Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero is a direct-to-video animated feature film based on Batman: The Animated Series and is a stand-alone sequel to Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It won the Annie Award for Best Home Video Animation.
It was delayed for a time, due to the critical disaster of Batman & Robin, a live-action Batman film also featuring Mr. Freeze as the primary antagonist. The movie was both a critical and commercial success.
Plot
Since his last encounter against Batman, Mr. Freeze has found a home in the Arctic and started a family (of sorts) with the still cryogenically-encased Nora, an Inuit boy named Kunac, and two pet polar bears, Notchka and Chokka. Nora's condition begins to rapidly deteriorate due to a submarine accidentally emerging from underwater directly underneath them, shattering her chamber. Freeze returns to Gotham City with his companions, and enlists the help of Dr. Gregory Belson to find a cure. Belson determines that Nora needs an organ transplant, but due to her rare blood type there are no suitable donors available.
Freeze declares that they will use a live donor, even though it means the donor will die in the process. Belson is at first reluctant to kill an innocent girl, but Freeze bribes him with a gold nugget and even more gold from the Arctic that will put an end to Belson's financial problems. Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) is a perfect match, and Freeze learns from her roommate that she is at a restaurant with her boyfriend, Dick Grayson (Robin). Freeze attacks the restaurant and kidnaps Barbara, taking her to an abandoned oil rig where he and Belson are hiding. Freeze and Belson explain the situation to Barbara, who claims that she is willing to help Nora for the "blood transfusion", but not at the oil rig, prompting Freeze to keep Barbara imprisoned. The time for the operation comes, but Barbara escapes. Belson gives pursuit and almost catches her, but for the arrival of Batman and Robin.
Freeze follows, and in the ensuing confrontation, Belson accidentally shoots one of the fuel tanks and starts a rapidly-spreading fire as Freeze traps Batman and Robin. Freeze insists that Belson perform the operation, despite the oil rig blazing and ready to explode, but Belson betrays Freeze and attempts to escape alone, only to be killed by falling wreckage. Freeze's leg is broken, but he tells Batman and Robin to save Nora and Kunac first, along with Barbara. Nora, Kunac and Barbara are taken to safety in the Batwing, but Batman fails to save the weakened Freeze in time, as the platform collapses beneath them and sends Freeze plummeting into the ocean below.
The oil rig finally explodes, but Freeze escapes just in time, holding onto the swimming Notchka and Chokka. Freeze then returns with his polar bears to the Arctic to resume his life alone, having frozen his leg in an ice cast, watching through a window he sees on a television in a research station that Nora has been revived after an organ transplant operation funded by Wayne Enterprises, moving him to tears.
Cast
Reaction
Critics gave a positive response with a 90% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes; it is currently the highest rated of all the animated Batman films and second highest for any Batman film after The Dark Knight (94%).[1]
Reference
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