PUNISHER'S COSPLAY and COMICS: Review of BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD animated movie

BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD animated movie

From WARNER BROS. ANIMATION

Written by Judd Winnick

Directed by Brandon Vietti

Starring the voice talent of Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, John Dimaggio, Jason Isaacs and Wade Williams.

Review by Stewart Loud

It's a terrible thing when sidekicks lose the plot and start murdering lots of people but the silver lining on this particular occasion is that Warner Brothers released this blindingly good animated feature. Oh well, swings and roundabouts. Re-telling the story from DC's Batman comics of how Jason Todd, the second Robin, became the Red Hood after he was murdered by the Joker, this cartoon is everything a feature length Batman movie should be and a shit load better than the live action Dark Knight film, but don't get me started on that. “Lets not do that again.” What the hell broke your fall? The pissing ground?!

It carries a 12 certificate so it's obviously not gonna be suitable for all audiences but they really do push the boundaries of what you can put into a film that's going to be watched by a lot of younger people as well as adults. I was genuinely shocked by how violent some of it was. Not because it upset me but because it just caught me by surprise. It truly does the comics justice being as dark, gritty and adult as they could have made it without having to slap a 15 certificate on it and lose a large section of the audience. You wont believe some of the stuff the Joker does.

Visually it's very reminiscent of the brilliant Batman animated series from the 90's although it has a much more present day feel to it than that show which was full of 1930's architecture and vehicles with criminals wearing trench coats and using Tommy guns. All the animation is beautifully fluid and crisp with great colours, explosions and lighting effects. Combine this with the top quality orchestral score and the fantastically well directed action scenes will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. Batman swinging feet first into people's faces never looked or sounded so good.

There's plenty of good characters in here as well without going too far and turning it into a circus. There's the Joker and Red Hood (obviously) as well as Black Mask, Ra's Al Ghul, Amazo and Nightwing. The Joker is especially well done here. Not voiced by Mark Hammil which was a bit of a surprise but John Dimaggio still does an excellent job making him come across as a psychotic murderous nut case in both the way he sounds and behaves. He's also drawn to look a lot older and more weathered than any previous cartoons I've seen him in which I really liked. A lot like the older Joker in Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns.

Watching this truly feels like the comics coming to life, not Christian Bale talking in a ridiculous voice and running around a city full of jack asses so stupid they couldn't find their balls with both hands and almost nothing that happens or anyone does makes any sense. I've not read the original story that this film is based on but I've been told by a friend who has that it stays pretty close to source material. Whether you're a fan of Batman or not or you just like great animated action films this is one you don't want want to miss. It's just so much fun to watch I can't fault it.......well apart from the fact that Batman should just kill Joker when he gets the chance and save himself a lot of trouble but that's just the Punisher fan in me talking.

SCORE 10/10