Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998)

Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998)

Dir. Boyd Kirkland

Victor Fries (Michael Ansara) does the wrong things for arguably the right reason: for love, but it's the all-consuming kind that can cloud judgment and rationale. He's a tragic figure whom tragedy seems to follow, even when far from civilisation.

When the world that Victor purposefully left behind intrudes upon the peaceful existence that the cryogenics expert created for himself, Batman (Kevin Conroy) is forced to step in and take him down. Bruce isn't alone this time, however, because he has Robin (Loren Lester) to help him.

It's the second film in the DC Animated Universe (TAS) continuity, set sometime between the end of The Animated Series and the beginning of its successor, The New Batman Adventures. 

Batgirl (Mary Kay Bergman) has a sizeable role to play, too. It's mostly out of costume, but her training is never far from the surface, as is her compassion and relatable nature. Both she and Dick are taking the first steps together toward a genuine romance.

Their relationship isn't the most exciting courtship that TAS ever put onscreen, but it functions as a comparative to Victor's earnest but obsessive behaviour in regards to Nora (his frozen wife).

There were additional parallels that could've added to the experience, if they'd been explored more deeply; e.g., Bruce could've been shown to understand the desire that Fries succumbs to and be sympathetic to it, while simultaneously pained at being torn between his own feelings and his devotion to duty (as usual). But such things are played down, for the most part. In the example given, Bruce / Batman functions primarily as a standard altruistic action hero.

It's still great, though, and is a lot more action orientated than TAS' previous film, Mask of the Phantasm (1993). There's some wonderful work from Jim Gordon (Bob Hastings), too.

- Gold rhymes with cold. Flora rhymes with Nora. Victor cares only for one. -

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