Batman: Knight of Gotham (Film 2 in the Batman Series)

Batman: Knight of Gotham is the second film in the Batman series being ran by Sam Mendes and Billy Ray. The first film (Batman: Uprising (Film 1 in the Batman Series)) was a massive success, so much that Sam Mendes was hired to make another three Batman films, one being Knight of Gotham. After using a not so well known villain in the first film (Anarky), Sam Mendes expressed interest in having a villain with a bigger name in the sequel. He went as far to say that he might featurer the Joker in the movie, but after a conversation with writer Billy Ray, Mendes said in an interview that the villain would not be Joker but somebody more manipulative and stronger. Three months later, it was announced that Black Mask would feature is the main villain in the next film, with Scoot McNairy portraying him. Michael Fassbender anounced early on in the process that he would be returning as his respective character, as did John Hurt, Bryan Cranston, Denzel Washington, Dayo Okeniyi, and Dwayne Johnson. The film was released on December 23rd 2018 (in USA) and December 29th 2018 (in UK and Canada). It was seen as a massive success, with Rotten Tomatoes ranking it the same as the first film, 98%, and the New York Times stating "this film is so much better than the first film; it is the ultimate superhero film." This film was also confirmed to be the last film in the series to feature Dayo Okeniyi as Paulo Green and Dwayne Johnson as Killer Croc.

Plot
The film begins with young Paulo Green, sitting in his room, reading a book. It feels very much like the opening of the first film until young Romon Sionis enters the room, looking like he wants to talk to Paulo. Paulo invites him to sit on a chair next to him, in which Romon begins to explain that he is getting up with his rich parents who are always being "stuck-up fools". He asks young Paulo if he can do him a favour... Paulo's parents work in the weapons industry in Wayne Industries, and Romon wants Paulo to steal one of Wayne Industries missile launchers so that Romon can blow his house and parents to the ground. Paulo reluctantly agrees and so Romon leaves.

The next day, Paulo begs his farther to let him go to work with him for the day. Paulo's father, Sylvester, reluctantly agrees. When Sylvester isn't looking, Paulo sneaks into the weapons vault and steals a missile launcher from the vault. Paulo tells his dad that he is bored and heads home, with the small missile launcher in his rucksack. He then heads towards Romon's house, where he finds that Romon is already waiting for him. He throws the missile launcher at Romon and begins to run away as he doesn't want to be there to watch the house go down. As Paulo runs through the street, he looks back and sees a massive explosian. Police arrive at the house to find Romon missing, and the skull of his father also missing. Paulo hides in his room for a week before he finally leaves his house, now knowing that he has helped a murder kill his victims.

The film then skips 10 years later, where Paulo is being rewarded for his bravery against the criminal Anarky, who Paulo shot to death in the last film. Paulo is part of a big ceremony in the city, where he is awarded a medal of honour by Commisioner Gordon. He is about to make a speech when Black Mask (a man who wears a black skull on his face) launches onto the stage and shoots Paulo in the chest. He claims that Paulo is not a brave man, after all, he helped a young Romon Sionis kill his parents, but refused to own up to the murder. Commisioner Gordon tries to shoot Black Mask, but Black Mask escapes when one of his helicopters arrives and shoots one of Gordon's deputy's (Mark Carrol) in the arm.

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is told by Alfred about Black Mask's attack on Paulo. He gears up into the batsuit and begins to prepare to hunt Black Mask down. When geared up, Batman heads towards the crime scene, where all he finds is disastiar. Batman talks to Commisioner Gordon, who tells him that Black Mask is likily to be planning a second attack at this moment. Batman uses the batlocater to discover that Black Mask is running a casino in the East of Gotham: Snake-Trade. Batman tells Gordon to come with him and as a result, Gordon prepares his SWAT team for the mission.

Batman leads Gordon and the SWAT team to Snake-Trade, where they try to sneak in through the roof. However, one of Black Mask's assassins who goes by the name of the Electrocutioner (named this because of his electric suit and electric whip) spots the group and immidiatly attacks Batman. A big fight occurs, in which Batman is push off of the roof. Gordon tries to get away to help Batman but he is electrocuted by the Electrorcutioner's whip and almost killed. The SWAT team is easily defeated and so Batman is left half conscious as he watches the Electrocutioner tell Black Mask that they need to move locations very soon. Batman is able to stumble himself into a place where Black Mask won't see him before he passes out.

Batman wakes up in the morning still in his hiding place and with a splitting head ache. He is able to get out of the hiding place and finds a nearly dead Gordon still on the roof. Batman is able to take Gordon to the hospital, where he finds Paulo Green lying in a hospital bed. Batman tries to comfort Paulo, reminding him that he has gone through worse before at the hands of Anarky but Paulo tells Batman that it isn't the physical pain which is hurting him, but the feeling of blame for making Black Mask what he is. Batman asks what Paulo means but Paulo refuses to answer. Batman then leaves the hospital, feeling like he has been defeated well and truly by Black Mask.

Batman returns to the Batcave and gets out of his gear. Alfred tells Bruce that Lucius Fox has designed a new bat suit which will make it easier to fight Black Mask with and so Bruce returns to Wayne Industries where he meets Lucius once more. With Lucius, Batman practices with his new suit before preparing to go to a work meeting with Mr Jamie Reynolds, who is planning to sell his company to Bruce. The meeting starts relitively easy, with them eating a meal at a restaruant, but then a woman called Selina Kyle arrives and begins to try and chat up the men. Reynolds gets anoyed and so leaves but Bruce begins to talk to Selina. Selina gives Bruce her phone number and tells him to call her before she leaves off back into the night.

