Ranking the Batman Movies: #4

4. Batman: Under the Red Hood

(2010)

Directed by Brandon Vietti

Batman…Bruce Greenwood

Robin…Vincent Martella

Nightwing…Neil Patrick Harris

James Gordon…Gary Cole

Alfred…Jim Piddock

The Joker…John DiMaggio

Red Hood…Jensen Ackles

Ra’s al Ghul…Jason Isaacs

Black Mask…Wade Williams

The Riddler…Bruce Timm

Someone using the name Red Hood, one of the Joker’s old aliases, has taken over the Gotham drug trade. However, the Joker is locked away in Arkham Asylum, having killed Robin, the Jason Todd version, five years earlier. There is also a whole host of other things going on involving Ra’s al Ghul, Black Mask and the Riddler. Luckily, former Robin Dick Grayson, now called Nightwing is around to help out his old pal. He also gets under Batsy’s skin noting that if he had the same issues then the Joker would be dead by now. In all, it’s a marvelous mystery and character study that rises above its medium. Best of all, it delves into The Bat’s psyche without recounting his origin story (yet again). It all adds up to an amazing Batman tale. In short, I think this is the best of all the Caped Crusader’s animated features.