Where I Watched It: Amazon

English Audio Description Provided By Deluxe

Narrated By: Jedidiah Barton

Featuring Luke Wilson as Batman

I am truly considering this in my top 10 of the year. I know it’s a silly Christmas special, but it brought me so much joy. Merry little Batman is the animated DC entry I didn’t know I needed, fully of fun, laughs, and heart. And Luke Wilson. Technically, the movie does center around young Damien Wayne, Bruce’s son, who is readying himself for Christmas, but mostly for being Batman himself.

In this version, Batman wiped out all crime before Damien was born so he could devote himself to being a dad. Talia Al-Ghul is mentioned, but not around. It isn’t until Bruce is called off on a mission for the Justice League that young Damien gets to prove his worth as a little badass. There’s a lot of Home Alone type stuff, but the film does branch out and send Damien on a quest of sorts, which sees him facing off Batman’s biggest foes. So not Kite Man.

Your kids will love it. You will love it. I have seen a few animated Batman films over the years that have tried to capture the perfection of Mask Of The Phantasm, and this comes the closest. Even Killing Joke was bogged down by a chunk of the plot that just felt like padding.

I adored this. Barton is an unusual choice for a family film, as I found that one of my favorite narrators didn’t work for me as the narrator of Treasure Planet. But, here, he handles the action with the more dramatic moments where Damien learns a lesson, and the comedic moments where Damien’s enthusiasm gets the best of him.

Truly a special film. Why MAX wouldn’t want this on their service is a head scratcher.

Final Grade: A