Who would have thought that the best film portrayal of Batman (and Superman) is in a direct-to-video animated movie, and not in any of the multi-zillion-dollar live-action blockbusters? This one is probably the #1 best all-time superhero movie. After decades of retirement, a jaded Batman is impelled by a vicious killer gang to return to the streets. This 2 1/2-hour movie is episodic, sticking very closely to Frank Miller’s classic “Dark Knight” run of Batman comics in the 1980s. So it plays more like four mini-movies spliced together, but how awesome those stories are! Batman vs. killer gang, Batman vs. Two Face, Batman vs. Joker (oh, joy!) and Batman vs. Superman (wow!) This Bats vs. Supes battle is the real deal, not that lame imitation in “Dawn of Justice.” An instant, animated classic.

Not for Kids. Seriously.

Extra:

• This was originally released as Part I and Part II, and then re-released into one deluxe version that plays the two parts as one movie. See the deluxe version, not the two-parter.