User reviews

And this is not anything to do with not liking Batman. I happen to love Batman, right from the 60s series(camp but compulsively colourful fun) to the animated DC movies with Batman:The Animated Series being the real jewel in the crown. This said, I happen to not be a fan of the The Batman show. It is not a terrible show, it has its good moments, but I do prefer more darkness and Gothic pathos when it comes to Batman and there are elements that take some getting used to. I happen to think The Batman vs. Dracula is much better. It is not perfect, Joker's character design like the show does take a lot of getting used to, in all honesty I never really warmed to it, and Peter Stormare while voicing Dracula with just the right smooth menace has an accent that is very inconsistent. However, the animation is really great, much smoother than the show's and has much more atmosphere. There is also a haunting music score, smart intelligent writing that has a much mature tone than the show and some exciting action sequences, though there perhaps could have been more. The story is very dark and compelling, with some both intense and moving moments and perfectly paced. I would have liked to have seen the Vampyric lore element further explored but that wasn't enough to harm the story. The characters are great, Batman is much darker and more brooding, Penguin as always is great fun, he was a bright spot of the show always, and Joker is more menacing and twisted than ever before. Dracula in design may be more Ras Al'Ghul than Dracula, but is still a more than worthy adversary to Batman. The voice acting is very good too, Rino Romano sounds more comfortable and brooding, Tara Strong is a likable Vicki Vale. Tom Kenny voices Penguin with great enthusiasm without ever overdoing it while Kevin Michael Richardson's voice for Joker is in keeping with the character's more twisted personality here, it didn't work in the show for me because that psyche wasn't really explored. All in all, a very good movie and much better than The Batman show. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I have to say, I was rather surprised by how dark and intense "The Batman vs. Dracula" was. I had heard that there was more blood and the fights were intense, but this was beyond words. All of the characters were terrific, and we see the evil, twisted psyche of Joker that is mostly absent from "The Batman" series; in a way, he's even more insane in this movie than any other I have ever seen.

Anyway, I really enjoyed how this movie flowed. At first it's somewhat fast paced, but to the point and it remains consistent, so the viewer doesn't really get confused at all. Then it mellows out, giving time for the story and characters to develop. Each character has their niche, some of whom will make your skin crawl (this is especially the case for Joker).

All in all, this is DEFINITELY NOT for children. Watching this will give them nightmares for nights on end. Even I have flashes of the most awe- and terror-inspiring points of the film.

Honestly, I'm at a loss of words at how well this movie played out. Normally I'd use better words, but I can't at the moment. I'll just say that this would be a perfect Batman movie for any fan or non-fan.

Although it is rather serious in tone and deals with vampires and the undead, The Batman vs Dracula just seems to childish and too cartoony to be really effective. The color pallet is suitably drab and washed out and it does have a decent amount of atmosphere but I can't help but think that it could have been better if it just didn't seem toned down.

I prefer the 90s series of Batman, which had an overwhelming amount of darkness and Gothic pathos. This new THE Batman series appears to be reconfigured to appeal to kids who weren't even born in that decade. I know it's a cliché to moan that animated shows were always better when my age-group were kids, but it's so true.

The Penguin and The Joker (now looking like a cross between Krusty the Clown and The Predator) escape from Arkham (there's something new) and make their way to a hidden treasure trove in the cemetery. But the bird stumbles upon Dracula's tomb (why he is in Gotham is not explained) and resurrects him by accident.

But The Batman doesn't approve of a Vampireman stalking his streets and a drawn-out conflict with a predictable and hokey ending fills up the rest of the movie. It's fun, it's entertaining, but it's just not the Batman I'm used to.

While this movie and the animation used in this batman series isn't the best; it is still fun to watch. It may not be on the level of Kevin Conroy's batman but I still enjoyed this approach. The fight scenes are good and I also like how swiftly and ninja(yes I know he really is a ninja) like batman moves; along with the depiction of Dracula. Batman still broods, Alfred is still witty and the joker is still a psycho.

