Batman: Under the Red Hood

This article is about the animated film. For the comic book, see Batman: Under the Hood.
Batman: Under the Red Hood

Home video release cover art
Directed by Brandon Vietti
Produced by
Written by Judd Winick
Based on DC Comics characters
Starring
Music by Christopher Drake
Edited by Margaret Hou
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Home Video
Release dates
  • July 27, 2010 (2010-07-27)
Running time
 75 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Batman: Under the Red Hood is a 2010 American superhero direct-to-video film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and released by Warner Home Video.[1] It is the eighth animated feature in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series. It was released on July 27, 2010. The film stars Bruce Greenwood as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood/Jason Todd, John DiMaggio as the Joker, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing/Dick Grayson, Jason Isaacs as Ra's al Ghul, and Wade Williams as Black Mask. The screenplay was written by Judd Winick, who also wrote the "Under the Hood" run in the monthly Batman comic.

The two-disc special edition and Blu-ray also includes an animated short featuring Jonah Hex.[2][3]

Plot

At his manor in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Ra's al Ghul realizes his mistake in allying with the Joker and using him as a distraction for the Dynamic Duo while Ra's himself tried to cripple the economy of Europe by destroying financial districts in Europe. Meanwhile, the Joker has kidnapped Jason Todd, the second Robin, and brutally beats him with a crowbar in an abandoned warehouse while Batman races there. The Joker then leaves Jason locked in the warehouse with a bomb. Batman arrives just in time to watch the warehouse explode, killing Jason.

Five years later in Gotham City, a vigilante criminal called Red Hood assembles a meeting with the city's most notorious thugs (although they didn't know it was him who assembled it) and dealers. He announces his takeover of their drug trade, telling them that he would get 40% of the profit, and they would get total protection from both Black Mask and Batman. However, he warns them not to deal to children saying "If you do, you're dead". When one asks why they should listen to him, he tosses them a bag containing the severed heads of all their lieutenants as a warning, and they quickly accept his offer. Elsewhere, Batman stops an attempted theft of a shipment belonging to Black Mask, revealed to be Amazo. Batman battles Amazo with the help of Nightwing. After a short fight, the android is destroyed. Interrogating the thieves, Batman learns they are working for Red Hood before Red Hood himself kills them with darts. Batman chases Red Hood who leads him to Ace Chemicals - the site of the first Red Hood's transformation into the Joker - and then sets off an explosion that destroys the facility that Batman barely escapes from before escaping.

Batman and Nightwing go to Arkham Asylum to interrogate Joker about Red Hood. He merely taunts Batman about Jason's death, then denies any involvement with his successor saying "You really think I would stir up so much trouble, and not make sure you knew it was me?". Meanwhile, Black Mask, enraged that Amazo was destroyed, has his assistant Ms. Li put a hit on Red Hood. After learning of Black Mask's next shipment, Red Hood hijacks the helicopter carrying it, but is stopped by Batman and Nightwing. Red Hood flees and Batman and Nightwing pursue him. During the chase, Red Hood performs maneuvers similar to Batman's and Nightwing's, also cutting one of Batman's cables with a knife (which very few knives can do). The chase ends at a train station, where Red Hood escapes after detonating a bomb that injures Nightwing. In the Batcave, Batman reviews audio footage of the chase, which reveals that Red Hood knows his secret identity. He then recalls Jason performing the same maneuvers he saw Red Hood use. In addition, a flashback reveals that as he got older, Jason grew darker and more violent and brutal, once even going so far as to break a criminal's collar bone in a fight.

In the present day, Red Hood is attacked by the Fearsome Hand of Four consisting of their leader, Baton, Bulk, and Shot after saving Tyler Bramford, a criminal loyal to him. They nearly overpower him with their leader cutting him on the shoulder. Batman then appears and helps Red Hood battle the group. They incapacitate three, but Batman is horrified when Red Hood kills Shot with a taser. After having an argument over how best to fight crime, Batman tries offering Red Hood help, but Red Hood replies that it is too late and leaves. Batman obtains a blood sample of Red Hood off one of the assassin's swords. The analysis shows it is a match for Jason and Alfred is even surprised. After exhuming the body and finding it not to be of Jason Todd, Batman decides to get some answers from Ra's al Ghul. After surviving an assassination attempt by Red Hood, Black Mask decides to set Joker free and give him the task of killing Red Hood.

Meanwhile, Batman goes to Ra's al Ghul's mansion and demands to know the truth about Jason. After telling his guards to stand down so that he can attend to his special guest, Ra's al Ghul reveals that he swapped Jason's body for a fake and revived him in his Lazarus Pit, since Ra's felt responsible for his death as this was not part of Joker's orders. Following his resurrection however, Jason was driven completely insane and escaped as Ra's al Ghul prevents Talia al Ghul from killing him again. After Batman leaves, Ra's al Ghul tells his assistant not to send anyone to follow him since Batman would evade them anyway.

On his way back to Gotham City, Batman finds that Joker has abducted Red Hood's crime bosses as well as Black Mask. As Joker tries to set his hostages on fire, Red Hood appears and reveals that Joker is his real target. Batman appears and tries to take the Joker with him, but Red Hood abducts him first, instructing Batman to come to Crime Alley. At an abandoned apartment, Red Hood brutally beats Joker with a crowbar, in revenge for his own murder, and then later confronts Batman. During the fight, Red Hood takes off his helmet, revealing that he truly is Jason. Fleeing back to the apartment, Jason tells Batman that he forgives him for not saving him, but confronts him over his anger that he still allows Joker to live. Batman confesses that he has always wanted to kill Joker, but will not allow himself the pleasure out of fear of fully succumbing to it. Jason then tosses Batman a gun and gives him an ultimatum: Jason will execute the Joker unless Batman shoots him to prevent it. Batman refuses and drops the gun. Angered, Jason shoots at Batman, but Batman dodges the bullet and throws a small batarang into the barrel of the gun, exploding it. Defeated, Jason sets off a bomb he had previously planted in the room. Joker maniacally attempts to stop Batman from defusing it, but Batman subdues him. The bomb goes off and while Batman and the Joker survive, Jason is nowhere to be found.

Ra's al Ghul is seen watching the news bulletin about Red Hood's disappearance, Joker's return to Arkham Asylum, and Black Mask being arrested by the police where is awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in Joker's escape.

Later, Alfred asks Batman if he should remove the memorial display case containing Jason's Robin uniform. Batman replies that nothing has changed between Jason and him and departs in the Batmobile. A flashback is then shown of Jason's first day in his Robin costume, which he declares is the best day of his life.

Voice cast

Top row (l-r): Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles
Bottom row (l-r): John DiMaggio, Neil Patrick Harris

Crew

Music

Batman: Under The Red Hood – Soundtrack to The Animated Original Movie
Film score by Christopher Drake
Released July 27, 2010 (July 27, 2010)
Length 57:24
Label WaterTower Music

The score for Batman: Under the Red Hood was composed by Christopher Drake,[7] who had previously scored several animated films set in the DC Universe. It was inspired by the soundtrack of the 1993 film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which features a traditional orchestral score, and the 2008 film The Dark Knight, which features a computer generated, electronic score.[8] Drake said that since Under the Red Hood has a darker tone than previous DC Universe animated films, he chose not to use the music as epic and melodramatic, but instead as a bit more intimate, minimal and restrained.[8] He added that this is the first DC film he has scored that didn't rely on using a large choir to make the fight scenes sound bigger. The music played in action scenes in the film are more percussive and rhythmic, serving the emotion of the scenes without overpowering them.[8] Drake scored the film as a reference to modern minimalistic electronic scores, as the film's director Brandon Vietti felt that Under the Red Hood needed to go in a different, more modern direction to separate it from previous DC animation's scores. At that point, Drake started introducing more electronic and ambient elements, like synthesized and processed electronic guitar, while still keeping some orchestral elements.[8]

Batman: Under The Red Hood – Soundtrack to The Animated Original Movie was released by WaterTower Music on July 27, 2010 and features 18 tracks composed for the film.[9]

Reception

The film's dark tone was acclaimed by critics. Many reviewers praised the film for being more realistic than previous Batman animated films.

Batman: Under the Red Hood received widespread critical acclaim. Zach Demeter's review for The World's Finest stated: "I have to say this really was a damn good film." James Harvey's review on the same website was even more positive, calling it "a mature and faithful take on the Batman lore."[10] IGN gave the movie an 8 out of 10, calling it "An interesting peek inside the psyche of Batman and the fine line between good and evil."[11] Based on seven reviews collected on Rotten Tomatoes, Batman: Under the Red Hood has 100% rating with an average of a 7.3/10 rating. The film also holds an 8.0/10 on IMDB; it was the highest rated direct-to-video Batman film until the release of The Dark Knight Returns which is rated 8.3/10 as of October 20, 2012. The film grossed $10,249,509 in domestic home video sales.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Batman: Under the Red Hood". Amazon. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  2. ↑ ""Batman: Under the Red Hood" Trailer". Comic Book Resources. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  3. ↑ "Warner Premiere Formally Announces 'Batman: Under the Red Hood' - ComicMix news". Comicmix.com. 2010-04-27. Archived from the original on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Harvey, James (July 9, 2010). "Complete Cast And Crew, Features Details For "Batman: Under The Red Hood"". worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
  5. ↑ "The World's Finest - New Cast Details For Upcoming "Batman: Under The Red Hood"". Worldsfinestonline.com. March 11, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ "The World's Finest - New Cast Details For Upcoming "Batman: Under The Red Hood" Animated Feature". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Christopher Drake". IMDb. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Backstage - Christopher Drake Interview (WF Conducted)". The World's Finest. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Batman: Under the Red Hood - Soundtrack to The Animated Original Movie". iTunes. July 27, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Batman: Under the Red Hood Film Review". The World's Finest. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  11. ↑ White, Cindy (July 8, 2010). "Batman: Under the Red Hood Blu-ray Review". IGN. Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 21, 2012.

External links

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