DCU Batman: Under The Red Hood (Blu-Ray)

Batman: Under the Red Hood is the latest in the DC Universe series of animated DVDs. The two-disc DVD is very special and tells a gripping story and gives lots of great features that you'd spend hours watching. The main event has to do with Jason Todd, the second Robin who was beaten to death with a crowbar by the Joker and then bombed out of existence -- or so we thought. Batman began his darkness at this time, blaming himself for Todd's death. I though it interesting that the writers only touched on Jason Todd as Robin, not really getting deep into the history of the character -- just enough to interest the viewer but not so much as to bore me to death with details only a rabid fan would know. Still, the foam began forming around my gums as Batman hunts the Red Hood. The Red Hood was also the name of The Joker back in the day (in the comics world, in the 1940s) and so he hunts up the Joker (with some special humor appeal from Nightwing) to see what Joker knows about this Red Hood character. The underworld is under his pay, 40% of all they bring to the drug trade to the Red Hood and he will provide protection. This vigilante can't stop crime, he says, so he'll join them -- and kill anyone who gets in his way. Great fight scenes, some ingenious moves and some flash-back stories to a younger, more vibrant Jason Todd. The story reminded me in many ways of the Hush storyline in its action and keeping the viewer guessing as to the Red Hood's identity. Features: Lots of backstory on the Robin character, from Dick Grayson's beginnings, his development into Nightwing and the early writers and artist's reasons for giving the lone Batman a sidekick in the first place. Two Batman-related videos from the early 1990s, where Robin finds the killers of his parents and Batman tries to prevent him from taking revenge. Tight story, not a slow minute. The previews and trailers, I've seen most of them already: Crisis on Two Earths and so on. However, the first look into Superman/Batman Apocalypse with Darkseid as the powerful bad guy and a complete Supergirl origin story was right out of the Supergirl comics done by Michael Turner a few years ago. But the story is expanded and the creators of the show really exude interest and excitement for this project. Lastly, some Jonah Hex animated stories. The animation is not as top notch as the feature film, but does make for some interesting storytelling. Jonah is looking for a man who is on his bounty list. Except the man was murdered by a madam who kills first and kisses later. Bottom Line: The story and voice-acting abilities of Batman: Under the Hood create a dark, interesting view of a Batman who seems to have created a monster, full of anguish and what he can do to rectify the Red Hood and his crime spree -- regardless of how many criminals he has to walk through to stop him. A must-see for any Batman fan and a great intro to the DC Animated Universe of DVDs. Other DC Universe Films You Must See: Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (Two-Disc Amazon Exclusive Limited Edition with Litho Cel) Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (Two-Disc Edition) Batman - The Animated Series, Volume One (DC Comics Classic Collection)

One thing that can be said about Batman is that his character as a whole has created a monster fan base. Part of that fan base that grew up with the Dark Knight has actually had the privilege to create some of his most memorable adventures. Bruce Timms' newest animated movie `Batman: Under The Red Hood' is one of the more recent Batman classics brought to us. What makes this story so special is that it was derived from one of the darkest stories in Batman's legacy, and that story revolved around the death of the second Robin. Historically the death of Jason Todd is known as `Batman's greatest failure'. What Under The Red Hood does is takes `A Death In The Family' and adds a whole new chapter. Deriving from the major elements it turns `Death' into a much larger story with an incredible epilogue. As much as I would have loved to s `A Death In The Family' brought to life, `Under The Red Hood' may in fact be the best Batman story the DCAU has offered us. The story that this film gives us takes place five years after the death of Jason Todd. Suddenly the crime lords of Gotham City have a new threat and he is this merciless vigilante known as Red Hood. His mission is to keep the mob in line and make sure that while their actions continue to flourish, they have to work under his rules. Because, if they step out of line, they die. Of course Batman leaps into action to try and take him down, but once he gets too close to this new threat his world will be shattered when he discovers who Red Hood truly is. This movie was such an incredible piece. It is definitely the darkest film up until this point, but it is such a well executed story. There are however a few