NMR: Batman: Under the Red Hood

As you know, I occasionally like to check out the animated comic book movies. This direct-to-dvd entry came out a few months ago and is already available for instant viewing on Netflix. I'm a big fan of Batman and this film was really entertaining. It digs deep into the motivations of the Batman character, while also exploring the origins of one of Batman's Robins. The main story revolves around a mysterious character named the Red Hood who's trying to take over all of Gotham's mob scene. Even though the focus is on Red Hood, the movie manages to work in appearances from other classic Batman villains including the Joker, the Riddler, Ra's Al Guhl and the Black Mask. None of their appearances feels tacked on, instead they create a more rich story. The voice work here is solid, but nothing spectacular. I did enjoy Neil Patrick Harris' work as Nightwing though. This film is probably only for Batman fans, but if you're included in that category, I would definitely recommend this one. The story is great and they pack a lot into it's brief, 80 minute runtime. It will definitely help fill the void until 2012 when we finally get a new live action Batman movie. Rating: ****