I got this expecting a usual icon vs. icon movie like Alien vs. Predator, good in theory, but really only good for a few laughs over how goofy it is. Unexpectedly, I received a very good movie. Dracula was very well done as an aristocratic noble/bloodsucking Nosferatu. Batman has his typical gadgets and intelligence, also using his ability to view every angle to not completely ignore the obvious like most vampire movie heroes. Having an enemy that was truly more powerful than Batman was a welcome reprieve after a seventeen years of watching the invincible superman on my television. I suggest getting this movie as soon as possible.

The Batman vs. Dracula came out just four months after Batman Begins and it received immediately mixed reviews by critics. I thing that they were comparing it with the feature film and that is wrong ,of course the feature film is going to be better (not always ,but usually) ,so it like putting a young boxer against John Sena, yea no ,he don't even stand a chance. But to the point is it good?

At first this is a direct to video film of the Batman series of 2004, which follows Bruce Wayne in his first days as The Bat as his rogue gallery comes in to view and he must faces them. This was my third series with Batman (or fourth) after the Justice League and Batman Beyond. When I was young, I though that it was awesome and flawless, but nowadays I think that, though not perfect it still holds up and it is a good series. So the title said all Batman vs. Dracula, which starts when the Prince of Darkness is awaken and now the Dark Knight has to find out who to stop him. A simple ,but awesome premise.

The animation is good, not to the level of Justice League ,but still good. As for the voice cast they do their best and I give them that. In short not to bad and it has some awesome fight scenes!

As a animated film of the DC, it isn't from the best but is enjoyable and if you are a big fan of the Caped Crusader give it a watch, it will be fun, if you disliked it, no hard feelings.

So yeah, Batman vs Dracula was a thing! Twice actually but the first is a very obscure 1940's film I believe.

Here Penguin accidentally raises the legendary vampire from the dead who then goes on to make an undead army which also comprises of everyones favorite villian the Joker.

From the outset I realised how poor the voice work was, even Peter Stormare didn't sound on form and Joker sounded/looked ridiculous.

Yes the story is decent enough but I found myself struggling to take the whole thing seriously. Batman vs Dracula? Really!

I can confidently say I've seen considerably worse DC animated movies but consider this nothing but a novelty Batman movie and nothing else. You need to suspend disbelief and just roll with it.

Coming next year Spiderman vs Scooby Doo and the much anticipated Justice League vs The Goonies.

The Good:

Peter Stormare

Fitting soundtrack

The Bad:

Bizarre incarnation of Joker

Weak voice talent

When I first heard about this movie, I had reservations. The Batman series was straight forward action with too little character depth. Every villain was an evil mustache twirling master martial artist, yet Batman was always able to overpower them.

Anyway, this movie started out somewhat similar to a series episode, the Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum and the Penguin uses the distraction and some deft martial arts to make his own escape. Having a lead on a hidden treasure, Penguin goes to a very Gothic cemetery and finds more then gold, but Dracula's remains. Accidentally reviving him, Dracula proceeds to build an army of the undead, targeting Batman partially for using his image to scare criminals, partially because Batman rules the night of Gotham, and that's his territory.

Probably the best part of this movie is that Batman has trouble with Dracula's vampire minions, and is completely outmatched by Dracula himself. This means he has to rely on intelligence and improvisation, in addition to plain martial arts skill to defeat him. Batman shows great humility in that luck was the only thing to prevent Dracula's victory in their first encounter.

Make no mistake, this is not a kids movie.

Overall, while some things may not be for everyones taste, it is a rousing 90 minutes that keeps up a strong pace and does not let up until after the credits roll.

Overall, its Two legendary bats, one movie.

This cartoon movie has a lot going for it - zippy animation, a cool music score, and two of the greatest pop culture icons ever.

