Ranking Every DC Original Animated Movie Worst To Best

Alan Moore's The Killing Joke is not only one of the highest regarded Batman stories, but also the definitive Joker tale. And so exciting was the adaptation announcement, that it got Mark Hamill to break his hiatus with the character and bring his iconic voice acting back for the role.

The comic was a brief but cutting tale, yet a direct adaptation couldn't fill out the usual running time required, so the idea to pad out the plot isn't sacrilege; in fact, it's necessary. Yet, hiring respected comic writer Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets) to expand was an inspired move that bizarrely didn't pan out.

Azzarello's Batgirl focused prologue feels like a middle-of-the-road release. It's only purpose is filling in her backstory for the uninitiated yet does so in a shallow manner, while throwing in an ill-informed twist that nearly sinks the ship.

This misstep could be forgiven if the meat of the source worked but oddly enough, Moore's story feels intricate to the comic book experience and the intimate, twisted journey he conceived feels incredibly slight and underwhelming on the TV screen.

Still, this is really Hamill's show, and he doesn't disappoint on his end. The actor eats up the opportunity to play the villain as a deeply flawed yet sadistic character. It's just a shame the rest of the production can't do his performance justice.