Annecy 2026: Batman Knightfall – Part 1 brings the Dark Knight to his knees (review)
Bane flexes muscles and sows chaos in this first film of the trilogy, presented yesterday at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Published in the early 90s, the crossover Knightfall was a major turning point in Batman comics, making Bane one of the Dark Knight’s greatest enemies (the story also inspired Christopher Nolan to The Dark Knight Rises). Warner Bros. Animation finally decided to adapt it into feature films, through a trilogy, the first part of which was previewed at the Annecy Festival. Despite a stifling heat that the air conditioning of the Bonlieu center struggled to compensate for, the room was full to discover this Batman Knightfall – Part 1.
Confession: the author of these lines has not read comics for a good twenty years. But from what we remember, the film very faithfully follows the storyline, showing both Bane’s youth – who grew up rough in a dingy prison, ending up being injected with a mysterious serum that increases his strength tenfold – and his desire to reshape Gotham City. His target? Batman, obviously, whose secret identity he discovered. To weaken the masked vigilante, Bane releases all his enemies from Arkham Asylum (a nice gallery of villains, ranging from the Mad Hatter to the Sphinx), slowly exhausting him mentally and physically. And without spoiling too much, a certain Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael will have a big role to play…
No big surprise on the animation side, Batman: Knightfall – Part 1 following the wheel of the latest Warner productions with a perfectly fluid and elegant 2D look. The studio is not seeking to bring about a revolution here, but rather to refine an ultra-mastered graphic touch. We could regret this lack of risk-taking, however the film stands out for the malicious pleasure it takes in injecting shock sequences, with explosions of heads and spinal columns being ejected from bodies.
It’s hard to resist these little gory treats which contribute to a radically dark atmosphere, with Batman on the verge of breaking down. Until a final sequence that every fan knows, and which will completely change the situation for the next two films. This is, moreover, the whole problem of this Part 1which looks a little too much like an amuse-bouche before the serious things begin in the next episode. Looking forward to the sequel.
At the moment, Batman: Knightfall – Part 1 does not have a release date.
