Prodigal Son.

Months ago I mentioned that I was also planning on two other projects besides the long countdown of a hundred films from the 2000s, one which will be my views and rankings on the wonderfully imaginative movies of Hayao Miyazaki, the other a similar list from the godfather of the psychological horror film, producer Val Lewton. However, with these three projects I also wanted to periodically post about a wide variety of movies that the only connection between them will be that they have just been recently watched and that I would like to give a few words and thoughts on them. So without further delay I will give a small taste. Folks, this is Recently Viewed.

Batman: Under the Red Hood (Brandon Vietti, 2010)
Recently Viewed

Considering this was just released a few days ago this Tuesday I thought it would be as good a time as ever to mention Batman: Under the Red Hood in my new Recently Viewed segment.

First off, a brief summary of the movie. The story begins with the death of the second person to wear the mantel of Batman's sidekick and partner, Jason Todd as Robin, at the hands of the joker. Years later a new vigilante, The Red Hood, appears in Gotham willing to not only fight crime, but to exterminate it. Batman has a new rival, one that goes against his moral code which is that under no circumstances, he doesn't kill. The more that's revealed about this Red Hood the closer his connection to Wayne and perhaps the more dangerous he is to Batman.

First off, I want to say that I don't think this movie is as good as any of the feature length films involved with the story line that directly connects to Batman the Animated Series from the early 1990s, Batman Mask of the Phantasm (1993) especially, though it is most likely better than most of the recent animated outings from DC. The animation is alright, the style isn't anything new though, but it is certainly a polished visual presentation of what Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) and Green Lantern First Flight (2009) had to offer.

The plot unfolds reasonably well, though those who aren't as familiar with Batman's history throughout the comic series may be slightly lost with a number of the names and significance of the characters, enough information is given that they can follow along without large problems or ignorance of the events in the movie. My main problem with the movie is while the pacing is very fast, it's actually too quick. Plus there isn't enough story involved with its rapid pacing. Rather than giving much needed time to develop the relationship Batman has with his wards it races to the next action sequence. Though admittedly they are well choreographed, they don't add a lot of substance to the story and I found them somewhat tedious by the time Batman and Red Hood were disposing of mercenaries in super suits. Though rapid pacing is something that's become a staple in modern day movie making that has disappointed me greatly. Movie producers seem to think that an audience always needs actions happening in rapid succession for their films to be appreciated or even good and I would disagree. Just because a story's plot is always advancing doesn't necessarily mean it's developing, and without meaning behind a film I tend to lose interest rather quickly. This is also the main fault I would have with The Dark Knight (2008), an overall fine movie, is that the pacing is so quick that rarely are we able to comprehend exactly what's occurring in the film and become fully engaged in it, at least not more than on a base level excitement.

The voice acting is passable for the most part, though I don't entirely like what DiMaggio attempts with his Joker. I am also aware I've been spoiled by the great voice actors from the animated series. Neil Patrick Harris stands out as a fine choice for Nightwing, though the character feels so disposable in the movie, only as a comic relief rather than further developing Batman's relationships with those close to him, that it's a shame and a missed opportunity.

However, with all the criticism I have for the movie it's still worth checking out, especially for any fans of the character or comic superheros in general. Though some of the dialogue isn't as polished as it could be, the movie is still a darker and more adult oriented presentation than any of the recent DC animated films as of late and that should especially make a number of Batman fans happy. Plus the final act is pretty impressive and exciting. It really is where the movie really takes shape, as an action movie where the action adds to the dynamic of the film and where the drama is its most potent.