Unfortunately, Batman and Dracula don't mix quite as well as they should. Super-hero comic books, fun as they may be, usually stink at doing horror. This movie has that problem, too. Personally, I thought it was silly every time Dracula zoomed around like the Flash or turned into a drooling Nosferatu. His melodramatic dialogue wasn't much good, either - "I'll use your cape for a dinner napkin," indeed! I also had problems with the movie's tackiness. A vampire Joker is fun, but showing him lick up blood from the floor like a dog is in questionable taste.

There's some originality issues here, too. The Vicki Vale subplot is lifted right out of the first Tim Burton movie, and it's become a dull cliché to have the police chase Batman.

Still, I was entertained. This is pacey fun, and it's got a cool visual style. But ultimately it's too fannish. (By fannish, I mean it was obviously written by a fan who cut-and-pasted genre stories together in a somewhat dull fashion.) And how come Bob Kane is credited with creating Batman, but Bram Stoker doesn't get a nod for creating Dracula?

When the Penguin (Tom Kenny) escapes Arkham Asylum in search of stolen loot at Gotham Cemetery, Penguin inadvertently stumbles upon a hidden tomb that holds Dracula (Peter Stormare). Awaken from a cut on Penguin's hand, Dracula continues his reign of terror as he drains residents of Gotham to regain his strength with intent on enslaving all of Gotham as his undead army. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne (Rino Romano) strikes up a promising relationship with news reporter Vicki Vale (Tara Strong) but finds his life complicated balancing this growing romance against his secret life as Batman, as a Bat shaped figure becomes associated with missing persons with Batman at the center of police suspicions.

The Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 direct-to-video feature that serves as a standalone story related to the animated series The Batman which ran from 2004-2008. Released as a tie-in with the then recent Batman Begins and premiering on Cartoon Network's Toonami, The Batman vs. Dracula was able to go darker than its source TV show thanks to lack of "network standards". Not only are there plenty of scenes of blood and vampires drinking it (though a scene in a blood bank has the lighting altered so the blood looks black) but it's the only time in the continuity of The Batman that we've seen the police use actual guns instead of tasers or tranquilizers. While the movie isn't required viewing with the show and is a very self-contained adventure, it's a solidly entertaining one with some excellent edge.

Peter Stormare is an absolute delight playing the titular Dracula who captures the dark menace of the character as well as the romantic magnetism of the character. Dracula is intimidating in both his "monster" form and his false identity as Dr. Alucard and he's a more than worthy foe to square off against Batman. Rino Romano and Tara Strong do quite well in their roles of Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale respectively, and the chemistry conveyed in their interactions makes me sad the character of Vale never appeared in the actual TV show and only appeared in this film. The action and animation are quite well done playing like a supped up version of the animation you see on the show, but the filmmakers get a lot more ambitious and experimental here as they're allowed to take the macabre elements of their story a lot further than they'd be able to on network TV (see the Spider-Man cartoon's take on Morbius to see how much you had to change for "acceptability"). The sequences of Batman fighting vampires or researching vampire lore strikes all the right notes and gives you every element you'd possibly want from a vampire story (save for some of the racier aspects of vampire war, but it's Batman).

The only real downside is in how detatched the movie feels from the show's continuity and aside from Bruce, Alfred, and supporting appearances by some of Batman's rogue's gallery there's no tie ins to the show's overarching story such as police chief Angel Rojas who served as a staunch opponent of Batman or Detective Yin who was for a time Batman's only ally on the force (though the TV show would give her a similar short shrift in season 3). The ending also feels a bit "too neat" in how things wrap up and it'll be a case of either you buy it or you don't.

The Batman vs. Dracula gives exactly what it promises. With solid animation and voice work the movie gives a more polished version of the already high quality you got from the TV show. Peter Stormare is fun in the role of Dracula and the havoc he wreaks upon Gotham is fun and carries with it the macabre charms we know and love that wouldn't be possible on network TV. The movie does feel like it's maybe too separate from the show as there's no appearances from established supporting players, and while Joker and Penguin show up, the possibilities of this story don't feel as fully exploited as they could've been. Minor nitpicks aside, this is a fun ride that gives you the Batman fighting vampires and delivers on all that entails.

Penguin stumbles on Dracula's remains (relocated to Gotham some time after the events of Stoker's novel), and accidentally revives him. Dracula vows to take over Gotham. But first he must remove the one obstacle to his ruling the night... the Batman!

Obviously inspired by the DC Elseworlds comic Red Rain (1991), this sole spin-off feature from The Batman 2004 animated TV series has a much darker tone than the show. It features the voices of Rino Romano as Batman, Peter Stormare as Dracula, Kevin Michael Richardson as Joker, and Tom Kenny as Penguin. Character designs are generally very good (I'm not a huge fan of this Joker's look, but it kinda works here). Backgrounds range from very good to fantastic (with Arkham Asylum and Gotham Cemetery looking like they've been pulled straight from a 1940s horror movie). Voice acting is spot-on (with Richardson's performance definitely helping to make this Joker easier to take). And although this isn't the DCAU, there are some apparent influences from Burton's movies; the design of the Batcave, Wayne Manor looking very similar to the one in Batman Returns, Penguin's 'flipper hands', and Vicki Vale (voiced by Tara Strong) being Bruce's love interest. There's also, interestingly, a line that Nolan used three years later in The Dark Knight, as Joker tells Batman 'You complete me'. Animation is smooth throughout. And Alfred (voiced by Alastair Duncan) gets a badass moment!

This isn't aimed at young kids. The 'turned' humans rising as vampires are pretty creepy, a scene paralleling blood-lust with drug addiction/withdrawal is very on the nose, and some vampire destruction is pretty graphic.

Well worth a watch. 7.5/10.

This is an enjoyable enough movie to watch and to kill some time with but its not on par with most of the other animated Batman movies.

I was slightly disappointed by the animations. Normally they try for a full length movie to give it a bit more flair and drawn out details. This movie just simply looked liked an extended "Batman" TV-series episode. I also didn't really liked Dracula's look. He was way too monstrous looking. How can you take this guy for a respectable gentleman that goes by the name of Alucard (weak, dumb, overused), in his human form?

The fight sequences between Dracula and Batman are pretty nice to watch, since Dracula has far superior powers as Batman. It shows how vulnerable Batman is and that makes his character very humane and realistic, unlike many other 'super-heroes'. The choreography and action animation in those sequences are also really fine. Yes, the acting is really the best thing about this movie.

I really hated the musical score and I missed the Batman theme in it as well. Wasn't Shirley Walker available?

The story isn't that much interesting. I mean Dracula's tomb lying right underneath Gotham City and all...Some real lazy writing in this movie. It's a pretty cool concept and all, Batman versus Dracula (voiced by Peter Stormare) and couple of vampire minions and the Joker and the Penguin (though you can wonder what the purpose of those two in the movie is) but I just feel that the execution could had been a better one. The story now instead sort of feels like a modern update of the whole Dracula story. It's a story thats handled much better in the "Blade" movies, to which this movie obviously shows some resemblance as well. Pehaps a bit too many and obvious ones for my taste. No, there isn't really much originality in this movie.

Watchable, but certainly not an highly recommendable one.

6/10

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First off, non-fans of The Batman animated series will be harsh on this, but if you aren't a fan you should still give it a watch. The story is Dracula is causing trouble in Gotham. It's a simple story, which is fine, the movie is only about 80 or so minutes long, but it has time to breath and doesn't drag.

The show, is a very vibrant, action oriented, in your face cartoon, which is fine, it suits the show. As a movie, that presents some hurdles, primarily ta deficit in plot development and the potential for overlong climaxes. Well there are no pacing issues, the movie starts off pretty fast, but manages to keep speeding up at a noticeable, but not problematic, pace, as a good and well thought out movie should.

