Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
    Battlefield 6 Classes - Support trailer image

    Battlefield 6 Really Wants You To Play Support (But Knows You Won’t)

    07/31/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Merry Little Batman’ Brings Christmas To Gotham

REVIEW: ‘Merry Little Batman’ Brings Christmas To Gotham

Allyson JohnsonBy Allyson Johnson12/07/20234 Mins ReadUpdated:11/24/2024
Merry Little Batman
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Directed by Mike Roth and written by Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci, Merry Little Batman takes familiar DC characters and funnels them through the family-friendly Christmas machine. Despite its sanded-down edges (this Batman is in full dad mode), the film is a relatively harmless addition to the ever-growing DC Animation catalog. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and released through Amazon Studios, the film leans heavily into the heart of the story between Batman (Luke Wilson) and his son Damian Wayne (Yonas Kibreab) as they grapple with what it means to the son of a superhero.

Quaint and rightfully skewing towards a younger demographic, the film follows Damian, who is desperate to become a hero like his father, whom he idolizes. However, Bruce Wayne is much opposed, having gone to the extent of so fervently sweeping Gotham for crime to keep his son safe that it’s now been dubbed the safest city in the country. The two are close, but Bruce is wary of letting Damian anywhere near the danger Batman is so accustomed to. He might gift Damian a utility belt for Christmas, but it’s equipped with a first aid kit and a foam bat rather than any actual weapons or tools. When Batman is called away on a rare mission, Damian faces a Home Alone-style invasion from two clumsy and ill-equipped villains, which leads him to discover a major plot run by the Joker to steal Christmas.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

It’s all silly fluff and, for the most part, is relatively harmless. Damian isn’t the most engaging protagonist for adults, with the writing making sure to highlight his childishness (because he’s an actual child). Still, he will find fans in younger audiences who enjoy his rebellious ways. Much more universally successful are the depictions of Batman. He’s got a beard now and is voiced with a low-key cadence by Wilson. Meanwhile, Joker is played ingeniously by Mythic Quest’s David Hornsby. Hornsby is the strongest voice performance of the bunch despite being saddled with the most challenging role due to the legacy tied to the character. That said, he adds a necessary layer of childish petulance to the character, which fits the tone and energy of Merry Little Batman.

Merry Little Batman

The animation and art style, too, is a standout. Guillaume Fesquet worked as the art director alongside Daby Zainab Faidhi, who contributed to the style of the landscapes and architecture. It’s the latter that’s the most attention-grabbing. While the character designs speak to a particular era of Nickelodeon animation (think the exaggerated proportions of The Fairly Odd Parents) and even Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go!, the background work speaks more to classic Batman animation. This is captured through towering cityscapes that recall Batman: The Animated Series but with color instead of the film noir black and grayscale. 

This art style helps maintain pace as the story and writing begin to drag the moment Damian is on his own. The action picks up whenever a new villain from Poison Ivy to the Penguin comes into play. It helps add a distinctive flavor to the film, which could’ve buckled under the weight of its legacy and the expectations that come with it. Due to the oversaturation of Batman content over the years, there needs to be an effort to make its existence worthwhile rather than simply adding to the pile when a new project comes out. Yes, it’s a kid’s film with a younger target audience, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t try to find its own place in the crowd.

Merry Little Batman escapes that legacy by being a story about Damian rather than strictly a Batman story. The writing even examines the difference in their circumstances (in this version of their stories, at least) when Alfred tells a frustrated Damian that Bruce is only trying to ensure that he has a childhood, something Bruce himself didn’t get to have. It’s a way to reference his much-discussed and depicted backstory without turning fully to face it. It would be too dramatic a tonal shift for this otherwise light-on-its-feet film.

Merry Little Batman might not be suited for instant classic status like Batman Returns (the best DC Christmas film). That said, it’s still a fun enough ride, especially for the younger demographic looking for modern DC animation that isn’t just Teen Titans Go!. Equipped with some strong animation, the film overcomes writing that struggles to balance a consistent sense of humor with kinetic energy and fluidity. It won’t win everyone over, but it’s a solid primer for the artists on board and wins bonus points for its tonal restraint — it could’ve played everything much louder and broader.

Merry Little Batman is out now on Prime Video.

Merry Little Batman
  • 6.5/10
    Rating - 6.5/10
6.5/10

TL;DR

Merry Little Batman takes familiar DC characters and funnels them through the family-friendly Christmas machine. Despite its sanded-down edges — this Batman is in full dad mode — the film is a relatively harmless addition to the ever-growing DC Animation catalog.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleEverything To Know About Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora’s Ikran
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Episode 44 — “Right And Wrong Part 3”
Allyson Johnson

Allyson Johnson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.

Related Posts

Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa in The Map That Leads to You
8.0

REVIEW: ‘The Map That Leads To You’ Is YA Romance Done Right

08/19/2025
Lurker promotional still from MUBI

REVIEW: ‘Lurker’ Probes The Intoxication Of Fame

08/19/2025
The Knife (2025) promotional still
7.0

REVIEW: ‘The Knife’ Is Simple And Too Much At The Same Time

08/17/2025
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

08/16/2025
Fixed promotional key art from Netflix Animation
6.0

REVIEW: ‘Fixed’ Is Top-Notch Animation But Bottom Of The Barrel Comedy

08/15/2025
Denzel Washington Highest 2 Lowest
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Has A Ton Of Fun Missing It’s Own Points

08/15/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here