Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In an alternative Victorian Age Gotham City, Batman begins his war on crime while he investigates a new series of murders by Jack the Ripper.
Gotham by Gaslight earns strong Novelty marks for its genuinely distinctive Elseworlds premise—transposing Batman into a Victorian gaslit setting to hunt Jack the Ripper is a creative and atmospheric concept faithfully adapted from Mike Mignola's celebrated comic. The animation captures the period aesthetic reasonably well with moody, shadowy cinematography that suits the noir-thriller tone. The plot is serviceable but follows a fairly predictable whodunit structure once the setup is established, and the villain reveal feels rushed and somewhat anticlimactic, dragging the Ending score down. Voice acting is competent but unremarkable across the cast. Overall a fun, above-average animated film that shines brightest in its conceptual ambition.