Son of Batman

近來工作太忙，實在沒有太多時間寫閱後感，有些更是忘了自己曾經看過，真的太差勁了。

應該是上月中吧，我看過JLA: WAR後，對DC的動畫電影起了癮，翌日就看了Son of Batman。

光看本作的標題，已經知道本作是以Batman and Son作為藍本改篇，雖然漫畫早已看過，但DC的動畫水準一向不俗，於是我又乖乖的坐著看電影了。

以下故事提要取自維基：

At the headquarters of the League of Assassins, Ra's al Ghul grooms Damian Wayne (son of his daughter, Talia, and Batman) to succeed him as head of the league. The league is attacked by a group of assassins led by Slade Wilson, Ra's al Ghul's initial choice for successor before Ra's met Batman. Feeling betrayed, Slade decided to seize power. During the battle Ra's is fatally wounded, dying before he reaches the Lazarus Pit. Although Damian stabs Slade in the eye, Slade escapes. Talia takes Damian to Gotham City to protect him.

In Gotham City, Batman confronts Killer Croc, whom Talia subdues. She tells Batman about her father's death and leaves their son in his care. Although Damian wants to avenge Ra's al Ghul by killing Slade, Batman objects. Slade, now calling himself Deathstroke, captures Dr. Kirk Langstrom and his family to force him to recreate the Man-Bat formula. Batman follows a lead about the formula's mutagen to Langstrom's apartment, where he finds evidence of Deathstroke's involvement. Talia is captured by Deathstroke when she attacks him.

Against Batman's orders, Damian leaves the Batcave and defeats one of Deathstroke's men. Before Damian kills him,Nightwing arrives, mistakes him for a criminal and subdues him before bringing him back to the Batcave. Batman berates Damian for his recklessness, willingness to kill and exposure of their operation, and makes him Robin to teach him discipline. Commissioner Gordon warns them about an abandoned stadium believed to house Deathstroke's men.

At the stadium, Batman and Damian question Langstrom but are attacked when Damian becomes violent. In the cave, Langstrom reveals Deathstroke's plan to create superhuman, flight-capable assassins. While Nightwing works with Langstrom on an antidote, Batman and Damian rescue his family. Batman guesses that Talia has been abducted when he finds evidence of torture in an empty cell, but is unaware that Deathstroke challenged Damian to a duel in exchange for Talia's life.

Nightwing learns that Deathstroke is operating in an oil rig off the Scottish coast, and when Batman is distracted Damian goes to the rig. He finds Deathstroke and Talia in an underwater base with a swarm of Man-Bats and another Lazarus Pit, whose fluid Deathstroke intends to sell. Damian pulls a gun on Deathstroke, who holds one against Talia's head. Damian drops his gun; Deathstroke fires at him, but Talia jumps out and takes the shot. As Deathstroke corners Damian, Batman appears and the Man-Bats attack. Batman wards them off with sonar-emitting devices, and Deathstroke flees.

Batman takes Talia into the Lazarus Pit, while Nightwing and Langstrom reach the oil rig and cure the Man-Bats. Damian defeats Deathstroke, refusing to kill him because he is his father's son. The elevator from the rig to the underwater base is destroyed, flooding the base. Batman, Talia and Damian escape, but Deathstroke is left behind. Batman and Talia argue over Damian. She decides to let him care for their son, and leaves with the League of Assassins.

本作的故事不複雜，就是Damian和Talia為了逃避League of Assassins的叛徒Deathstroke而投靠Batman，之後一路殺回去，最終打敗Deathstroke。劇情沒有特別需要解釋的地方，說白了，本作的重點不在劇情，而在於Batman與兒子的相處。

猶記得在漫畫中，Damian是個小屁孩，以自己從祖父身上學來的戰鬥技巧把Tim和Alfred都打了一遍，是個頗為討厭的孩子。但他這個性格實在與自己的成長過程有關，天底下有哪個父母會在子女幾歲時教授殺人技巧？大概Damian是另一個Hitgirl吧。

然而在本作中，不知道是否片長所限，Damian沒多少臭屁的舉動，而本作中Tim的戲份都交予Dick，即第一代Robin，Batman心目中的「兒子」，Nightwing也把Damian打翻了，雖然也是一場惡戰。沒有了Tim，即是在本作的世界觀中沒有第三代Robin？不過我對這個改動也沒太大反感，反正Dick不論在哪個層面，都是Bruce最好的戰友及兒子。

話說Batman第一次見到Damian就相信這個小孩是自己的兒子了嗎？以Bruce的性格，如此輕易就接受實在有點說不過去，至少也要暗中調查一番呀。不過既然孩子的母親是Talia，Bruce馬上相信了也是說得過去的，始終她與Selina都是他最愛的女人。再加上Damian的樣子可能與自己孩提時一模一樣罷。

Deathstroke變成了Ra’s 的得意門徒，這個設定實在有趣，始終Deathstroke是個一流的刺客，說他出自LOA門下也絕無違和感，加上他是眾多沒有超能力的壞人中，知名度最高的一個，讓他成為Batman的對手，也不會予人強弱懸殊之感。倒是Ra’s真的在開首一戰中被幹掉了？我還以為DC會在片尾暗示下一部動畫電影就是Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul，怎麼Ra’s真的死掉了，怎麼感覺有點太弱了。

至於Damian，則是在最終戰中強得可怕。他與Deathstroke的對決中，被對方一刀刺進右手，正常人就算不痛得暈過去，也無法繼續戰鬥了吧。怎料Damian把刀拔去後，仿似只是被蚊子叮了一下，簡單護理都沒有做一下就翻身與Deathstoke再次戰鬥。果然是Batman的兒子，標致Batman無所不能的金句「I am Batman」也有下文了。Damian對自己沒有痛感也不會流血的回應就是「I am Batman…….’s son」沒有懸念。

Talia在原作中，是故事中的大反派，也只是視Damian為一個工具，但在本中，她卻是個孤苦的單親母親，也深愛著Bruce和Damian，真的是截然不同的地位。話說我其實很喜歡Talia這個角色，在本作中的她沒有如原作般無情，也是一件好事。

整體而言，本作的劇情非常簡單，大部份劇情都取自原作，對喜歡超能力對對碰的觀眾來說，本作可能會有點沉悶*，但對Batman的愛好者而言，Damian的初次出現可是一件大事，沒有不支持的理由。

75分。

*也許我搞錯了，本作是有出現超能力者，那就是擁有自動癒合/沒有痛感的Damian，awesome！