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BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD
(****)
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DVD Movie Review by:
Jim "Good Old JR" Rutkowski
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Directed by:
Brandon Vietti |
Written by:
Judd Winick |
Starring the Voices of:
Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, John Di Maggio |
Running time:
75 minutes
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Released:
07/27/10-direct to dvd |
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Rated PG-13
for action violence. |
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"...an animated film that stands shoulder to shoulder with Timm's original
animated Batman series"
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Regardless of what anyone thinks of the films
themselves, it's difficult to deny that Batman Begins and
The Dark Knight lifted
an ailing franchise off its deathbed. Director Christopher Nolan not only cast a
towering shadow over Bat-cinema, he left his patented mark on the superhero
genre at large, fundamentally altering the way moviegoers approach and respond
to silver-screen caped crusaders. But the seeds of his darkly defined vision
were first planted in 1992 by producer Bruce Timm with Batman: The Animated
Series, a decidedly engrossing episodic epic of superheroic proportions. Never
before had Batman, his allies or his rogues gallery been so fully realized on
screen; never beyond the panels of a comic book had Gotham City's denizens been
paid such respect and afforded such care. The successful, award-winning
television series even birthed one of the best theatrical Batman films of all
time: the oft-overlooked Mask of the Phantasm. However, while Nolan was actively
weaving Timm's animated noir into the fabric of his 21st Century, live-action
reboot, Warner Bros. Animation had been drifting in the opposite direction for
years, slowly diluting the Batman mythos in an effort to make it more accessible
to a younger generation. What a difference five years and $1.4 billion makes.
Returning to the richly developed characters and arresting storylines of its
roots, and referencing the tone and tenor of Begins and Dark Knight, Warner
Bros. Animation has finally produced an animated film that stands shoulder to
shoulder with Timm's original animated Batman series: Under the Red Hood.
A new threat has emerged in Gotham: the Red Hood (voiced by Supernatural's
Jensen Ackles), a masked vigilante willing to do whatever it takes to bring the
city's crime lords to their knees. Putting a bullet in anyone who gets in his
way, the Hood begins taking over criminal organizations throughout Gotham, and
soon sets his sights on the territories controlled by the Black Mask (Prison
Break's Wade Williams). Inevitably, his bloody breed of justice attracts the
attention of Batman (Star Trek's Bruce Greenwood) and former boy wonder , Dick
Grayson, aka Nightwing (a perfectly cast Neil Patrick Harris). Together, Batman
and Nightwing work to unravel the identity of the Red Hood, an old alias once
used by the Joker (John DiMaggio, licking his lips as if channeling Hannibal
Lecter), face off against the Black Mask's assassins, and elicit information
from villains like Ra's al Ghul (Jason Isaacs) and the Joker himself. Along the
way, Batman also has to deal with his own inner demons, his failure to save
friends and protégés like the late Jason Todd (Vincent Martella), his inability
to connect with those he doesn't want to risk losing, and the unbearable
consequences of allowing a mass murderer like the Joker to live.
Loosely based on writer Judd Winick's own 2005 "Batman" comic arc, "Under the
Hood," director Brandon Vietti doesn't emphatically embrace its target audience
(longtime comicbook readers who already know all the answers to the tale's
riddles) or shamelessly pander to DC newcomers (many of whom couldn't tell Dick
Grayson from Jason Todd). Instead, Winick and Vietti pull a trick films like
Moon and Shutter Island have employed to great effect: subverting the
traditional allure of a mystery by offering revelations early and often, and
essentially ejecting any notion of an abrupt Usual Suspects-esque twist. The
identity of the Red Hood materializes quickly and naturally. Even those who lack
the fanboy-wherewithal to piece together the villain's origin are handed a name
and face by the forty-minute mark. The film doesn't offer depth in the form of
third-act twists and turns, but in smoldering psychological complexity and
captivating thematic resonance. Winick deftly dissects Batman, the Joker and a
number of other characters, and manages to tie their independent tragedies and
motivations into an labyrinthine web of deep-seated wounds and dissonant
philosophies. Batman isn't merely a noble vigilante, he's a father who's failed
his sons, an idealist who recognizes the demons within his own soul, and an
avenging angel desperate to atone for his sins. The Joker isn't just a raving
madman, he's a narcissistic bully, a calculating sycophant, and an unpredictable
force of anarchy. I could go on to describe other heroes and villains that
surface, but I don't want to risk spoiling the rewards that lie in wait. That's
not to suggest Batman alumni will be shocked by anything Winick and Vietti have
to offer, just impressed by the sophistication of their pacing, narrative,
dialogue and steady-handed resolve.
