There is no shortage of fan films these days, but every once in a while a fan film will rise above the rest to become a real “must see.””Batman versus The Terminator” is one of those must see fan films. The animated short from filmmaker Mitchell Hammond, which clocks in at just under 5 minutes long, has been viewed on YouTube almost 165,000 times since it was uploaded four days ago. Here’s Hammond’s description of the film from YouTube:
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.
Batman, in the short, seems heavily influenced by Frank Miller’s version of the character from The Dark Knight Returns – old, grizzled, mustache, heavy armor Batsuit, tank-like Batmobile – which fits in perfectly with the cyber-apocalyptic landscape of the future in the Terminator universe.The short doesn’t really resolve so much as it ends. Maybe we’ll be lucky and Hammond and his collaborators will continue the story in future fan films. For now, enjoy 5 minutes of goodness.
