Blu-ray Review: BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN Shows A Lighter Side To The Dark Knight

Not an original comic book character, Harley Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series. The show has become a seminal milestone in the Batman mythos and Harley Quinn has gone on to become one of the most popular characters in the Batman canon.

2016 saw the character hit the big screen in Suicide Squad and Margot Robbie’s turn as The Joker’s moll was one of the big take aways from that movie – she’s even coming back for another turn as the Crown Prince of Crime’s squeeze in a Joker & Harley movie which will once again see her share the screen with Jared Leto.

Batman and Harley Quinn sees the character venture back to her roots, returning to the world of animation by joining Batman: The Animated Series’ Kevin Conroy in a new adventure. The animated film teams Harley (voiced by Melissa Rauch) with Batman and his sidekick Nightwing (Loren Lester) to take down Poison Ivy and Floronic Man.

This Sam Liu’s film is a fun little flick, inverting the world of Batman in a way similar to the The Lego Batman Movie. There’s humour here, with moments borrowed from a variety of sources like the aforementioned Animated Series to the legendary 1960s television series. Batman is a character who has morphed and changed over the years and he can take the light comedy that’s on display in Batman and Harley Quinn. It might be a little risqué, but it’s an interesting Bat-flick.

Those who prefer The Dark Knight at his darkest might not enjoy the joshing involved here, but when you’ve followed Batman as long as Movies in Focus has, then you can dig what Batman and Harley Quinn has to offer.

Special Features

A wonderful package awaits – The Harley Effect looks at the character of Miss Quinzel, Loren Lester talks Nightwing and you get sneak peeks at a couple of Batman animated movies and a pair of Harley Quinn starring episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. Great stuff.