Batman: Under the Red Hood (BRH) is not for kids. And depending on how much brutality, immolation and murder one is willing to endure for a narrative, it may not be for some non-kids either. Our one sentence synopsis will be less of a downer than this direct-release feature.
Long lived Ra's al Ghul makes an appearance. Pictured here with "The Immortal Vandal Savage". What is with these phoenix-like bad guys and their preference for the classic half-goatee?
After watching the second Robin Jason Todd being mercilessly beaten to near death with a crowbar and then blown up we years later follow Batman’s efforts in Gotham City to hunt down a mysterious brutal crime figure called the Red Hood who is as fast and nimble as himself and his old pal Dick Grayson (the first Robin) who decided to drop into town and help out his old mentor in the guise of Nightwing so that all involved in this sad saga can get bludgeoned, blown up or shot as the Red Hood and Joker vie for the title of “most psycho”.
Is that fair? Come on, does the Joker really look "psycho" to- ...ahh, never mind.
If you are a hardcore comic fan who wants to see a video retelling of Jason Todd returning as the Red Hood, this release may be for you. If you are looking for a fun Batman adventure, this is not it. Nor was it a bold look into the tragic soul of the Batman that was Mask of the Phantasm. At least it was good to see Batman, always darkened of late, fighting for his vow of not killing criminal scum.
"Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot." True Bats. (May we recommend Hydroxitone for those laugh lines?)
Jason Todd's Red Hood does not exactly retain the mindset towards guns taught to him in the Batcave.
The action scenes are well done. The fights feature interesting characters, moves and a new portable rocket thruster bat-gadget. The vehicular action scenes are equally well done including one featuring a computer generated Batwing. The pace of the whole one hour and fifteen minute feature never really lags.
The (not so) Fearsome Hand of Four. For all their armor, electro-gizmos and bullet blocking swords, they could not take down an outnumbered Batman and his psycho ex-Robin.
The voice work was very good. This was not one of those experimental new-voice experiments DC and Andrea Romano have been putting out lately as exemplified in in Justice League New Frontier. Greenwood is apparently the future of the Batman voice, and he does a good job along with the supporting cast.
Beauty and the Beast. Black Mask and his aide were entertaining in a dry sort of way.
Artistically the feature was also commendable. It had a lot of style starting from the credits onward. Now style is not in short supply of late when it comes to these direct-release features -and it is not always pleasing. However in this case it was not overplayed and welcome. Although you will notice the only bright spots in this feature’s perpetual night were explosions.
"Did I leave the stove on?"
Did BRH take misguided liberties with the characters? No. The depictions of everyone from Alfred to the Joker were accurate and fair. They were just, for the most part not fun. It is not a fun story. There is a lot of bad guy brutality, and little comeuppance.
Dr. Watson investigates the local cemetery with Shelock Holmes. What? Oh that's Alfred. Where exactly in Victorian London -er, Gotham City is this?
First Robin, Dick Grayson, has finally been allowed to mature emotionally. Seen here in his Nightwing garb, what Joker called "his big boy pants".
A heartening spot was the inclusion of Nightwing. This more mature portrayal of Dick Grayson is something we greatly appreciated. We were tired of the perpetually angry, “I left Gotham to be my own man” attitude. Here Nightwing shows his deep respect for the father figure in his life and even Bats offers a “Thank you”.
They make an awesome team, though Bats is still a little stubborn about admitting it. After all these years, Dick Grayson still gets to fire the batzooka.
Dick Grayson's Robin fires the batzooka in the 1966 Batman movie.
Additionally the banter between Nightwing and Batman while they fight villains is the most entertaining of the entire movie. It is delivered snappily, in character, and is the only spark of wry humor. The Nightwing/Batman relationship has been so often depicted as strained. Appreciatively here it was perhaps the only significant, active source of warmth.
Jason Todd's Robin was not exactly the warm type.
There are a lot of seminal comic book stories we would like to see worked up into a feature. This was not the list topper. BRH appeals to a more narrow fanbase than most animated outings. Enjoy it… if that is you.
Between Black Mask, Red Hood and an extra psycho Joker, this feature really racks up the body count. This cap would scare even Count Chocula.
