material than Zack Snyder.
The characters are colorful and few instances almost comedic (like the news reporting). Yet, the movie never feels like a drag or a parody. It has enough material to keep you engaged and asking for more. According to Weed, the comedic news anchoring was introduced to keep things from getting too dark in this grim version of Gotham. We agree, since the movie is quite dark otherwise; the climax with Joker is almost breathtaking.
The sad part is, this fan-film is only 45-min long and only covers the first of the four-part novel. However, this film sets a precedent that with the right direction and right budget, “The Dark Knight Returns” could be turned in to a masterpiece of cinema.
While we wait for someone to do this, we are also looking forward to seeing Batman in Justice League. Directed jointly by Snyder and Whedon, the movie hits the theatre on November 17th.
