All 31 animated Batman movies ranked from worst to best

2. Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero

Another contender for the most underrated Batman movie ever made, Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero often gets overlooked for a multitude of reasons. It’s an extension of Batman: The Animated Series but came out when the show had already evolved into The New Batman Adventures, and it also had to be delayed because of the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Batman and Robin – the infamous movie that used The Animated Series‘ Mr. Freeze as a basis to build a very cartoonish character.

Nevertheless, SubZero is another fine example of the DC Animated Universe’s exceptional storytelling. Building upon the tragic arc that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini created for Victor Fries in the series, it bridges the gap between the animated series and its spinoff sequel, focusing on Mr. Freeze’s attempts to save his beloved wife Nora at all costs. And that leads him to kidnap Barbara Gordon in the hopes of giving Nora an organ transplant, with the cost being Batgirl’s life.

SubZero is a beautiful finale for Batman: The Animated Series‘ finest creation, complementing the Emmy-winning story that “Heart of Ice” crafted, and offering up one of the most compelling rescue missions Batman and Robin have ever pulled off. It’s striking, powerful, and features a thrilling finale worthy of the world of the DCAU.