negatives, but I will go with the positives first. What I loved about this film was the homage to the ending of `A Death In The Family'. While it is not as graphic as depicted on the pages of the comic, keep in mind that this film is rated PG-13. Still, they kept the actions taken and the dialogue intact and it is such a gripping scene to watch. That feeling that you get in that moment carries on all the way to the end of the film. The final showdown with Batman & Red Hood is incredible. I have never seen such passion and emotion thrown into one of these films up until now and I have to say that I had to re-watch that whole final scene, just because it was so well done. On that note the voice acting was perfect. Bruce Greenwood did a spot on job as Batman. I have to admit, there were points in the film where I couldn't even tell it was him because he sounded so similar to Kevin Conroy. What made Greenwood a better choice for this film was the passion in his voice especially when he raised his voice. Jensen Ackles was great as Red Hood. He started out just as a regular voice actor, but the scenes he has with Batman are so great. The final showdown he puts almost an Oscar worthy performance, I have to say I was enthralled. John DiMaggio took on the Joker. Now, I have to say that many people always hate when Mark Hammil isn't there, but let's face it with a movie as heavy as this one Mark Hammil's voice would just come of extremely cartoonish. Don't get me wrong in Phantasm and Return of the Joker he does a great job, but take a look at those movies in general and compare them to the setting of Red Hood. I promise you, you will understand why they used another actor. Still DiMaggio as a plus turns on that Mark Hammil Joker charm in this film, but the voice he brings is a darker, creepier Joker and it's a win for this film. The best voice would have to be Wade Williams as Black Mask. He brings sheer over the top villainy to Black Mask. It is one of those voices that just makes the character so evil you grin with delight at his madness. Black Mask was this guy that would get so high strung in two seconds he would punch through a brick wall. So, what are the faults of `Under The Red Hood?' It was too short. A movie of such grandeur should be more than 79 minutes. I don't know why Bruce Timm thinks that we have such short attention spans. There were so many great things thrown into this package that I felt there wasn't enough. An example would Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing. I could watch NPH perform in front of a brick wall for 3 hours and be entertained. He breathed great life into his character, but it would have been great just to see more action with him in it. The flashbacks of Jason Todd were great as well. I thought maybe it would have been a plus to throw some flashbacks of Dick Grayson as Robin maybe to see him depart from Batman or encounter him for the first time as Nightwing. Yet, I digress. `Under the Red Hood' is a great film, mostly because it revolves around the Robin character. Robin is a persona in DC comics that is always blasted by fans because of the camp of the silver age and the old Adam West show. Still, Robin is probably one of the most important characters because he brings a human side out in Batman. To see what Batman goes through when a hero that he trained becomes something he shouldn't be it just makes the Batman persona more of a legend, but more than that a hero with a heart. Also if you are planning to get this film on DVD, purchase the two disc edition, which features another DC Showcase short. This one features Jonah Hex, and since his movie bombed this will be all the Jonah Hex you need.

...I just HAVE to write a review about this movie as it is one of the best I have seen in a long time...heck, one of the best movies I've seen, ever. BACKGROUND--Major Spoilers ahead I have always enjoyed comic books, the toys that come with them, posters, etc. However, I have never been too big a fan of the cartoons...just never really got into them as I thought (for example) the old 'Superfriends' were silly with the Wonder Twins and their pet monkey, Gleek, ridiculous plot lines, and such like. 'Red Hood,' however, caught my attention as many friends recommended it to me...but mainly that I know 'Red Hood' is the original alias of the Joker. The name of the movie just sounded ...cool...so I gave it a look. I. Was. Blown. Away. I had hopes, somewhat high ones, going into this that I would enjoy this cartoon, but I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen, period. There were no pet monkeys in this cartoon, by the way. WHERE TO BEGIN? Let's start with the voice cast: I understand most Batman fans were disappointed that the long-time voices of The Batman and The Joker: Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, respectively, were absent from this film, but I thought their replacements: Bruce Greenwood and John