Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K Review: Dark Knight Takes on Invaders
The latest animated Batman movie sees a very different version of the Dark Knight. Rather than Bruce Wayne, we see a young Aztec boy become a man and go out for revenge after a Spanish conquistador kills his father. The historical superhero film is quite the unique take and it’s that combination that makes the Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K release an interesting one for DC fans.
“In a bold reimagining of the Batman legend set in the Aztec empire; a young Aztec boy escapes to Tenochtitlán after his father is murdered by Spanish conquistadors. There; he trains in the temple of the bat god Tzinacan; and develops weaponry to avenge his father’s death. Along the way; he encounters familiar figures like Jaguar Woman and the conquistador Hernán Cortés,” says the synopsis.
The coolest aspect of Aztec Batman is getting to see the Aztec culture and historical figures blended with Batman characters. For example, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés fittingly becomes Two-Face. From Azrael and Poison Ivy to Catwoman and Joker, we see several new versions of DC characters throughout. Sadly, the one that doesn’t fully hit the mark is the new Batman, as Yohualli Coatl never displays any sort of detective quality, nor do we see much of an inner conflict. A tease at the end sets up a sequel, and it doesn’t end on a very satisfying note, so hopefully some of this will be explored more in a sequel. So, while it doesn’t all hit the mark, I’m glad DC tried something different.
As a foreign-language film, the Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K release struggles in a few areas. The biggest issue is that the original Spanish-language dub is presented as an optional version rather than the default, and is included at a lower DVD-level quality. This is ridiculous, and it’s underscored by the only set of subtitles being based on the Spanish script rather than matching the English dub. It’s a shame, since the film looks great and its nighttime scenes really shine thanks to the HDR10 transfer it received.
Bonus features are relatively scarce as well and shouldn’t be much of a factor in your purchasing decision. There are two featurettes included, which add up to 10 minutes long together. One focuses on English voice actor Jay Hernandez and what it meant to him to voice the character, while the other features writer Ernie Altbacker discussing the collaboration with director Juan Meza-León and how DC decided which Batman characters to use in this unique film.
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K Review: Final Verdict
With a fresh concept and some gorgeous scenes, the Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K is worth owning for DC fans. However, its handling of the Spanish dub and subtitles is less than ideal. Still, it’s the best way to watch the animated film, which has its flaws but is certainly worth checking out.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires 4K review.
Source: Comingsoon.net