The directors of All-Star Superman and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights return for this dark, noir-ish take on the first chapter of Batman and Commissioner Gordon's careers. Batman: Year One looks great, with a moody use of shadows and darkness and dreary, lowdown locations. But the main problem is that, at only 64 minutes, it's too short; Gordon's story feels fully fleshed-out, but Batman's story is surprisingly truncated.

It helps that actor Cranston (from both Drive and TV's Breaking Bad) does a terrific job with Gordon's conflicted voice. But McKenzie (from The O.C. and Southland) seems too young and complacent for Batman; he sounds more like a frat boy than a tormented loner. Moreover, for a movie this short, too many supporting parts are fighting for space; it takes place over the course of a year, so the story feels bigger than it really is. But if we allow that Gordon is actually the main character, then his journey is a fascinating one.