Batman: Gotham By Gaslight Review - 5 Ups & 5 Downs

3. It Tones Down The Sexism & Lame Fan Service

One of the most complained-about aspects of recent Batman animated films in particular is the abundance of casual sexism and "fan service", in which female characters are typically placed in gratuitous and compromising positions for the ogling of teenage boys watching.

Though this film does open with a sequence in which Poison Ivy is dancing for a room full of men and there's the aforementioned sex scene to suffer through, the salaciousness is decidedly toned down from both The Killing Joke and Batman and Harley Quinn, which were widely criticised for focusing on Barbara Gordon and Harley as sex objects above all else.

At least here Selina Kyle has a ton of agency, and there aren't any excessive butt shots or rapey sex scenes. It's all consensual and relatively respectful, which for movies aimed primary at teens, is important.