Adapted from the classic Frank Miller graphic novel, Batman Year One is a serviceable-good but not great-animated film. The plot tells the parallel origin stories of Batman and Jim Gordon, with Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City after years of exile and planning to become a vigilante and new out-of-town transfer to the Gotham City Police Department Gordon taking on corruption in the city as well as in his own ranks.
The source graphic novel was a heavy but not sole influence on Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, as such there are elements here which will feel familiar to anyone who has seen Nolan's first installment of his recently concluded Dark Knight trilogy. However, the actual plot of Year One is distinct enough so as to be enjoyable on its own right, regardless of Batman Begins. For example, the lead character here is most definitely Gordon and not Wayne, and the second half of the story also finds time to work in a mini-origin story for Catwoman, both of which are elements not present in Batman Begins. The bigger hurdle might be watching Year One if you have already read the graphic novel. At times, the dialogue and individual shots are such exact copies of their counterparts from the novel that you might find yourself questioning if the film is really necessary viewing if you've read the novel.
However, does the film stand on its own irregardless of Nolan's films or its source novel? I would argue yes. The story is interesting enough, the animation is well done, and the vocal talent on hand is decent enough, with Bryan Cranston's work as Gordon standing heads and shoulders above the rest. However, the story is perhaps a bit too introspective, the action sequences solid but too few, and the middle section detailing Gordon's relationship with a female partner feeling like padding, a common issue with the DC Animated films where biding their time sections of the source graphic novels really drag far more in film than they ever did on paper. As such, it is a merely a good film, not great. Recently, the film was added to Netflix Instant Streaming. As such, I would happily recommend this film to Batman fans with access to Netflix. However, I would hesitate before recommending it to those who would have to buy it in order to see it. On the buy it, trash it, rent/stream it scale, it is solid rent/stream for Batman fans.
