Merry Little Batman Review by the Ent. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch
Movie: Merry Little Batman
Rating: TV-Y7
Genre: Animated, Superhero, Children, Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 32 mins.
Age suggested: 6 and up
Release Date: December 8th, 2023
Streaming Service: Amazon Prime
Warnings: gross rib scene, comic violence, maniacal behavior
Merry Little Batman Summary
In a Gotham where Bruce Wayne is a father, he has dedicated his life to make sure there is no crime in Gotham to keep his son safe. He also makes sure that every aspect of Damian’s life is as safe as possible, much to Damian’s chagrin. When Batman is called away on a mission, Damian is determined to get in some good training, but when crime enters his house, training may be more hands on than he was prepared for.
Merry Little Batman Review
Merry Little Batman is definitely a different Batman story than the usual lot. Bruce Wayne is much more normalized and is particularly sensitive when it comes to the safety of Damian. This does lend itself to a much lighter Batman than pretty much any before. Even though Damian does occasionally act like the dark Batman, his childhood cuteness completely undercuts it. This overall vibe makes it a bit more difficult to digest if you are expecting the usual Batman, but nevertheless provides a fun and eventually more intense movie.
The actual art style is also very unique for the Batman franchise. The director, Mike Roth, is the creator of Regular Show. You can definitely see the similarities, but Merry Little Batman does overall take on a style of it’s own. This caricature style is a bit unsettling at first, but works well overall, especially when the villains get involved.
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The plot itself is quite fun and blends in a few different Christmas classics (Home Alone and the Grinch) while also crafting its own story. The connection and love between Bruce and Damian is lovely, even if overshadowed by Bruce’s helicopter parenting at the beginning of the movie. Also, the computerized Bat-Dad was a fun touch and the character progression that allowed was surprisingly poignant at times.
Is Merry Little Batman Appropriate?
Overall, I was expecting this movie to be a bit more than it ended up being. It does reference the usual Batman story, including the death of his parents at an early age. It also mentions the fact that Damian’s mom is a villain and “it’s complicated”. None of this is inappropriate in and of itself, but may be triggering for kids who have had certain traumas. A small extra note here is one scene in which Batman shows off his chest and it is quite mangled with scars and disfigurement.
The Joker overall plays his usual crazy self and the antics he gets into are to be expected. Lots of threats of death and some actual explosions do happen There is also the normal amount of comic violence with kicks and punches, etc. Lastly, the language is very mild, but shouldn’t be a problem for any kid who can handle the other aspects of this movie.
Continue reading for more of our Merry Little Batman Review and Discussion Questions
Favorite Merry Little Batman Quotes
You shouldn’t play with the cat. You’ve gotten scratched, or worse! You could’ve gotten a brain parasite from it’s fecal matter.
You’re not ready for that kind of stuff. Because being a superhero takes focus, responsibility, and sacrifice.
There is no more crime in Gotham. So enjoy being a kid.
Crime must be back in Gotham. It’s a Christmas miracle!
I will have vengeance. Because they didn’t cross some kid. They crossed Batman’s kid!
That’s it. I’m moving to Metropolis
Okay, which one of you gave a little kid explosives?
-Quotes from Merry Little Batman
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Merry Little Batman Discussion Questions
Themes to Discuss: Responsibility, Legacy, Trust, Pride, Parenting
- What did you think of Batman’s world compared to other Batman things you’ve watched?
- Why did Batman want to get rid of all crime in Gotham?
- Why is Damian so focused on getting back his utility belt?
- Are you more rambunctious like Damian or more conserved like Bruce wants him to be?
- Why was Bruce being so protective of his son?
- What does Joker offer Damian in order to tempt him into being a villain?
Thanks for reading our Merry Little Batman Review.
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