Batman: Under the Red Hood

Seriously, I can't listen (or in that case read) to this crap anymore, that the creators of this film were copying or stealing from Nolan. Listen guys, there have been a Batman before TDK and there were some pretty dark and violent stories told about him like "Killing Joke" Millers "Dark Knight returns", "Knightfall" or in this case: "A death in the family", which is pretty much the source material for this incredible satisfying story. There are a lot of characters and story lines packed in this very short film but thanks to a great script and a great pace by the director nothing felt rushed and every character had his moment to shine. The movie was awesome and at least in my opinion much more entertaining and satisfying than Nolan's over-hyped "The dark knight". While Nolan's film was dark and depressing and pretty much a showcase for Heath Ledger's incredible performance, this is dark and somber as well but tells a powerful, engaging story in which you feel for the characters. Especially the last scene showed that Batman is much more than just a "High Tech-Rambo in a leather suit" but a very conflicted, torn human being. For fans of the Batman-comics highly recommended.

I love Batman, and I loved this movie. I did think it is a little too short though, and Joker's voice did take some time to get used to which is more to do with that I felt the voice didn't completely gel with the character design. Minor faults aside, what we do have is one of the better Batman movies (or anything to do with Batman for that matter) in my view, along with Mask of the Phantasm, the original Batman, Return of the Joker and Batman Begins. If we include series too, Batman:The Animated Series is your best bet.

The best asset of Under the Red Hood is the writing. It is just fantastic. Not only is it intelligent and smart but it is very deep and complex and delves into the characters far more effectively than any of the Nolan and Schumacher movies in my opinion. For example, Batman is not only dark, charismatic and brooding as he should be, but the writers brought a certain edge and poignancy to him too. The villains in general are also well developed.

I was also very impressed with the animation. It has a dark, haunting visual style, with smooth backgrounds, well drawn characters and atmospheric colouring, not to mention a beautifully realised Gotham City. The music is great too, very rousing and quite powerful and fits with each scene appropriately. The story is engrossing, with a great idea and well-choreographed sequences. Also the flashbacks actually add to the story in alternative to distracting from it. The voice acting is very well done from pretty much all, Bruce Greenwood does something quite special with Batman while staying true to the character, while Nightwing- wonderfully voiced by Neil Patrick Harris- is fun and witty and his frustration with Batman is done well.

Overall, a very well done animated film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I had my hesitations about another DC Animated Universe movie, since Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths wasn't particularly sterling and came across as a mediocre production. However, this title refilled me with faith for Bruce Timm as a producer, and DCAU films in general.

Bruce Greenwood does a phenomenal Batman and Neal Patrick Harris complements him beautifully as Nightwing. However the shocker performance comes out of John Di Maggio, as The Joker, who helps the plot to flow elegantly from drama, to dark comedy. Though at times his voice reminds me more of Bender from Futurama, the performance was nothing short of stellar. I'd love to see him in future DCAU works to reprise his role as the Clown Prince of Crime, especially if Mark Hamill retires his clown suit.

While this is definitely one of my favorite story arcs in the Batman mythos, when I had watched the "First Look" segment for this movie I had my doubts as to whether or not they'd be able to fit such a large amount of content into their usual length animated film. However every bit of the storyline is fleshed out and you feel informed without being overloaded. As I've stated earlier it melds intense action, dark comedy, and tear-jerking drama together so well you'll watch it again and again.

To be honest, the finale for this was done perfectly. However, I won't spoil even a fraction of it.

You'll have to take your own look Under the Red Hood.

P.S. With cover art by Alex Ross, what other reason do you need to have this on your DVD shelf?

Having this new Batman movie, I must say that I was amazed and caught off guard. I was expecting it to be good BUT not that good. The opening alone is a thing of beauty and one that stays in your head long after the the film has ended. Yes it is violent BUT you can't say its a great film then mark it down for being too violent. That makes utterly no sense. The people who watched the original animation series are now adults. The Batman comics are incredibly violent and the films aren't exactly for kids. I was amazed that D.C had the courage to present a story that was brutal, emotional, funny and with consequence. One scene in particular is as shocking as anything the Dark Knight had to offer. This is without doubt ranks as one of the very best DC animations and a good stop gap while you wait for the new movie to arrive. I know the Joker may not look like you expect him too but the Dark Knight proved that you don't need to have a skinny pale character in the role. This Joker is dangerous and for once you get the real sense that he is Batman's equal rather than a bumbling fool. He is crazy and has a death wise. He just wants to see the world burn. The other characters are well done, each adding to the Batman mythology. The Dark Knight isn't portrayed as some demigod without feelings. Here he is imperfect and haunted by past mistakes. You understand why he is the way he is. Nightwing was done well, cracking jokes and lightening the mood. With his character you get a real sense at his frustration with Batman and how hard it must have been for him to be the first robin. Their relationship is fractured to say the least but it also has the hallmarks of a father and son bond where there are many unspoken emotions running between them. I won't talk about the other characters as I do not want to ruin the plot. All I will say that even if you just watched the Batman films, you need to add this to your collection.

The story line has been amazingly written (rewritten since it's a comic book adaptation) with exceptional direction. Even as an animated movie it is on par with some of the best live-action productions. The voice acting is exceptional as well. But what draws you in most is the ease and fluidity with which the story has been told. The flashbacks add a more emotional element otherwise not seen in most batman production. The audience is able to look slightly more into the mind of batman. Though what makes this movie a true masterpiece is the dramatic finale. Only complaint is that some of the points in the plot are a bit obvious which tends to render some of the scenes moot.

A must watch for any batman fan and extremely entertaining for the rest.