Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Noir superhero story has sex, cursing, and violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Batman & Harley Quinn
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say the film has its entertaining moments but is marred by inappropriate content, with numerous references to sex and some swearing that make it not suitable for younger audiences. While some enjoyed the humor and nostalgic elements from the DC Animated Universe, many criticized the weak plot and lack of resolution in the ending.
- inappropriate content
- weak plot
- entertaining moments
- targeted age concern
- nostalgia factor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In BATMAN & HARLEY QUINN, Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Nightwing (aka Robin) (Loren Lester) are forced to become reluctant allies with Harley Quinn (Melissa Rauch), a Joker ally who has gone MIA since being paroled. They must find Harley Quinn because her best friend, Poison Ivy, has teamed up with Floronic Man to turn the human race into plant-based life forms, believing this to be the only way to stop humanity's worldwide environmental destruction. Nightwing finds Quinn working as a server in a superhero-themed restaurant, unable to find work as a psychiatrist due to her criminal background, and then Batman finds Nightwing and Quinn in the midst of giggling post-coital antics in Quinn's apartment. They persuade the reluctant Quinn to join them, and this unlikely trio must follow Poison Ivy and Floronic Man to Louisiana, where they have the best chance to create the perfect swampy concoction that will destroy humanity once and for all.
Is It Any Good?
Perhaps this is an attempt to move beyond the well-worn themes of moral ambiguity and cynical disdain so prevalent in the other "noir" Batman movies. Perhaps those involved with Batman & Harley Quinn believed the best way to do this was to present an antihero who has a New York accent that makes Fran Drescher sound like an upper-crust Downton Abbey heiress, and who has sex with Nightwing, talks of vibrators, farts in the Batmobile, and performs a painful karaoke version of Blondie's "Hangin' on the Telephone." Take the idea of vigilante justice away from the superheroes and give it to supervillains with an ecoterrorist bent. Revel in all that's possible, now that the Batman character is better known as the sullen enigma lurking in the gray areas of right and wrong than as the Adam West 1960s incarnation.
Does it work? Yes and no. While it's somewhat refreshing to bring some off-color levity to a series that often wallows in ponderous explorations of the dark sides of humanity, the humor often feels smug, glib, self-indulgent. And the Dr. Phil-style daytime talk-show parody comes off as cruel rather than funny. In the context of a story in which men sexually harass or make suggestive remarks about Harley Quinn, it seems there would be a male victim of her American Gladiator-style obstacle course more deserving than an emasculated, lonely, and depressed middle-aged cuckold with several cats for pets. However, some of the humor works, and it's nice to see depictions of females as more than mere mortals or the Amazonian projections of an animator's male gaze.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the idea "two wrongs don't make a right" is explored in Batman & Harley Quinn. How does this play into the frequent themes of vigilante justice and revenge in other Batman movies?
How are sexism and sexual harassment presented here?
How are the female heroes and villains portrayed in this movie? How does this compare to the way women have been historically presented in stories centered on comic book superheroes?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 29, 2017
- Cast : Kevin Conroy , Melissa Rauch , Paget Brewster
- Director : Sam Liu
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Book Characters , Fantasy
- Run time : 74 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Sexual content, language, violence and action, and for rude humor.
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate