REVIEW: Batman Under The Red Hood

FACTS ABOUT BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD:

1. First full length Batman movie in DC Universe line.
2. This is director Brandon Vietti’s first solo take on directing an animated film.
3. The story is written by Judd Winick, It was adapted from the comic book BATMAN: UNDER THE HOOD which is also written by Winick.
4. Judd Winick is in San Francisco and had to pitch using a speakerphone when he tried to convinced producers Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett (which is in Burbank) to put his work on film.
5. Winick pitched for 45 minutes and when he’s done, the producers agreed to put it on film right away.

Synopsis:

The story begins in one of the most horrible event in Batman’s history, the death of his partner, Robin.

Jason Todd the second kid to wear the Robin mantle after Dick Grayson, was brutally beaten by the Joker with the use of a crowbar. He then locked up the boy in a room with a bomb ready to explode in just a few second. Batman was on his way to rescue his partner, but unfortunately he didn’t make it on time.

5 years later, Gotham City. A mysterious figure later be known as the Red Hood made an introduction, making himself a crime lord by threatening and converting Black Mask’s (Ruler of Gotham’s criminal underworld) underlings into him. Then the story follows Batman and Nightwing (the original Robin) finding themselves being stalked by the Red Hood. We’ll learn that Red Hood tries to rid Gotham City’s crimes without following the same ethics as its heroes and apparently knows all of Batman’s secrets.

As Batman tries to unravel the true identity of his stalker, he must also battle three of his enemies: the Joker, who was responsible for the death of his second protégé; Ra’s Al Ghul, the immortal international terrorist whose somehow connected to the Red Hood; and Black Mask, ruler of Gotham City’s criminal underworld. Events in the past are revisited, old wounds are reopened and shocking discoveries are revealed.

With a series of chasing and jaw dropping fighting scenes, the film resulted in a climatic and somewhat tragic ending that would make you have teary eyes and goose bumps after watching it.

Overall, if you’re looking for an animated film that has the following:

1. Great storyline
2. A story just as dark yet humorous.
3. Superb animation
4. Jaw dropping fighting scenes
5. Great musical score
6. Excellent film and voice direction

Well, look no more. Go and watch Batman: Under the Red Hood. It’s all there.

Jason Todd: The Tragic Robin

Just got my copy of Batman: Under the Red Hood awhile ago.



But before I give my review about the film, let me tackle the story behind it and the most important character in this film’s story…Jason Todd.

Jason Todd is one of the most important figures in Batman comics, because of one fact: he died, being the only Robin to be killed “in the line of duty”. But who really is Jason Todd?



Jason Todd grew up in crime-ridden Gotham City, living off his wits and knowledge of the streets. One day while in Crime Alley, Jason literally ran into the Batman. He was caught in the act of stealing the Batmobile's wheels, which the Caped Crusader found amusing but not beyond reprimand.



Batman had Jason put into what he thought was a school for wayward boys. In reality, the school taught boys how to be criminals. With Jason's help, Batman brought the school’s mastermind to justice.

He was so impressed with Jason's performance that he offered to let Jason move into Wayne Manor and become the new Robin (At that time Dick Grayson the first robin, outgrew the role and moved out to became Nightwing). Jason eagerly accepted. After months of physical and mental training, the second Robin was born.

While Jason soon proved to be one of Batman's most enthusiastic students, he was also the most troubled. Brash and impulsive, Jason's former life on the streets had left him with an ambiguous sense of right and wrong. This often placed Jason in opposition to the values his mentor was trying to teach him and had ALIENATED a lot of readers.

Then DC came up with a solution that changed Batman’s world forever. The year was 1988; the fans were given the chance to influence the outcome of a storyline and voted to kill off a major character. At the end of Batman #427, Robin was caught in an explosion set by the Joker, and the inside back cover displayed a pair of phone numbers that would determine the Boy Wonder's fate, one for “Robin lives” the other one for “Robin dies”.



"Robin will die because the Joker wants revenge, but you can prevent it with a telephone call," the ad read.

All was set.

Then came the storyline “A Death in the Family”.



Although an effective hero, the second Robin became increasingly moody, reckless and even violent. After consulting with Alfred, Batman decided to pull Jason off active duty. While kicking around his old stomping grounds, Jason discovered that the mother he knew was not his real mother. He went in search of his true heritage and found it.

Using the extensive resources of the Batcave, Jason was able to track his mother to Ethiopia (located in Africa). But shortly after their reunion, he was surprised by and savagely beaten almost to death by Batman's arch-foe the Joker (with the use of a crow bar) who had been blackmailing Jason's mother.



The Joker then left Jason and his mother bound inside a warehouse filled with explosives. Though Jason tried to disable the bomb, mother and son seemingly perished together in the blast.



Jason’s death had many repercussions; for a time, Batman became violent and cruel after his death, until the entry of Tim Drake (Robin III). He also became more cautious about involving Tim in cases that he judged to be too dangerous. He’s actions concerning teaming up with any younger hero has been deeply influenced by the tragedy that befell Jason.



The unpublished alternate ending to "A Death in the Family"

Up to this day, Jason’s suit is still on display in the Batcave, serving as a reminder to all that being a hero is a dangerous calling…and to always remind Batman of his greatest failure.

Years after Jason's death a mysterious figure known as the Red Hood brings havoc on Gotham City alarming the Batman. He knows Batman’s every move before he makes it.

So who do you think is the man under the red hood? Guess who?