New Zealand-based animator Mitchell Hammond has imagined a bleak future. In Hammond’s new animated short film, Skynet successfully launched its nuclear arsenal in 1997 — the Judgement Day in the Terminator franchise film of the same name — and has ruled the ruined planet ever since. In this instance, however, there’s another factor that Skynet hasn’t taken into account. Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman depending on the time of day and his social schedule, has been hiding in his Batcave since the war broke out.
Our main complaint with Batman Versus the Terminator is that it’s short. We’ve only seen it a few times, and we’re already hooked — where’s the feature-length movie already? The 5-minute film’s synopsis:
30 years have passed since Bruce Wayne survived Skynet’s nuclear blasts in August of ’97. Iron demons now roam the planet, and without the requirement to defend the innocent against crime and injustice, Wayne has seeked refuge in the bomb shelter that saved his life; the Batcave. Having scavenged the wasteland for resources, he discovers the radio of a dead soldier. There is static over a frequency. Flesh and blood is rising up to the west. With The Stinger; a riot control vehicular unit built before the apocalypse along with a refitted bomb blast vest, Batman makes his way across what remains of the United States to join forces with the man determined to neutralize the electronic menace – John Conner.
This is seriously cool stuff. The animation work is top-notch, and the music from Noir Deco fits perfectly with the bleak story. Batman Versus the Terminator is Mitchell’s first clip on YouTube, but we’re hoping to see more soon.