Bruce returns to the batcave to gear up in his new Batsuit and hunt down Black Mask. When ready, Batman leaves the cave and returns back into the streets of Gotham. First, he goes to Snake-Trade, but finds the place completely empty but pilled up with bullets and ciggeretes. Batman also finds a buisness card, which has had its corners burnt off, inviting people to look at the new oppotunerties of the Gotham Buisness centre. Batman believes that may be where Black Mask will target next, as Black Mask is aiming to take down the rich.

Batman heads towards the Gotham Buisness centre expecting to fight Black Mask, but when he arrives, he finds that Black Mask is making a deal with the owner of the buisness, Carmine Falcone (who is also a believed thug). They shake hands and Black Mask hands over a bagfull of cash over to Carmine, who immidiatly walks away. Batman then jumps down and begins to fight with Black Mask, who seems to have seen this coming. Once Batman beats up Black Mask, he rips off the mask to reveal Romon Sionis. Batman forces Romon to tell him why he gave the money to Falcone. Black Mask tells the Batman that to be the ultimated preditor is to own the ultimate preditors, and with Falcone's happy alliance with the police, Falcone is going to but out a large member of criminals from Arkham Asylum without even causing any trouble. He also tells Batman about his second in command, Killer Croc, who will lead the army to victory.

Batman is about to knock out Black Mask when the Electrocutioner appears, giving Batman a massive electric shock. As Batman begins to fall to sleep, Black Mask tells Batman to stay away from Paulo Green as Black Mask sees Green to be a traitor to everybody. Batman wakes up only hours later and heads towards the hospital, ready to confront Paulo Green and work out what is really going on. When Batman arrives, Paulo agrees to tell Batman the truth and tells Batman the story of how when he was a kid, he stole a missile launcher from Wayne Industries and gave it to Romon Sionis to use to kill his parents, but out of fear he ran away from Sionis before the job was done. Batman tells Paulo that he is no better than Anarky for what he did, and out of regret, when Batman turns away, Paulo shoots himself in the head.

Batman then finds Commisioner James Gordon and asks him when he will be ready to leave the hospital. Gordon tells Batman that he's going to be in the hospital for a long time, but there is somebody who can help him... That person is Deputy Mark Carrol, who was shot at the start of the film but has now recovered. Batman asks Mark Carrol to sneak into Arkham Asylum and kill Killer Croc without being seen so that Killer Croc cannot lead the army across of Gotham to take on anybody with power. Mark agrees to help and heads towards Arkham Asylum.

When Mark finds Killer Croc, he opens up the door to shoot Croc to death with a machine gun. However, Killer Croc notices Mark and so snaps Mark's neck, leaving the doors right open. Killer Croc storms through Arkham Asylum and begins to free many other prisoners, but they still cannot leave the place. That is until Carmine Falcone uses a mine to explode the side wall of Arkham, causing millions of criminals to be let free in Gotham. Killer Croc leads his army towards Wayne Tower, where he plans to make his first strike.

Batman discovers the escaped prisoners and begins a long fight with many of them on the streets. Gordon realises that getting up may stop him from walking ever again but decides to make the ultimate sacrifice, now storming out into the streets of Gotham to fight the gangs. Batman and Gordon cross paths and together, they agree to take on Killer Croc. However, by the time Batman and Gordon arrive at Wayne Tower, they find it almost completely destroyed. Killer Croc is still there, though, and so the big battle begins. Batman is able to push Killer Croc off of the top of the Wayne Tower roof, killing him. Immidiatly, the organised crime turns disorganised and the criminals are easily beaten.

Whilst the battle continues, Batman traces Black Mask and the Electrocutioner in the Gotham Bell Tower. Batman is able to sneak in passed Black Mask's soldiers, where he is able to find Black Mask and the Electrocutioner watching the destruction happen below him. Batman takes the pair by surprise, easily beating up the Electrocutioner, but Black Mask is harder to fight. The fight goes into the bell room, where Black Mask falls over and begins to tangle off of the edge of the tower. Batman goes to save him but Black Mask refuses, claiming that he must take his own life on his own. Batman watches as Black Mask takes his gun out of his pocket and dangles with only one hand. He puts the gun to his stomache and shoots, casuing hm to fall. His body lands in the city around him, leaving Black Mask dead.

Commisioner Gordon is able to arrest the Electrocutioner but just after he does, he collapses and is returned to Gotham hospital. Batman goes to visit him as he feels guilty that he let this happen to Gordon. Gordon tells Batman that the hospital says he will walk again and so Batman leaves when Gordon falls asleep. The film ends with Bruce going on a date with Selina (the girl he met at the meeting meal). The date goes perfectly and so Bruce and Selina decide to go iceskating together. As they skate on the ice, they decide to start a relation ship.

Cast
After Michael Fassbender's success as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman: Uprising, it was announced that he would be in the sequel, returning with other old cast members but also acting besides new ones. Here is the cast list:

Michael Fassbender as Bruce Wayne/Batman

Scoot McNairy as Romon Sionis/Black Mask

Asa Butterfield as Young Romon Sionis

Jason Momoa as The Electrocutioner 

John Hurt as Alfred Pennyworth

Bryan Cranston as Commisioner Gordon

Dayo Okeniyi as Paulo Green 

Tyrel Jackson Williams as Young Paulo Green

Dwayne Johnson as Killer Croc

Denzel Washington as Lucius Fox

Selena Gomez as Selina Kyle 

Seth MacFarlane as Deputy Mark Carrol

James Woods as Carmine Falcone

Peter Stormare as Mr Jamie Reynolds 

Dennis Haysbert as Sylvester Green

Michael Fassbender has declared interest in being in the sequel to the film, as is John Hurt, Bryan Cranston, Denzel Washington, and Selena Gomez (who is likily to be in the sequel to the film, this time acting as Catwoman).