But Winick and Vietti aren't the only contributors of note. Under the Red Hood
is a beaut, and the DC animation team has really outdone itself. Fight scenes
are fluid and unflinching, not to mention brilliantly choreographed. Grappling
hooks, knives and smoke pellets are brandished in a variation of
rock-paper-scissors, and it's thrilling to watch Batman and the Red Hood
scramble to outwit one another whenever they cross paths. Through it all, CG is
used sparingly but effectively, bowing to the hand-drawn, Timm-inspired ferocity
that takes center stage. And then there's Dusty Abell and Jon Suzuki's character
designs, and the film's exceptional cast of voice actors. Abell and Suzuki
inject sensibility and simplicity into Batman's cape and cowl, paint the Joker
as a physically imposing high-class hyena, lend quirky resignation to Nightwing's angular physique, and make Robin into a tragically, at-times
disturbingly young victim of ego and circumstance. At the same time, Greenwood
unearths torment and pain in Batman's haunted register (giving fan-favorite
Bat-voice Kevin Conroy a run for his money). DiMaggio drives the Joker in an
unexpected vocal direction -- injecting a deep, southern gentlemen growl into
his words and an unhinged crackle in his laugh -- but his porcelain-skinned
killer is all the more threatening for it, and calls to mind Heath Ledger's
schizophrenic intonations. Harris matches Nightwing's amusing demeanor with a
self-effacing bob-and-weave routine that earns genuine laughs and provides a
nice contrast to the brooding melancholy that permeates the film. Elsewhere,
Ackles brings pathos and bravura to the Red Hood, Williams culls '30s gangster
cinema for Black Mask, Martella stamps a young Jason Todd with brash fragility
(in just a few brief flashback scenes), and Jason Isaacs makes the most of his
five-minute turn as Ra's al Ghul.
Winick and Vietti's vision isn't flawless -- Nightwing inexplicably disappears
late in the second act, fifth-string DC minion Amazo makes a fun but distracting
appearance and, while the story didn't strike me as rushed or overcrowded, an
extra ten minutes would have gone a long way in such an action-oriented flick --
but it is riveting. After New Frontier this is easily the best DC animated film
to date. Under the Red Hood outclasses almost all of the other recent Timm-produced
video films, and injects an entry into the animated Batman canon that's almost
as intriguing, compelling and enthralling as Nolan's franchise saviors. Will
everyone love it as much as I did? Probably not. But those who give Hood a
chance to wriggle into their brains and under their skin will be glad they did.
I expected an anticlimactic, melodramatic dud. I expected eye-rolling fan
service, superficial villains and simplistic heroes. I expected... something
else entirely. Batman: Under the Red Hood isn't just the best DC animated
release to date, it's one of the finest Batman stories on the home video market,
animated or otherwise. While it may not be perfect, it does boast impressive
animation and character designs, exceptional voice acting, a strong story, sharp
dialogue, genuine thrills, psychological depth, fast-paced action, mature
themes, a magnificent third act... it's all here, primed for your enjoyment.
Whether you already know what secrets lie in wait or have no idea what Winick
has in store, be sure to pick up Under the Red Hood. It's that rare,
direct-to-video, animated superhero flick that doesn't disappoint.. |
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BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD
© 2010 Warner Premiere
All Rights Reserved
Review © 2010 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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