Batman: Under the Red Hood

This DC Universe animated movie is based on a comic book storyline pitting the Dark Knight against a new villain in town: Red Hood, a violent vigilante with a personal connection to Batman, who is himself torn between guilt and duty when confronting this ghost from his past. Directed by Brandon Vietti, Batman: Under the Red Hood is one of the darker tales from this ongoing series of standalone feature films, serving up brutality and death, with scenes of the Joker himself (escaped from Arkham Asylum) having the time of his life watching the chaos spiral, even when he's the one getting the beat-down. But there's also wit, emotional resonance, and smart pulp writing in this superior direct-to-DVD entry, which will appeal to fans of superhero comics and graphic novels. Bruce Greenwood voices Batman, Jensen Ackles is Red Hood, and Neil Patrick Harris makes a great Nightwing (the grown incarnation of Robin). Recommended. (S. Axmaker)