Robins Robins Everywhere
It was unsightly hot outside with little to no breeze, but I made the walk up to Wal-mart and picked up a copy of DC's latest addition to their animated universe (though I don't really know if the recent years of films are considered part of the DCAU). Now, I have not read the comics this film was based around, "A Death in the Family" and "Under the Red Hood" but I'm familiar with these important stories and was quite eager to see how the film turned out.
My spoiler-free opinion would be that Under the Red Hood is one of, if not the best animated feature DC has put out to date. The story unfolds in a way that leaves an audience familiar with Jason Todd's story hooked, but also allows an audience unfamiliar with his story to understand everything in the same order of revelation that Bruce undergoes within the film. The voice acting is great, and the ending is so tragic it borders on heart-breaking. I purchased the Blu-Ray version as well, which comes with enough short bonus features to further familiarize the audience with the character of Robin up to the point he appears at within the film (in other words, it's all about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Sorry, Tim fans.) I recommend this to any Batman fan, no matter how passive you may be - whether you're into or familiar with the comics or just know the character through film and television franchises, you will enjoy this film.
The movie begins with the crack of the Joker's crowbar as he beats Robin mercilessly. I find it interesting that Jason is dressed in the costume given to Tim Drake in the Gotham Knights era of the Batman Animated Series - perhaps to create anxiety with audience members only familiar with the animated universe. You could, potentially, assume this Robin was Tim, but then as Batman pulls the lifeless body of Robin out of the rubble of the warehouse, he whispers one name: "Jason..."
Thus does this solve my confusion in the first episode of the Gotham Knights era where the Robin costume Tim was looking at in the bat cave looked absolutely nothing like the attire worn by Dick. Of course, I'm probably thinking too hard about that because DCAU Tim is kind of like a combination of Jason and Tim, so technically this film seems like it ought to be in its own animated continuity, but whatever.
Either way, the opening of this movie was strong and tragic. Even if you've just met the character, you feel Batman's loss. After all, this is Robin. 1960's camp and suggestive jokes aside, this is the young bright protege essential to the Bat Family. Robin isn't supposed to be allowed to die. But he does, and we watch it all unfold before the opening credits even begin.
The subtle nods to comic continuity contribute to the strength of the movie as well, while also allowing an unfamiliar audience to understand more about the story. As the Joker taunts Jason before his death, he refers to Jason's predecessor letting you know that this is not the original Robin. Minor characters also refer to this, particulaly when Nightwing first appears, making sure everyone is up to speed on what's been going on in the Bat Family. There's even a small reference to Batgirl towards the end of the movie, when Jason confronts Bruce about everyone the Joker has hurt - the innocent people he's killed, the friends he's left crippled. At least, I took that to be a nod to Barbara.
One of the things that really makes this film is also the voice acting. Now, I'm faulted in commenting on these things usually, because I'm of the opinion that there will never be a Batman better than Kevin Conroy, nor will there ever be a Joker better than Mark Hamill. However, the choice of voices in this film were wonderful. Bruce Greenwood does a Batman that manages to capture the essence of the dark voice while being something completely his own and not just someone trying to be either Kevin Conroy or the incomprehensible growling of Christian Bale. And I like John DeMaggio as the Joker for the most part. His laugh was extremely akin to Mark Hamill's, and at times when he took on the light-hearted voice he sounded like someone trying to be Hamill's Joker which I both liked and disliked at the same time. More often than not, he sounded more like Bender from Futurama, but overall I think I liked him and if this is the Joker we're going to have for the next few years, I am all for it.
Jensen Ackles as Red Hood!Jason Todd was kind of strange, just because of how much Jason seems to change in the timeline. There are flashbacks to when he was a child and brand new to the role (in Dick's old costume), and then the flashbacks (and opening) where he's in a more Tim-like costume and an older person and has a more mature voice. Then five years later he suddenly drops down several octaves to Ackles' voice. It's a little jarring, but at the same time I think I like how Jason's voice is gruff and deep in contrast to Dick Grayson's more playful and higher tone. Which brings me to Neil Patrick Harris as Dick Grayson which is a lot of fun. He's well suited to Dick's cheekiness and playful banter. One of my favourite lines was as Dick asks if they're going to further investigate the Red Hood and he turns to see Bruce has disappeared and the batmobile is already idling: "For once, would it kill you to just say 'Get in the car'?"
The only disappoinment when it came to Dick was his abrupt exit from the action midway through the film. Granted, the story is really about Bruce and Jason, but the way they passed him on was a little abrupt and... lacking. (He sustains a knee injury during their confrontation with the Red Hood and so Bruce tells Alfred to take him home.) But I guess he's really just there to build on the family dynamic around Bruce.
Also, Jason Isaacs was Ra's Al Ghul. Perfect.
And the climax of the film... it's heartbreaking. As someone only vaguely familiar with Jason's story, I never really understood how or why he went from "tragic death at the hand of the Joker" to becoming this troubled villain/anti-hero angry at Bruce. I really did think all his rage against Bruce was because he had failed to save him, but I was wrong. And Jason tells Bruce this. Jason doesn't carry any ill will towards Bruce for failing to rescue him, but he can't forgive Bruce for not punishing and killing the Joker for what he did. And in that moment, I can see this young child, confused and hurting because nothing has been done to make the man who killed him pay - his father, who is supposed to be Gotham's vengence in the night did nothing, and to Jason that tells him that he didn't matter. We know why Batman did not and will not kill the Joker (and he tries to explain this to Jason), but the whole thing still tugs on your heart strings a little. Everything Jason has done as the Red Hood (and even probably his selection of that particular identity) is not to get back at Bruce, but to lure out the Joker and make him pay.
If I can just go off on a bit of a side note here for a minute, Jason's wish to see the Joker suffer for what he did to him - to see that someone out there actually cared about him (in Jason's mind) makes me smile a little at the brother dynamic of the Robins in the comic continuity. I do know that some time after Jason's death, it was Dick who went after the Joker and beat him mercilessly for what he had done, and in the recent issue of Batman and Robin where Damian meets the Joker for the first time, he even feels the need to make the Joker suffer for what he did to Jason, adding a sense of poetic justice to it by using a crowbar. I've seen mixed opinions on this, but in a way it wins me over to Damian. Because the kid is an arrogant little shit and he's met Jason all of once (when Jason tried to kill him and Dick), but discovering that the Joker beat and murdered one of his brothers causes Damian to feel the need to exact revenge for it.
Like I said, I love the Robins. And these moments that show Damian warming up to the family and wanting to be a part of it little by little are winning me over to his character.
Anyways, back to the film! Flashbacks pay an important role in the film as well. One of the concerns I remember seeing raised about this film was how the shocking reveal of Jason Todd as the Red Hood would work if we saw that Jason had died and suddenly this mysterious person was back in Gotham. Well here's the thing - it's not all that much of a mystery as to who the Red Hood is. The audience is only given as much knowledge as Bruce is, but after his first encounter with the Red Hood, he has his suspicions almost immediately. So we (and Bruce) know through most of the movie that Jason is the Red Hood, but it's the how and the why that Batman is left to figure out and then what to do about it - how to make things right. And it is after Bruce figures things out (or has his first suspicions) that we get to learn more about Jason through Bruce's flashbacks. These flashbacks tell everything from his origin, to how he developed into a rather aggressive young man (and a dangerous Robin), and even points out the similarities between Jason in the past and the Red Hood now for the audience to say, "Ah, so it is Jason."
And finally, it all comes together for a tragic ending. That's right, there's no "and they lived happily ever after" here - not in the slightest. Bruce manages to stop Jason from killing the Joker and survives his suicide mission, but Jason is gone - disappeared. Bruce must now go back to "business as usual" but with the knowledge that his lost son is out there somewhere. I liked the ending as it shows the remaining family: Jason has disappeared, Dick sits alone atop a building on his own independent night patrol, and then there's finally Alfred. Alone in the bat cave, it is Alfred who gives us the final and truly most saddening flashback as he remembers Jason's very first day as Robin - his first moment in the costume. We see this cheeky but bright and eager boy, ready to prove himself to Bruce and get out there and fight crime. As he jumps around in his outfit and urges Bruce to hurry up, he stands on the roof of the batmobile triumphantly, and as Alfred watches, the young Jason beams and utters the last line of the film: "This is the best day of my life!"
Cue the waterworks.
Under the Hood also completes the package by a small set of excellent bonus features for comic book fans and non-comics fans alike to get to know the characters so quintessential to this film and its story: the Robins. The first short feature, "Robin: The Story of Dick Grayson" tells the story of the character's creation and evolution, the purpose and importance of Robin, Dick's relationship with Bruce, his growth into Nightwing and... the idea that he might one day be Batman (which we know is current canon right now). The second feature is actually a Blu-Ray exclusive entitled "Robin's Requiem: The Tale of Jason Todd" which goes over the character's origins, why they created a second Robin, how Crisis on Infinite Earths allowed them to reinvent the character from scratch, how this sort of failed and the infamous phone in campaign killed him off, why DC decided to bring him back, and the debate over the villain or anti-hero angle. Both of these bonus features probably don't have that much to offer to die hard comics fans already familiar with the entire development of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, but they are a great set of supplementary features to give those not as familiar with the franchise a better understanding of these characters.
There are also four episodes from the original Batman: The Animated Series, picked by Bruce Timm as some of his favourites. Not surprising, two of these are the two-part serial "Robin's Reckoning" which has always been one of my favourite episodes - important viewing for new fans as it details the animated origin of Dick Grayson. The other two serials are "Mad Love" and "The Laughing Fish".
In conclusion, an extremely well-done film, integral for any Batman fan and especially fans of the Robin "brotherhood" and the evolving Bat Family. Probably the best animated movie DC has put out to date.
Still need convincing to see this movie? Watch this video (sorry, embedding is disabled) - it's the opening scene of the film, right before the credits. If those five minutes don't convince you then... well... what can I do?
My spoiler-free opinion would be that Under the Red Hood is one of, if not the best animated feature DC has put out to date. The story unfolds in a way that leaves an audience familiar with Jason Todd's story hooked, but also allows an audience unfamiliar with his story to understand everything in the same order of revelation that Bruce undergoes within the film. The voice acting is great, and the ending is so tragic it borders on heart-breaking. I purchased the Blu-Ray version as well, which comes with enough short bonus features to further familiarize the audience with the character of Robin up to the point he appears at within the film (in other words, it's all about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Sorry, Tim fans.) I recommend this to any Batman fan, no matter how passive you may be - whether you're into or familiar with the comics or just know the character through film and television franchises, you will enjoy this film.
The movie begins with the crack of the Joker's crowbar as he beats Robin mercilessly. I find it interesting that Jason is dressed in the costume given to Tim Drake in the Gotham Knights era of the Batman Animated Series - perhaps to create anxiety with audience members only familiar with the animated universe. You could, potentially, assume this Robin was Tim, but then as Batman pulls the lifeless body of Robin out of the rubble of the warehouse, he whispers one name: "Jason..."
Thus does this solve my confusion in the first episode of the Gotham Knights era where the Robin costume Tim was looking at in the bat cave looked absolutely nothing like the attire worn by Dick. Of course, I'm probably thinking too hard about that because DCAU Tim is kind of like a combination of Jason and Tim, so technically this film seems like it ought to be in its own animated continuity, but whatever.
Either way, the opening of this movie was strong and tragic. Even if you've just met the character, you feel Batman's loss. After all, this is Robin. 1960's camp and suggestive jokes aside, this is the young bright protege essential to the Bat Family. Robin isn't supposed to be allowed to die. But he does, and we watch it all unfold before the opening credits even begin.
The subtle nods to comic continuity contribute to the strength of the movie as well, while also allowing an unfamiliar audience to understand more about the story. As the Joker taunts Jason before his death, he refers to Jason's predecessor letting you know that this is not the original Robin. Minor characters also refer to this, particulaly when Nightwing first appears, making sure everyone is up to speed on what's been going on in the Bat Family. There's even a small reference to Batgirl towards the end of the movie, when Jason confronts Bruce about everyone the Joker has hurt - the innocent people he's killed, the friends he's left crippled. At least, I took that to be a nod to Barbara.
One of the things that really makes this film is also the voice acting. Now, I'm faulted in commenting on these things usually, because I'm of the opinion that there will never be a Batman better than Kevin Conroy, nor will there ever be a Joker better than Mark Hamill. However, the choice of voices in this film were wonderful. Bruce Greenwood does a Batman that manages to capture the essence of the dark voice while being something completely his own and not just someone trying to be either Kevin Conroy or the incomprehensible growling of Christian Bale. And I like John DeMaggio as the Joker for the most part. His laugh was extremely akin to Mark Hamill's, and at times when he took on the light-hearted voice he sounded like someone trying to be Hamill's Joker which I both liked and disliked at the same time. More often than not, he sounded more like Bender from Futurama, but overall I think I liked him and if this is the Joker we're going to have for the next few years, I am all for it.
Jensen Ackles as Red Hood!Jason Todd was kind of strange, just because of how much Jason seems to change in the timeline. There are flashbacks to when he was a child and brand new to the role (in Dick's old costume), and then the flashbacks (and opening) where he's in a more Tim-like costume and an older person and has a more mature voice. Then five years later he suddenly drops down several octaves to Ackles' voice. It's a little jarring, but at the same time I think I like how Jason's voice is gruff and deep in contrast to Dick Grayson's more playful and higher tone. Which brings me to Neil Patrick Harris as Dick Grayson which is a lot of fun. He's well suited to Dick's cheekiness and playful banter. One of my favourite lines was as Dick asks if they're going to further investigate the Red Hood and he turns to see Bruce has disappeared and the batmobile is already idling: "For once, would it kill you to just say 'Get in the car'?"
The only disappoinment when it came to Dick was his abrupt exit from the action midway through the film. Granted, the story is really about Bruce and Jason, but the way they passed him on was a little abrupt and... lacking. (He sustains a knee injury during their confrontation with the Red Hood and so Bruce tells Alfred to take him home.) But I guess he's really just there to build on the family dynamic around Bruce.
Also, Jason Isaacs was Ra's Al Ghul. Perfect.
And the climax of the film... it's heartbreaking. As someone only vaguely familiar with Jason's story, I never really understood how or why he went from "tragic death at the hand of the Joker" to becoming this troubled villain/anti-hero angry at Bruce. I really did think all his rage against Bruce was because he had failed to save him, but I was wrong. And Jason tells Bruce this. Jason doesn't carry any ill will towards Bruce for failing to rescue him, but he can't forgive Bruce for not punishing and killing the Joker for what he did. And in that moment, I can see this young child, confused and hurting because nothing has been done to make the man who killed him pay - his father, who is supposed to be Gotham's vengence in the night did nothing, and to Jason that tells him that he didn't matter. We know why Batman did not and will not kill the Joker (and he tries to explain this to Jason), but the whole thing still tugs on your heart strings a little. Everything Jason has done as the Red Hood (and even probably his selection of that particular identity) is not to get back at Bruce, but to lure out the Joker and make him pay.
If I can just go off on a bit of a side note here for a minute, Jason's wish to see the Joker suffer for what he did to him - to see that someone out there actually cared about him (in Jason's mind) makes me smile a little at the brother dynamic of the Robins in the comic continuity. I do know that some time after Jason's death, it was Dick who went after the Joker and beat him mercilessly for what he had done, and in the recent issue of Batman and Robin where Damian meets the Joker for the first time, he even feels the need to make the Joker suffer for what he did to Jason, adding a sense of poetic justice to it by using a crowbar. I've seen mixed opinions on this, but in a way it wins me over to Damian. Because the kid is an arrogant little shit and he's met Jason all of once (when Jason tried to kill him and Dick), but discovering that the Joker beat and murdered one of his brothers causes Damian to feel the need to exact revenge for it.
Like I said, I love the Robins. And these moments that show Damian warming up to the family and wanting to be a part of it little by little are winning me over to his character.
Anyways, back to the film! Flashbacks pay an important role in the film as well. One of the concerns I remember seeing raised about this film was how the shocking reveal of Jason Todd as the Red Hood would work if we saw that Jason had died and suddenly this mysterious person was back in Gotham. Well here's the thing - it's not all that much of a mystery as to who the Red Hood is. The audience is only given as much knowledge as Bruce is, but after his first encounter with the Red Hood, he has his suspicions almost immediately. So we (and Bruce) know through most of the movie that Jason is the Red Hood, but it's the how and the why that Batman is left to figure out and then what to do about it - how to make things right. And it is after Bruce figures things out (or has his first suspicions) that we get to learn more about Jason through Bruce's flashbacks. These flashbacks tell everything from his origin, to how he developed into a rather aggressive young man (and a dangerous Robin), and even points out the similarities between Jason in the past and the Red Hood now for the audience to say, "Ah, so it is Jason."
And finally, it all comes together for a tragic ending. That's right, there's no "and they lived happily ever after" here - not in the slightest. Bruce manages to stop Jason from killing the Joker and survives his suicide mission, but Jason is gone - disappeared. Bruce must now go back to "business as usual" but with the knowledge that his lost son is out there somewhere. I liked the ending as it shows the remaining family: Jason has disappeared, Dick sits alone atop a building on his own independent night patrol, and then there's finally Alfred. Alone in the bat cave, it is Alfred who gives us the final and truly most saddening flashback as he remembers Jason's very first day as Robin - his first moment in the costume. We see this cheeky but bright and eager boy, ready to prove himself to Bruce and get out there and fight crime. As he jumps around in his outfit and urges Bruce to hurry up, he stands on the roof of the batmobile triumphantly, and as Alfred watches, the young Jason beams and utters the last line of the film: "This is the best day of my life!"
Cue the waterworks.
Under the Hood also completes the package by a small set of excellent bonus features for comic book fans and non-comics fans alike to get to know the characters so quintessential to this film and its story: the Robins. The first short feature, "Robin: The Story of Dick Grayson" tells the story of the character's creation and evolution, the purpose and importance of Robin, Dick's relationship with Bruce, his growth into Nightwing and... the idea that he might one day be Batman (which we know is current canon right now). The second feature is actually a Blu-Ray exclusive entitled "Robin's Requiem: The Tale of Jason Todd" which goes over the character's origins, why they created a second Robin, how Crisis on Infinite Earths allowed them to reinvent the character from scratch, how this sort of failed and the infamous phone in campaign killed him off, why DC decided to bring him back, and the debate over the villain or anti-hero angle. Both of these bonus features probably don't have that much to offer to die hard comics fans already familiar with the entire development of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, but they are a great set of supplementary features to give those not as familiar with the franchise a better understanding of these characters.
There are also four episodes from the original Batman: The Animated Series, picked by Bruce Timm as some of his favourites. Not surprising, two of these are the two-part serial "Robin's Reckoning" which has always been one of my favourite episodes - important viewing for new fans as it details the animated origin of Dick Grayson. The other two serials are "Mad Love" and "The Laughing Fish".
In conclusion, an extremely well-done film, integral for any Batman fan and especially fans of the Robin "brotherhood" and the evolving Bat Family. Probably the best animated movie DC has put out to date.
Still need convincing to see this movie? Watch this video (sorry, embedding is disabled) - it's the opening scene of the film, right before the credits. If those five minutes don't convince you then... well... what can I do?