Posted on: August 5th, 2010 REVIEW: Batman – Under The Red Hood

I’m not really a born comic geek. I’m a TV girl, and my love of comics started with DC Animation, namely, Batman The Animated Series. I can remember being so enthralled in the art and the drama of this cartoon, and I fell in love with Batman solely based on this series. When I’m reading comics, it’s Kevin Conroy who voices Bruce Wayne in my head.

Due to this, I am always genuinely excited to pick up any new DC animated films. They are just pure fun. The delicious Batman: Under the Red Hood Blu-Ray came in the mail today, and there were squeals of delight. I had to grab this one on pre-order because Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles is voicing Red Hood. He’s got a great sexy raspy voice, and that always makes for a good time.

Whenever I bring up these movies, people always squirm at the voice actors. Batman is different in everyone’s head and it is jarring to hear him in any other voice. I will admit that this is bothersome for about the first 10 minutes, and then you sink into the action, and it isn’t so bad.

Bruce Greenwood voices Bats, who will always be Nowhere Man to me, and does a decent job. Neil Patrick Harris was actually a really good and whiny Nightwing, but I question whether his range could have been better used by playing Joker. Joker was played by John Dimaggio, and there were definitely a few Bender the Robot moments that I couldn’t block out.

Story-wise, well this one has been done in the comics, so it wasn’t anything new for me. Red Hood comes to town, deciding to control crime for the forces of good, instead of wiping it out. Everyone wonders who Red Hood is. Big mystery. Bats figures out who it is. Drama Drama. Stand-off with the Joker. The end.

I will admit that I was only half paying attention for the first hour. The ending, however, captured my full attention and was very touching, hitting on the Batman family relationship dynamics quite nicely. I like the gooey relationship stuff, what can I say?

Joker comes out with no great puns, but a very telling line aimed at Bats : “You manage to find a way to win and everybody still loses.” As much as I hate the campy Batman, the ending makes me weep for the happy-go-lucky Robins that are most likely a thing of the past.

The Blu-Ray features a digital copy, several cool DC Universe trailers, and as I write, I’m enjoying the included four episodes of 90s era Batman animation hand-picked by Bruce Timm. I think if you buy the two-disc special edition DVD, it will have the most of the same features.

Batman: Under the Red Hood is pretty much in line with all the other recently released DC animation, and if you liked them, definitely pick this one up too.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is the next release from DC, coming out late September, featuring Summer Glau.

One Response to “REVIEW: Batman – Under The Red Hood”

1. Adam Says:
   August 5th, 2010 at 7:51 pm

   Really excited to get this one! Thanks for the review.

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