DiMaggio, did a great job. I've always liked Greenwood since seeing his portrayal of President Kennedy in 'Thirteen Days,' and I thought his Batman was spot-on, at least in my mind, of what the character should sound like. DiMaggio was a good Joker...more Jack Nicholson than Heath Ledger, but Mr. Ledger's performance will never be duplicated so why even bother to try? Neil Patrick Harris is great as Nightwing (Dick Grayson, the original Robin) as he brought humor to an otherwise very dark movie. However, he didn't have a lot of on-screen time, which is one of the few complaints I have with this film. Wade Williams is Black Mask, the gang leader who is at war with The Red Hood. Over-the-top and quite funny (think the 1960s TV show), I enjoyed his performance. Jason Isaacs is Ra's al Ghul. Isaacs gives the character a quiet dignity of a sort, mixed together with an authorative, self-righteous tone. Plus, Isaacs can do creepy quite well. Check out 'The Patriot' or 'Event Horizon' for further proof, if you need it. Finally, Jensen Ackles is Red Hood/Jason Todd. I felt Ackles stole the show as he brought a dramatic intensity to his character that completely swept me into the story. The raw emotion he conveyed, particularly in a scene with Batman near the end of the movie...I cannot describe it, it was great. No, beyond great. ANIMATION I am not qualified to give technical aspects, but I thought this movie looked great. Gotham City visually looks like a mix of the Gotham City(s) from the Christian Bale and Michael Keaton movies--with a little 'Blade Runner' thrown in for good measure. The animation has an elegant flow to it...the heroes glide across the screen...and the only negatives I noticed were a couple of scenes in which characters are running and it (the running) looks kind of 'stop-motion choppy.' However, the visuals are quite stunning. STORY The movie opens with the Joker brutally killing Jason Todd, the second 'Robin,' as Batman arrives just seconds late to save him. The violence depicted is brutal, despite being shown off-camera, and definitely not for children. The movie then jumps ahead five years and there is a new villain/vigilante in Gotham, killing any and all rivals who dare get in his way. He bargains with the Gotham drug dealers, telling them he'll protect them (mainly from himself) as long as he gets a huge cut--and they don't deal to children. This new villain is the Red Hood. Of course, it is only a matter of time before he crosses paths with Batman, and if not for Nightwing showing up to help out, the Red Hood may very well have defeated Batman in their first encounter...as Red Hood departs, he yells something that causes Batman to take pause...playing and sound-editing back a tape of their encounter later, Batman realizes Red Hood called him, 'Bruce.' Meanwhile, Black Mask is so frustrated with Red Hood's assault on his crime empire, he breaks the Joker out of Arkham Asylum hoping to enlist his help...which, of course, backfires. And, Batman discovers through detective work of his own that Red Hood and Jason Todd are the one and same...he then travels to Ra's al Ghul's lair and gets the details filled in. Finally, the Joker is now on the loose spreading chaos throughout Gotham City, only to be captured by Batman, but 'stolen,' if you will, from Batman by the Red Hood. All of this leads to the film's climax where Batman and Red Hood debate their different perspectives of morality: Red Hood stating he "is the better Batman" because he *kills* criminals, thus ridding the streets of them for good. Batman's response is that, as much as he would enjoy killing the Joker, he realizes that if he ever crosses that line..."there is no going back." At this point, Red Hood has brutually beaten the Joker and is going to kill him. He tells Batman (GREAT performance here by Jensen Ackles) he needs to make a decision on... ...well, get the movie and *watch* it to see how it plays out! COMPLAINTS They are minor, but...a short run-time, AND DEFINITELY not enough Nightwing/Neil Patrick Harris. As stated, his humor was much-needed in this gritty, violent film. True, Black Mask/Wade Williams was funny as well, but his humor comes while he is beating people up. FINALLY I give this movie a 10 out of 10. I really, REALLY enjoyed it. Just hurry up, DC, and release a Red Hood action figure! BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD Directed by Brandon Vietti. Produced by Bruce Timm. Written by Judd Winick. Batman's creators are Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Run-time is 75 minutes; released on July 27, 2010, by Warner Home Video. MPAA Rating is PG-13; SPECIAL (blu-ray) FEATURES include: a 'Jonah Hex' short; a look at upcoming Warner Home Video/DCU releases, including interviews with the creators; widescreen format; a 'Robin Origin' featurette; 'Robin episodes' from the 'Batman' animated television series; subtitles. Epinions.com link: [...]

Batman: Under the Red Hood was the first DC animated film I saw years ago, and it remains the gold standard for this impressive series. An outstanding mix of tense drama, effective acting, quality writing and direction, and excellent animation, it's a great introduction to the serious side of the film series (as contrasted with the more comical and 'fun' films like Batman & Harley Quinn (Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Combo) ). A narratively-rich film, it explores some of the darkest and most mature aspects of the Batman mythos with the gravity and moral complexity they deserve. For those familiar with the original comics, the story is significantly altered for cinematic purposes, yet effectively visualized and brought to life; for those who are new to the story, coming in with the least possible foreknowledge and expectations, as I did, leads to the greatest rewards. While the DC animated universe has always treated its subject matter with respect and sophistication (even when having fun with it), Batman: Under the Red Hood adopts a particularly cinematic approach. It stands confidently with DC's live-action efforts as a film to be taken seriously, and benefits immeasurably for it. Viewers unaccustomed to animation delving into dark, adult-centric material may be surprised; this is just one of the many enjoyable discoveries in this film. The action and drama are well-balanced, each complementing the other and elevating the film into one with broad appeal that extends beyond the comic book crowd. This was the first DC film to be animated by Japan-based The Answer Studio, and their outstanding effort on the film shows in its moody visuals, exciting action scenes, and nuanced moments of physical acting. Unlike in lesser animated films, each of the principal characters has his own way of moving, whether while running, fighting, or simple posture. Close attention to detail has been paid in each standout sequence; any time a shortcut could be employed, the animation instead goes for something hard and visually-dazzling to take its place. The hand-to-hand and physical combat remain among the best in any DC or Marvel animated film, and the action scenes are as thrilling and intricately designed as in a live-action blockbuster. The quality animation, delivered by such noteworthy animators as Kazuyoshi Takeuchi (animator on such anime classics as Akira: Movie (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) and Your Name), immeasurably adds to the film's effectiveness. Such is the excellence of the animation that one wishes all the DC animated films could be produced by The Answer Studio; the quality is so much better than most of the other studios that it really stands out. As it is, the films that are animated by them all stand out as among the best. Finally, the top-notch voice acting from Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood, Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing, and John DiMaggio as the Joker, along with the rest of the cast, expertly handle and elevate the difficult material. Ackles' Red Hood in particular is so good that it's a shame he and the character have not appeared in subsequent films. As a group, the DC animated films deserve a wide audience beyond comic readers; anyone interested in quality storytelling and thrilling action (animated or otherwise) has much to enjoy and discover here. And there's no better place to begin than with Batman: Under the Red Hood. If this outstanding film doesn't make you excited to check out the rest of the DC animated universe, nothing will.

okay, the short review is as follows: >> action, story, dialogue is great. die hard batman fans = buy, pedestrians = rent. *not for young children* and now the long review: >> first off, i'm reviewing this as modern age batman fan. i grew up on the animated series [and yes, batman DOES have the best rogues gallery]. i feel that as complex as batman's characters are, once you understand them, their interactions between one another become very clear. that being said, Batman: Under the Red Hood definitely delivers. the re-introduction of Jason Todd into DCU proper was nothing short of inspired and they did a fantastic job translating Jason's story into an animated short. >> the script was great because it told a simple, fluid 'revenge story' that really didn't leave any plot holes. i like that the creative team pulled from different source materials to make a DARK, gritty, action packed movie. the dialogue between the characters was spot on and delivered with precision. all of the voice actors were great but i was very impressed with Jensen Ackles voicing Jason Todd. for a character that's never before given a literal voice, Ackles conveyed JT's emotion and purpose brilliantly. >> as for the extras on the dvd, it's always nice to have subtitles. there are a few trailers for previous dcu animated movies, as well as trailers for 'the Lord of the Rings, animated', 'Jonah Hex Motion Comic' and 'Legend of the Guardians'. the best extra is the 'First Look at Superman/Batman Apocalypse', the next dcu animated movie [it tells the story of Supergirl's return to the DCU proper]. >> all in all it was a great movie. i didn't give it a 5/5 because there will always be room to improve, 99% of the time. in my personal opinion, it would have been more compelling to swap out Nightwing for the third Robin, Tim Drake..or hey, include all three Robins; but it would've probably gone over the 75 minute mark. i wish there was a commentary track but there isn't one. and yes, there are a few other things that i could nitpick at but it's really just that, nitpicking. the DVD is great and my only regret in purchasing it, is not having purchased the two-disc special instead. good job DC!

If you have an interest in viewing or purchasing this movie, you're likely a fan of Batman, DC Superheroes, or both. Either way, this blu-ray disc will not disappoint. Batman: Under the Red Hood is an amazing disc featuring a superb video and audio presentation of one of the best films released to home video by DC to date, and it comes loaded with special features. The following is my take on this release. THE MOVIE (A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW): This movie is an adaptation of the comic book story that debuted in Batman comics nearly five years ago. Those familiar with the comic who watch this film will notice some changes to the story (this story omits the Infinite Crisis tie-in device featured in the comics, allowing the film to work as a stand-alone piece). Although I'm a fan of the comic, I personally found the film to be superior to the original comic storyline in every way. The film opens with Batman attempting to avert an international threat involving two of his deadliest foes, and the opening sequence ends with Batman suffering the worst tragedy of his crime fighting career. After the opening credits roll, the story jumps ahead about five years. The setting is Gotham City, and a mysterious figure calling himself Red Hood is waging war against Gotham's reigning crime lord: Black Mask. Black Mask is noted to be the first criminal in Gotham to take over the crime/drug trade completely. It is no small feat then when Red Hood cripples Black Mask's operations, taking over Black Mask's territories and eliminating anyone who gets in his way. Red Hood's actions eventually place him in Batman's sights, and the resulting chases and battles between the two prove to be some of the most impressive ever depicted on film, animated or otherwise. The chase scenes through Gotham city rooftops incorporate extensive aerial acrobatics, lightning fast martial arts techniques, death defying use of grappling lines, and bullseye gunslinging by Red Hood. Also keep your eyes open for a very impressive scene where Batman and one of his closest allies employ perfect team work to prevent a falling aircraft from crashing on city streets. I've never seen anything like it before, and I was very impressed. Of course, the film culminates in a showdown between Batman and Red Hood, but between the opening and closing of the film, you'll be treated to one breakneck action sequence after another. Each of those scenes highlight different aspects of Batman's crime fighting skills and his advanced crime fighting technology. You will be treated to extensive shots of the Batcave, and you'll see appearances by the Batmobile and the Batwing. Special mention goes to one of the earliest action scenes where Batman is first reunited with one of his oldest allies. The two employ perfect teamwork in a breathtaking action sequence where they take on and defeat a very powerful enemy. The battle takes them from the ground to the sky in an amazing display of aerial combat, death defying acrobatics, and life-saving grappling gun skills, culminating in Batman's stealthy and perfectly timed use of his utility belt arsenal to defeat the villain. While the film's story is pretty straightforward (mostly serving as the thread tying together the awesome action scenes), the plot is solid, featuring a few interesting twists along the way. These plot turns reveal how cunning and ruthless the Red Hood is, as well as how the Red Hood is connected to Batman's past. Red Hood is a worthy adversary for Batman, and his strategies lead Batman into a situation where the only way out may be to cross a line he has vowed to never cross. Being that this is an animated film, the performances rise and fall on the strength of the dialogue and the talent of the voice actors. In that respect, neither of the two disappoint. The dialogue sounds mostly natural for a story of this nature, and the voice acting is very strong. While long time fans of Bruce Timm's Animated Batman consider Kevin Conroy to be the definitive Batman voice (myself included), Bruce Greenwood (Captain Pike from JJ Abrams' Star Trek) does an impressive job as the Dark Knight Detective. His style is different from Conroy's, a bit softer and more gravelly, but a fitting voice for Batman. Greenwood is joined by Jensen Ackles (best known as Dean Winchester from Supernatural) who does excellent voice work as the Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris as a good humored but highly skilled ally of Batman, John DiMaggio (Bender from Futurama) and Jason Isaacs as two of Batman's oldest foes, Wade Williams as a frothing and violent Black Mask, and, Kelly Hu as the trusted assistant of Black Mask. As for the animation, the style is similar to Bruce Timm's previous animated work, but with a smoother, more realistic look to the characters. The animation quality runs somewhere between the more recent Bruce Timm Justice League animated series and a really great anime. This isn't quite Disney caliber animation (which features generous frames of animation per second that give the appearance of life-like fluidity of movement), but for direct to video, it is truly great work. I'd say it's on par with good Japanese Anime such as Naruto. All in all, I was so impressed with this film that after it ended, I watched it once more just to digest the awesome action scenes. I've let the movie run while doing other things, but I always stop what I'm doing to admire the action scenes; they're more inventive and impressive than anything I've ever seen. Conclusion: this film is very highly recommended. Now for the BLU-RAY REVIEW: PICTURE QUALITY: Picture quality is a flawless 1080P. Although most of the scenes in this film take place at night or in otherwise dark settings (the movie is about Batman, after all), the image never falters. Characters are animated with amazing clarity, while backgrounds pop with near three-dimensionality. Colors are sharp and vibrant without bleeding, as evidenced by night time scenes involving explosions and electrical/energy weapons. There is also no artifacting or aliasing that I could see. Perfect video here. AUDIO QUALITY: Audio is very crisp and balanced. Flying batarangs, gunfire, explosions, dialogue and everything in between comes across solidly and clearly. I did not have to constantly adjust the volume up and down to hear dialogue and to avoid overly loud jumps in volume levels when gunfire and explosions rolled around. SPECIAL FEATURES (SPOILER ALERT: TWO OF THE FEATURETTES MAY BE SPOILERS TO THE PLOT OF THE FILM, SO BE FOREWARNED) ANIMATED SHORT FILM: The best special feature is a short film starring Jonah Hex (he is a gunslinging cowboy character set in the wild west time period of the DC Universe; his most notable physical characteristic being horrific burns/scars on one side of his face). Thomas Jane does great voice work as Hex, and his fine effort is complemented by that of other well known actors, including Michelle Trachtenberg, Linda Hamilton, Jason Marsden and Michael Rooker. This short ten minute film sees Hex tracking a a wanted criminal to a saloon/hotel where some of the clients check in and don't check out. When Hex comes up against the murdering criminals who run the joint, you'll see him employe fast thinking and even faster shooting to stay alive. The ending sees the villains getting what they deserve, and I for one, was very pleased with the film. I've seen a review saying this film was in standard def, but it looked hi-def to me, so you will have to decide for yourself when you see it. FEATURETTES: The first one features Dick Grayson, the first Robin; the second features the second Robin, Jason Todd; the third is called "Robin's Requiem" - a feature about the comic story from the late 1980s called "A Death In the Family" which involves a death in Batman's family; and the fourth is a sneak peek at the upcoming Batman/Superman Animated Movie featuring Supergirl's reintroduction to the DC Universe called "Apocalypse." These features are in hi-def. FURTHER BONUS FEATURES: Included on this blu-ray disc are four original episodes of the Bruce Timm Batman Animated Series hand picked by creator Bruce Timm. The episodes are: "Robin's Reckoning" Parts 1 & 2 (featuring the origin of Robin as told in the Batman Animated Series); "The Laughing Fish" (Joker is the main villain, with his scheme being to use his chemical gas to create fish that share his Joker's smile - the story is actually more entertaining than it sounds, plus Joker is voiced by the definitive Joker voice actor, Mark Hamill); and "Mad Love" (a Joker story featuring Harley Quinn, Joker's main squeeze, who hopes to get rid of Batman permanently so that she can be the focus of Joker's attention). These episodes are in standard def. DIGITAL COPY: You also get a free digital copy of Batman: Under the Red Hood. But don't get too excited. It is exclusive to Windows Media Player, so all you itunes/ipod/iphone users out there are out of luck. FINAL WORD: If you are a fan of Superherores, Batman or the Bruce Timm animated DC Universe, you owe it to yourself to either buy or rent a copy today. The film is by far the best direct to home video feature ever produced to date. With great voice acting, solid animation and a story that is equally dark and exciting, fans of Batman and superheroes in general will not be disappointed. Very highly recommended!

Everybody who's a DC Comics fan knows the stories of the five Robins that have been with Batman. First was Dick Grayson, who later became Nightwing. Second was Jason Todd, who was murdered by the Joker. Third was Tim Drake, who became Red Robin. Fourth was Stephanie Brown, who is now Batgirl. And fifth is Damian, the biological son of Batman/Bruce Wayne. The stories of these five people are unique and a lot of fun to dig into and discuss with fans. Everybody has a favorite Robin. Batman: Under the Red Hood is the story of the second Robin - only after he was killed by the Joker and brought back to life by Ras al-Ghul. Judd Winick wrote the script, based on the Batman arc he wrote that revived Jason Todd, and it serves pretty well, but I know it couldn't do true justice to the whole story. There's a lot of history in this tale, and all of it worth telling. As far as this direct-to-DVD effort goes, the story can't relate all the years Jason was around after Batman caught him stealing the tires off the Batmobile (something that fans simply couldn't imagine being done even back in the early 1980s). He lasted for five years before getting killed, and was dead for seventeen years before he was brought back to life. All the fans believed Jason was dead. After all, didn't DC Comics run a phone contest for fans to decide his fate? (Right after that, Warner Brothers - the parent company - got hold of DC and asked what they were going to do with the warehouses full of Batman AND Robin products they had to sell!) So a third Robin was immediately in the offing. Comic heroes are notorious for not staying dead. Used to we could point at Captain America's sidekick Bucky Barnes and say, see? Bucky's dead. Only now Bucky is the new Captain America and Steve Rogers was dead - except that he's now back alive too. Simply put, there's a lot of emotional context and resonance and real-time history missing from the pared-down story on this disc. However, it is slam-bag full of all things Batman. First of all, there's lots and lots of action. And there's a ton of Bat-toys. Then there's the appearance of Nightwing, Ra's al-Ghul, AND the Joker. There's a lot going on in this movie. The beginning of the film is gripping, and the assault on Jason Todd/Robin is brutal. Watching it with my twelve year old was a little hard because I didn't expect that level of intensity. The Joker was played as perverse and evil, and he stayed that way through the film. I love how he turned the tables on Blackmask. The art is rendered beautifully. Loved the explosive action, the detail, and the cityscape. The world depicted here really felt like Gotham in all its glory and grime. I found the ending a little disappointing, though. Plenty of questions were raised, and everybody got a look at the heroes' moral compasses, but the main question concerning Batman's relationship with Jason Todd wasn't satisfactorily answered. Batman makes a choice at the end, but where does he stand after he makes it? I know part of this story is still ongoing in the DC Universe, so the movie is an excellent lure to pull readers into the six-part Red Hood story now being published. But in these direct-to-DVD adventures, I'd really appreciate a whole story. This one ends almost where it starts, and we still don't know the true outcome. This Blu-ray disc comes with lots of extras, including two episodes of the original Batman The Animated Series. These episodes recount the origin of Dick Grayson/Robin, so they're a special treat. There's also a lot of material (interviews and comic content) depicting Jason Todd's history. And there's sneak peek of the next DC Comics direct-to-DVD movie, Superman and Batman: Apocalypse. The best part, though, is the Jonah Hex short feature written by Joe R. Lansdale.

Jenson Ackles + Jason Todd + amazing visuals and the complicated plotline between Jason and Bruce? I'd rate this as one, and if not my favorite, DC animated movies ever.

Well I recently ordered this as it was cheap and seemed like a good Batman cartoon. After watching the film I can say that this is probably one of the best Batman cartoons out there. Like many other reviewers say this is not the idea cartoon for kids. It's dark and and some light toucher (Joker beating Robin with a crowbar). So maybe kids older than 7 should be ok watching this. Its entertaining and Im sure you wouldn't get bored of watching this a few times. Now lets get down to the more important side of this film. It is based on two very well known comics in the years of Batman, 'Death in the Family' and 'Under the Red Hood'. Of course if you are a fan of the comics you would probably already know this. This cartoon sums up the story well for any that are interested in knowing about the storyline. Of course if you do want to know the full story line I would recommend you reading the comics as there is much more to known. In fact thats my only problem with this cartoon and that's the fact that its a little short. Of course this is a cartoon so no one should expect a 2 hour long movie just I would have still enjoyed it just as much if they put an extra 20-30 minutes in it. But this is definitely one of the best Batman cartoons that any Bat fan should add to their collection. I myself haven't read the comics that this film is based on but I have researched it and I do plan on getting them. Now down to the characters. The voices for the characters are fantastic, even the Joker although Mark Hamill's will always be the best in the animated world. I have to say the Joker in this cartoon was a very strong character, in fact one of the most evilest. You see a very different side to him if you are use to seeing Hamill's Joker. Much more darker and evil than Hamill's but played the part really well. The Red Hood's voice was really good and the character was done very well in this animation. Also Batman, Alfred, Black Mask and more were fantastic. Recommended reading: Batman A Death In The Family TP New Ed Batman Under The Red Hood TP

La edición es sencilla pues ya que sólo contiene el disco BR, aunque el bonus aquí es que viene con caratula a color, a diferencia de los disco actuales. La imagen de la película es 1080p con audios en Inglés, Alemán, ESPAÑOL CASTELLANO y Portugués. También trae subtítulos en Inglés, Francés, Alemán, Castellano, Español Latino y Portugués. Contiene los siguientes extras: -Un corto animado de Jonah Hex -Especial de Dick Grayson -Especial de Jason Todd -Un vistazo a Superman/Batman Apocalípsis -4 episodios de Batman The Animated Series en inglés con subtítulos. Es una decepción que la película no venga con audio latino pero así es en ambas versiones, tanto BR como DVD vienen sin el audio latino pero eso no demerita la calidad de la historia y animación de la película.

バットマンの相棒ロビン（二代目）の死と、それが巻き起こす更なる悲劇を描いた物語 ジョーカー誕生に纏わるエピソードやレッドフードについても語られており、ロビンやジョーカーを深く知る上では視聴必須の作品 しかし残念ながら日本での発売はされておらず、当然こちらも日本語字幕の設定はできません とはいえ作画は申し分ないので映像で大体の展開はついていけるはず ただしブラックマスクや原作設定のラーズアルグールなんかは映画しか知らない人がいきなり観ても「誰やねんこいつ」って反応しかないと思うので、そんな方にはとりあえずアーカムシリーズのプレイをお勧めします 本作にも特典映像にはアニメイテッド版から幾つか抜粋されて収録されており、最初のロビンに関する前後編のお話はまんまロビン誕生を主に描いたエピソード 残り二話はいつもの定番のバットマンvsジョーカー＆ハーレイのエピソードが収録されています まずロビンのお話についてですが、ここで描かれているのは初代ロビンことディックの物語であり、今作で扱われている二代目ロビンことジェイソンはそもそもアニメイテッド版には登場しません 代わりに原作では三代目のティムがアニメで二代目として登場し、別の形で後々悲劇的な事件を経験してしまいます ジョーカー関連のエピソードの一つ「MAD LOVE」は、これ正直言うと「アサルトオンアーカム」に収録するべき内容だったのではと思います この回はジョーカー誕生、ハーレイとジョーカーの出会い、そしてハーレイ誕生の全てが描かれており、どちらかと言うとハーレイが主人公のお話です 本作との関係性も薄く、出来ればアサルトオンアーカムに収録してほしかった作品 もう一つのお話もこれまた本作との関係性が薄い作品で、内容的にはジョーカーとの初対決を描いた原作の「バットマン 笑う男」がベースになっているような気がします 字幕なしでも作品に関してある程度の知識があればついていけるかもしれませんが、やはり原作の翻訳本を事前に読んでおいた方が理解しやすいかもしれません 余談ですが特典映像のアニメ短編の見どころの一つが実はキャラデザであり、アニメイテッド版は初期と後期で若干絵のタッチが異なります 特にジョーカーはかなり別人化しており、比較して観ると中々面白いです

I bought several of these direct to DVD/Blu ray DC animation productions during Amazon's blow out sale for holiday viewing. This is by far the best of the bunch. The animation is good, not "wow look at that", but good. What makes it work is a combination of tight plot and excellent voice acting. Unlike the huge plot holes in some of the other comic book to dvd adaptions, this one does not suffer overmuch from translating the multiple books/issues into a movie. The plot hangs together and flows in a way that makes sense, has suspense, and makes you care about the characters. The voice casting is excellent. Bruce Greenwood and Neil Patrick Harris are convincing in their roles as Batman and Dick Greyson respectively. John DiMaggio was a very pleasant surprise as the Joker. He is wickedly engaging. Even better was the casting of Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood. Known really only for his television work, he gave this antagonist a depth of emotion with just his voice that carries through the restrictions of this type of animation. This is a character that the audience needs to feel for and care about, and his acting made that possible. Without spoiling the plot, his character has legitimate reasons for both loving and hating Batman. He is a character who is morally grey in a DC comic world that is often too black and white. We watched several of the DC dvds in a marathon, and this is the only one that I thought about after viewing and am likely to view again several times. It is well worth the discount price for the two disc set. The other disc is not really all that interesting with a few features on it that were not nearly as compelling as the main movie.

The Blu-ray was received in excellent condition. The movie was great. Animation was well done, fight scenes were cool and quite emotional at times (especially the ending). Must have for any Batman/Red hood or DC fan