BATMAN AND HARLEY QUINN

released 28 aUGUsT (out now on download) 2017 | 12 | Blu-ray/dVd/download Director sam liu Cast Melissa rauch, Kevin Conroy, loren lester, Paget Brewster

Harley Quinn, says Batman, is “the walking definition of loose cannon”. That volatile mojo’s the rocket fuel for this latest DCU animated adventure.

It’s a good premise: team the Dark Knight with everyone’s favourite psychologist-cumpsychopath, light the blue touch paper and stand well back. Out of the Joker’s shadow for once, Harley’s a predictably entertaining foil, pushing Batman into disapproving dad mode. Just watch those white eye-slits narrow…

The story’s steeped in DC lore, mixing the Dysfunctional Duo (plus Nightwing) with Poison Ivy, the Floronic Man and Swamp Thing, while the intriguingly eco-minded plot moves us out of Gotham, raising the threat level to global.

But that’s just so much backdrop for the Harley Quinn show. At one point the story’s put on hold to let her belt out a Blondie song. And while she lands on just the right side of irritating, your tolerance for this screechy, brattish take on Harley may be tested, especially when the humour detours into Beavis And Butt-Head turf.

Extras The DVD has a sneak peek at the next DCU movie. The Blu-ray and download add a history of Harley featurette, a piece on voice actor Loren Lester, and two Harley-centric episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. Nick Setchfield