Batman: Down (2019) Review

“We hate this city, we hate what its done, to you.”

When I went looking for Batman: Broken Promise, I found another hidden gem, Batman: Down. Not much is known from the project, but the two-and-a-half-minute short teases a compelling Batman project to be released in 2019. That was three years ago, but not much else is known from the project. Turns out artist Yoann Kavege developed the concept for a class project, which is quite impressive. The concept may have never meant to become a full-length film, or perhaps he is still hard at work. My only knit-pick is the title, I would tweak it to be Batman Is Down, playing to the connotations of Officer is Down.

In any case, it teases a psychological deep dive, as Joker challenges the Bat crusader in an intimate fashion. It has an eerie tone that would have made for a great character study. It’s the kind of story I wish Warner Bros animation was pursuing, Yoann Kavege would benefit from their resources.

Here are some of my favorite frames of the film: