User reviews

... review please, let me ask you something respectfully!: What do I have to do to get to watch more of these remarkable cartoons?!?! Shall I donate? You need a lucky mug in the studio? Write a permission? Whatever needs to be done consider it done! Because I just love these fantastic stories! The music, the art direction, the characters, the cast, everything was just great! And for a certain level I enjoyed it more than the movies! Don't get me wrong! I love the movies as well! The Burton ones, the Nolan ones are fantastic! (Let's just not talk about the Schumacher ones already!) These titles belong to these directors. It is their vision. This one is very creative as well, but this one is the real BATMAN!

The movie is not flawless though. Of course sometimes they do simple things, and there is no problem, I mean it is a cartoon, so they can get away with it! But one thing is for sure: Warner Bros. has realised that there are two groups of Batman fans out there, and one of these groups is all grown ups now! This cartoon is for them! I definitely wouldn't watch it with my child - there is blood. A lot of blood. - but for us it is like reading a comic book! They both come to life before our eyes.

I was waiting for this one and I was very happy to see it eventually! So if anybody would read this from the fantastic team of creators of this great tale: Please make more! You got one definitive fan! And I'm sure that I'm not alone! :D

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

One of the best animated movies to come out of the DCAU. Well-written with a lot of focus on the characters but it doesn't skimp on the action in any way. The people making DC's current crop of animated movies should look to this as an example of how to get it right. You don't have to sacrifice quality storytelling for action. Also, I've objected to the use of violence, language, and sexuality in some of the later DC animated films because it seemed mostly superficial and tacked-on just for titillation and posturing. But here the story warrants adult themes. If anything, it soft pedals a bit when it shouldn't (Robin never looks as badly beaten as he should, for one). The animation is excellent. The action scenes are just incredible. Enough good things can't be said about the script, which is well above par for these things. The voice acting is solid, although the BTAS fan in me will probably always yearn for those voices in these movies. All together it's amazing and deserving of all its praise.

It's too bad DC comics hasn't been able to attain the kind of success that Marvel has with their big screen adaptations. But DC seems to be doing quite well with direct-to-DVD fare.

Adapted by Judd Winick from his own story arc, "Batman: Under the Red Hood" is a story brimming with themes of family, revenge and redemption. Five years prior, Jason Todd (the second Robin) was brutally murdered at the hands of the Joker. A death that scarred Batman nearly as badly as the death of his parents. At present, Batman (Bruce Greenwood) has his hands full with the sudden appearance of The Red Hood (Jensen Ackles), a new vigilante who's seizing control of Gotham's crime syndicates. Showing up in a guest-starring role is Nightwing (the original Robin, voiced here by Neil Patrick Harris) in a story that will face the Dark Knight with his past, as well as his worst enemy, the Joker (John Di Maggio).

The movie gets high marks for voice casting, alone. But even so, it's a stellar Batman movie, complete with first-rate animation, a heartbreaking story (geez, that last line before the credits rolled was a gut punch), and tremendous sound design. What surprises the most is the level of violence in this movie, usually achieved with off-screen sound effects that let the viewer's imagination fill in the blanks (always the right way to go). The action hits fast and hard, only slowing down to let the audience ingest the clues as to the Red Hood's identity.

Greenwood is right up there with Kevin Conroy as the greatest Batman on screen. Hopefully we'll hear him again as the Dark Knight in a future movie.

8/10

I remember the cover of the comic "A Death in the Family" and how shocking the depiction of Batman holding Robin's broken body was to me at the time I first saw it. The story inside was equally shocking and I remember really, really enjoying it. It was the first time that I remember seeing the joker as the horrid piece of malevolent garbage that he really is, instead of some thug who had a trademark ever-present grin. (I grew up watching the 60's series with Caesar Romero) It's been decades but I can still remember the depiction of the shadows on the wall of the Joker, holding a crowbar standing over robin with "HA HA HA HA HA HA!" all over the page. I've always kind of liked the idea of Tim Drake growing into his own man and becoming Nightwing and I had just been explaining to my wife the story of the two different Robins and their origins as well as the scene I recalled earlier, and how Batman had been so overwhelmed with guilt and had sworn to never take another sidekick, this being the reason that we never see Robin anymore. This movie really delved into that guilt that Bruce felt and I thought it was incredibly deep for an animated movie. I'm not surprised, really; The cartoons nowadays are nothing like the "Superfriends" cartoons I used to watch on Saturday mornings, but this one really pushed the limits and I was glad to see it. Personally, I'd really like to see a movie about Batman having his back broken by Bane, Azrael taking on the mantel of Batman and the chaos that ensued. I thought that was one of the best comic stories I've ever read. I liked how Azrael wasn't opposed to killing and didn't have the same moral code as Batman, but this movie covered that aspect of the Batman mythos almost as well. I think people tend to forget that part of the story, which is sad because it's one of, if not the most important aspects of Batman and what makes him a true hero! He's part of the Justice League and he doesn't have one single super power! That, by itself is amazing! He also has an iron-clad will that is seconded by none. And beyond all that, he's seen horrible things and gone up against even more horrible people, like the Joker, yet he will. not. kill. He won't allow himself to sink into that hole that he so really wishes to-he will never give in and that, in and of itself is amazing! Batman is a contemporary hero, myth and legend, not because he is impervious to bullets or because he can shoot lasers from his eyes, but because he is as human as you or me; He makes mistakes like you or I do. He is vulnerable bullets and bombs and temptations but he will never let any of those things stand in his way of obtaining justice-not as long as there is a breath in his body. He's earned the deepest respect of Superman! Therefore, he has earned my respect too. This movie really details the very worst thing that has ever happened to him since he put on his cape and cowel and it illustrates just how impervious his iron will is. I loved this movie! No Bat-fan should miss it!

Every now and then there comes a film that exceeds all expectations. A film that no one really believed in, made for some easy dollars with minimal effort, which however manages to rise above its limitations to deliver an experience we're all going to remember. Batman: Under the Red Hood is one of those film. Released direct to DVD it tells the story of Jason Todd, one of the least likable Batman sidekicks ever conceived on paper. It doesn't have the voice talents of Mark Hamill as the Joker or Kevin Conroy as Batman, its animation looks relatively cheap and it lacks that tight focus films like The Dark Knight have, where it'd feel more than a "mere" superhero film.

And yet, somehow, it all works. Most of the excellence stems from the story, which is about Jason Todd, yes, but unlike in the comics, where he's simply a whiny little brat with few redeeming qualities, in here he's a surprisingly likable main character alongside Bruce Wayne. Yes, he's moody and brooding and even a bit whiny, but the film goes to extra lengths to show why he's like that and because of that he's more sympathetic than ever. The final scene between him and Batman is one of the best DC moments I have ever witnessed. It delves deep into the mythos of Batman and asks some really pointed questions, most of which we have been unable to answer. Not that the film gives us any definitive answer, because there are none, but it shines light on a certain point of view.

Furthermore, the voice acting is surprisingly good, lack of Hamill and Conroy notwithstanding. The animation has that direct-to-DVD quality to it and it's really nothing groundbreaking, but it does its job and every now and then there's a really cool visual scene. I also like the world they have built here. Unlike most Batman movies, where it feels like there's nothing all that important going on outside of Gotham City, here it feels like a proper DC universe - full of heroes and villain, magic, alien science and freakish beings.

Some have claimed Batman: Under the Red Hood to be the best Batman movie ever made, and I can see their point. It has a strong story, stays true to its characters, is technically solid and delivers everything we have ever wanted from a Batman movie. I'd claim that the average animation and some minor hiccups in the voice acting and all around execution keep it from being the best, but it's still a really good film. Easily recommended to all fans of Batman or superhero films in general.

I would have preferred my animated Batman possessing the voice of Kevin Conroy, since that's the voice I've grown accustomed to with the excellent long running Batman The Animated Series, but I suppose a change was warranted here since Warner Premiere, the label created to produce more adult fare animated films, had set this presumably many years after Batman's solo animated adventures, and with Dick Grayson as the first Robin, to be superseded by Jason Todd.

This film has a story that worked on many levels with familiar references back to the comic book, introducing, or reintroducing the character of The Red Hood, which was who the Joker was before he became the Clown Prince of Crime. Here we begin the adventures with an eerie look at the Death in the Family storyline, albeit just the final critical moments where the Joker (voiced by John Di Maggio, would have loved Mark Hamill though) has a go at the Jason Todd Robin (Vincent Martella) using nothing other than chilling taunts and a crowbar, repeated bashing him in, sans buckets of blood (well, you'd still have to cater to the younger crowd who will pick this DVD up). The Bat is late, the Joker leaves, and not before blowing up the warehouse Robin is in.

I remember the time when the comics for this series came out there was this infamous 1900 number for fans (or non fans for that matter) of Robin to call to determine whether he lives or dies. The rest is history of course, and Jason Todd perished, though in the comic book realm, one never really stays dead for too long. With the Hush series of books, his rumoured return became all too real, although in this story it didn't go to that length, involving none other than Ra's al Ghul (Jason Isaacs) and his key possession to do the dirty work, building a sound rationale why he had to do what he did, which I bought into.

The current storyarc for the film rests in the emergence of the brutally ruthless Red Hood (Jensen Ackles) who rounds up Gotham's drug lords with a promise to provide them protection from the Bat, and soundly delivers on that vow, only to frustrate Batman (Bruce Greenwood) who together with Nightwing (Neil Patrick Harris), the first Robin who has outgrown the role and adopted a new identity, find the fighting skills of the Red Hood vaguely familiar, as he almost always seem to be able to second guess and stay a step ahead of the dynamic duo, and has with him an equally formidable arsenal of tools of the trade to thwart whatever Batman has to dish out. No prizes for guessing where this story would be headed to of course, with the scene that played out from the start, in a tale essentially about revenge.

What was really top notch here, was how the essence of Batman's partnership with his proteges got played out perfectly. There's ample comparisons between Bruce and Dick, and Bruce and Jason, with adequate flashbacks especially for the latter, recreating a concise, succinct history that will please fans, and to enlighten newcomers to the expanded mythos of today. We see how the respective Robins have shaped the Batman's approach to fighting crime, and his rationale for recruiting young boys in this role (nothing sexual here of course), including his biggest regret and mistake in thinking that Jason could be just another Dick Grayson, who turned out well.

Besides the engaging dramatic piece, character study and comparisons, this film possessed some of the best fight sequences assembled so far in a Batman animated flick, and I suppose this boiled down to essentially having proteges having a go at the Batman, and having them battle side by side as well in various forms, either as the Robins over the years, or in their current incarnation. The action's swift and flowing, highlighting the stealth and myriad of gadgets the Bat has at his disposal to dispatch enemies, from cyborgs to The Red Hood, the Joker and a host of villains from the rogues gallery include Ra's as mentioned, a Talia cameo, a short scene involving The Riddler, and The Black Mask (Wade Williams) being the chief villain who wants scores settled with The Red Hood for encroaching onto his turf.

Technically brilliant and has one of the best works of art - check out the closing credits design - this film marks the long journey that the animated Batman mythos had taken thus far. The series has grown from strength to strength, and a Batman animated film had rarely disappointed. This one is no exception, with excellent writing and craft in assembling a story tapping from the rich comic book content, to weave an absolute narrative stunner. That final scene alone will put a poignant lump in your throat, serving as potential and promise of a character that went tragically unfulfilled, and always being that blow of a reminder to Batman that he's not infallible.

This amazing Batman feature deserves 10 out of 10 stars. The story is written by one of the best writers of all. Even if it's "just a animation", it WILL blow your mind. It sure did blew my mind. I agree with Mr. Abhishek Vaidya, it is a true MASTERPIECE. I would recommend it to all batman fans, all over the world. If you haven't seen it yet, you don't know what you're missing. Even Nightwing has a cameo, the way he say things out loud, would want you to wish, he's in the movie some more time. I guess, this is the best Batman animated feature ever made. I'd wish, DC comics would made more of the same suspenseful animated features in the future.

Dark, brutal & jam-packed with one action set piece after another, Batman: Under the Red Hood is an action-packed mayhem that unfolds at breakneck pace & with ruthless intensity to book its spot amongst the finest comic-book adaptations out there and delivers an explosive extravaganza that refuses to hold back anything in its wake.

Directed by Brandon Vietti, the film is gripping from the get go and is surprisingly violent throughout its 75 mins runtime. Deftly balancing action & drama, it has an emotional story with real stakes at its core, plus the final confrontation is thrilling, riveting & just as heartbreaking. The action segments do take centerstage but the dramatic portions carry a raw power of their own.

Pitting two vigilantes with similar goals but different morals against one another, the film attempts to explore the fine line between good & evil, and creates tough choices for our Caped Crusader. Refined set design, slick animation & taut editing help further improve the viewing experience while excellent vocal inputs from all is a highlight in itself, especially Jensen Ackles & John DiMaggio.

Overall, Batman: Under the Red Hood does what it set out to do and is one of the most enjoyable, exciting & entertaining films of its genre. Absolutely relentless in its approach & execution, this skilfully crafted, fiercely narrated & furiously paced action-adventure is going to delight most fans of The Dark Knight and despite its barrage of non-stop action, it manages to sustain its emotional heft from start to finish.

Batman: Under the Red Hood takes from some of the comics Death in the Family (about the death of Jason Todd - not a spoiler, as it's been almost 20 years since that comic), and Under the Red Hood, which takes place in a Gotham where Batman faces a nemesis that is more staggering than usual: a criminal who is taking out the criminals by force, and murder, and putting in fear where Batman just can't. One of these is the Black Mask, a villain more like a "Black Skull" who rules over the Gotham underworld with a ruthless hand (one that he often uses to punch his henchman even if they've done nothing really wrong). It becomes a curious and curiouser mystery as Batman seems to recognize things the Red Hood says - possibly words that his former pupil, Jason Todd as Robin, used to say. If it is Jason Todd, what will he do?

As with many of the DC animated movies, one of the perks of the film is how intense the action can be. It's always at a "kiddie" level, more or less (sometimes more bloody scenes than others, but nothing too heavy), and when one sees Batman chasing after the Red Hood, or having one of his battles with him, it gets kinetic and cool. Bruce Timm and his team- this time featuring comic book writer Judd Winnick as author- are respectful, and sometimes build upon, the legacy that has been built in the comics and with the characters, and there's a lot of excitement in comedy (the Black Mask's dialog is scene-chewing) and drama (the final showdown between Batman and his former pupil, who brings up an excellent moral dilemma that has always been perplexing with the Joker).

In general this entry in the saga is good, though it falls short of greatness. The ending is a little too neat and tidy, and there's nitpicking that can be counted as actual complaints: the Joker this time is voiced by John Di Maggio (usually a voice actor of Aquaman), and his turn as the Joker is unsatisfying. He sounds like just a common gangster, only the laugh striking as something Joker like; it's not that someone not Mark Hamill has to nail the Joker, but it's distracting. He's not bad, just miscast (other voice actors like Neil Patrick Harris and Bruce Greenwood are fine additions, though the former isn't given many scenes to show what he can do as Nightwing). There's also an appearance by Amiezo that, while not bad, feels out of place with the general storyline.

But mostly Batman: Under the Red Hood scores well, and will with fans especially, because of its usually tight writing and as-usual spectacular (on a low budget) animation. It should be a welcome addition for most on video. 7.5/10

What an excellent movie with topnotch writing. Batman: Under the Red Hood delivers on a - dare I say - perfect balance between character and action, not one unneccessary movement, line or direction, a great almost constant flow. Everything has a purpose, and boy does it have a purpose. You know a story is strong when the villain makes you truly question the moral codex or the actions of the hero for real, and once again it's just impressive how the Batman stories can continue to hit deep time after time with only little tweaks and some seemingly innocent yet very uncomfortable questions. For its short run time, I just really recommend checking it out and I doubt you'll not at least find it to be well-made and enjoyable. I think it's some of the best I have seen Batman at personally, and I'm very impressed as a huge Batman fan. I also was not prepared for that last line. No worries, no spoilers. But brace yourself for it. It is very effective.

Quick mentions: The score is really energizing and mood-grabbing, and the voice acting is superb from all.

Batman: Under the Red Hood is fun, but you'll probably like it more if you already have a pretty strong Batman background. It deals with characters and storylines some may be unfamiliar with. This feels like an episode of the old Batman: The Animated Series, only darker. I enjoyed it.

This film is basically the movie to the graphic novel (so practically perfect.) Only now they have gotten rid of the unnecessary bits from the comic. I also loved the ending to this film, so bitter-sweet and emotional. To all Batfans, or anyone who likes a good movie, I recommend this.

This one right out of the gate is quite dark. I liked that a darker tone was set which ends up making sense for the story later on. I had looked up the cast prior to watching it and it made me question if these actors can handle these roles. I think for the most-part the answer is yes. Bruce Greenwood does a fine job as Batman without trying to sound like Kevin Conroy or overly macho. Neil Patrick Harris I wish had a bit more to do and part of me wonders if it might have been better if he swapped roles and played Red Hood instead of Nightwing. It's probably because of Doctor Horrible but I think he would have brought a bit more to the role than Jensen Ackles. John DiMaggio does okay as the Joker although I did find him slipping into Mark Hamill's Joker here and there especially when he was laughing.

The story I quite liked and without spoiling anything is enjoyable despite not surprising me much. It had a consistent tone and the contrast of violence and the parallels of the Red Hood to the Joker made for a satisfying conclusion.

Time and again, when it comes to the likes of superhero movies (whether they be live-action or animation) it never seems to fail that their stories all tend to be so simple-minded and predictable.

And, believe me, "Batman: Under The Red Hood" here was certainly no exception to this rule. This film literally bordered on the very edge of being downright dumb and brain-dead.

As I watched this unbelievably tiresome "Batman" movie I found that I was repeatedly asking myself - "Haven't I already seen this same old junk before?" - (And the answer to that question was - Yes, I have - About a thousand times before).

This animated feature film may have been only 75 minutes in length, but (trust me) it was one of the dreariest 75 minutes that I've ever spent watching any superhero movie in a mighty long time.