Batman: Descent Into Mystery

Maybe it is because I grew up with the original version, I prefer that one over this, but with all that, I still did enjoy this!

For my first viewing of this edit, I have to say I enjoyed it, maybe after multiple viewings I'll fall in love with it.

UPDATE: Even though, I guess due to nostaglia, I will always love the original, but this deserves to be on my dvd shelf! Dwight Fry, you did a great job with this edit!

As unfamiliar as I am with the character from the comics (having not read a single one), certain elements of Tim Burton's 1989 Batman never felt quite right to me, Dwight Fry's edit pretty much clears it up and makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

The removal of the flat "romance" and some sillier aspects (Batwing completely missing the Joker?) is seamless, as is the excision of Bruce and Jack's prior history. While some may say that this makes the flashback and associated scenes pointless, it doesn't seem out of character to me that this event is something that Bruce would dwell on, and besides is an important piece of backstory that the first "proper" film adaptation of the comics ought to include.

While still not a film I can claim to really like (unlike the sequel, for all its weirdness) this is definitely my go-to version, the theatrical cut may never leave its case again!

I enjoyed this a lot. The Vicky Vale romance was a always a bit contrived and distracting; likewise Alfred letting her into the Batcave; the removal of the=is subplot was much appreciated and worked well. I did however miss the Jack Napier/ Joker/ Wayne murders link more than I thought I would, and perhaps keeping this -- while ditching the Vale/ Wayne romance -- would make this really good fanedit a great one. Technically, its top-notch: edits are smooth and seamless. Thanks again!

Wow, what a tough one to review. I'm a big fan of Burton's Batman movies, but Batman himself I can take or leave. I've never read a comic book, and in fact Batman '89 and Batman Returns are the only two superhero movies I've had any interest in. I never had problems with things like Vicki at the Batcave, the romance between Bruce and Vicki, the Partyman sequence, and so on. Watching this with an open mind was tough to do, but I did my best.

While I can't say I enjoyed this as much as the original, I will give Dwight credit for accomplishing his goals. The edit is very well executed, and despite my enjoyment of the material that has been excised, the movie works just fine the way Dwight has cut it down. It's a very good effort that I have no problem recommending, if for no other reason that it provides a new take on an old(ish) classic.

I should note that I did wish the "To Bill" bit was done after the fade-out, rather than over the final shot of the movie. It felt a little heavy-handed to me.

And one odd note: I was very concerned during the opening credits because either the words or the background (couldn't tell which) seemed to be jumping around a little. However, after watching the edit, I popped in my original DVD, and it suffered the same issue. *shrug*

I give this a solid 8/10 overall, and it's only my personal preferences that keep me from rating this higher. Well done!

I watched this yesterday, on my tablet with headphones.

I mostly agree with njvc's review.

The bad: well, I own the Bluray of this movie, with surround sound and this particular edit cannot replace my copy because the richness of Tim Burton's movie doesn't come to full display with this offered video file. I don't know if the color correction is an issue with the DVD release but this version, I find the colors rather murky and obviously detail is missing, resolution-wise. So on the basis of visual image and sound, I would have to stay with the original source.

The volume was rather low, I had to turn the audio way up. I checked on my 60" TV as well as PC.

Alfred is sorely undercut.

The good: removing Vicky Vale works, the shortened museum encounter works, removing Joker as Bruce's killer works.

All in all, I would say that it is a good edit in that it appears seamless, I can only see it because I am well familiar with this movie and a Batman fan to boot. I didn't like Tim Burton's Batman movies until Joel Schumacher came long and showed how much worse it could be.

As a *movie ending*, it does seem rather unsatisfying and over quick, but as story-telling, it does work.

If you want to see a shorter Batman 1989, watch it, with no Batman-killings, no Joker killed his parents and no Vicky Vale knows his secret. If you enjoy visual quality and surround sound, the changes are not enough to make me want to switch.

Good job.