Voice acting and music is top notch, there were some really strong themes towards the end, and I wish they had put more into the music, but it provides more than enough. I'd buy a score if one were released, as I would also be looking forward to more in the ways of arrangement and music come a second feature.

Many will try to compare this to Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, or Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and some will try to compare this to Batman Begins, which is all fine and good, except that it is quite difficult see beyond in the style in the four movies. And that is what this is, an exercise in style, but much to my delight, it is not style over substance. Though short, the film is quite solid in both character development and tone.

Lastly, where the movie excels is in the action. Do no forget, The Batman is fighting a villain that physically outclasses him, but the fights themselves are well animated, well organized, and visually impressive, as in The Batman's fluid movements, he some how gives an incredible fight.

This is an excellent movie, and I am glad I have seen it. Fans of the show,will love it, and fans of the comic will enjoy a solid representation of the mythic hero if they can remain unbiased. Though it is a bit violent and in your face when it comes to gore, it is a great film, and I eagerly await more. It looks like we have a winner.

1. Set in The Batman (2004) television series continuity. I loved the horror atmosphere, voice cast and the eerie music. Not a fan of this art style and character designs. The overall experience was satisfying and the soundtrack was outstanding. So many cool symbolism between Batman and Count Dracula and I enjoyed every bit of it.

2. Set in The Batman (2004) television series continuity. I loved the horror atmosphere, voice cast and the eerie music. Not a fan of this art style and character designs. The overall experience was satisfying and the soundtrack was outstanding. So many cool symbolism between Batman and Count Dracula and I enjoyed every bit of it.

To be fair, I didn't watch much of The Batman animated series. It just seemed to kind of slip by my radar as a Saturday morning cartoon far too cartoonish- even by the standards of the 90s series, which were like HBO-made in comparison- and drained the humor out of certain areas like with the Joker, and made things seem unintentionally funny in others. According to a friend, however, this made-for-video movie might be a bit better than the series. I'd guess if you did like the new The Batman series then it would be advantageous to check out this new piece of fan-fare product. But that it is a bit sub-par goes without saying, and not without a little potential wasted; this could be a dark and exciting tale to tell, with possibilities even for that most retreaded of vampires Nosferatu-cum-Dracula. Under the direction and writing, however, it is squandered on clichés (will Batman make it to dinner in time with Vicki Vale, and what about the party at his house?), and sometimes the animation feels a little 'off' from previous outings (ever wonder what Batman looks like without a nose? or Dracula with several continuity-gaping capes?)

There are some moments and scenes where it looks like the animators try to give some real cinematic style, as if a DP is off to the side overseeing everything, and once or twice the big visual cues are a little intriguing (the first time, at least, Dracula looks through the penguin or other and sees only their pumping heart and veins, is a solid abstraction). But a lot of this is over-clouded by the fact that the script is fiddling around on the practical gimmick of having a guest star like Dracula on the program, from his resurrection from *one* drop of blood, to his uncanny ability to amass an army around himself, and even to be voiced by Peter Stormare and have it NOT be very amusing or really enlivening the proceedings, to his eventual demise. Can Batman defeat this bloodsucking un-dead, with his army of the walking flesh-eaters? There will be time for that- what becomes a detraction is that the writers and filmmakers feel they need to pack in too much; we don't need a whole sub-plot dedicated to the Joker and his descention into vampirism AFTER coming back from (another) supposed death scene over a waterfall, especially when the Joker is hardly up to snuff in design and in voice (where is Luke Skywalker when we need him), as he was in the past.

And yet, if it were on TV sometime, with a few big exceptions (namely those flashback scenes or dream scenes or even the big climactic fight scenes that rip off the Matrix of all programs), it might spark a few minutes of interest in an off-handed way. There's always a line or a flash of the old spark that keeps Batman going along. But it's also a stupefying detour into the realm of shameless marketing, as the movie franchise goes on (knocks on wood in desperation) in good spirits and the TV realm goes down the tubes.