Sunday, January 2, 2011

Just watched "Batman: Under the Red Hood" and I must say, I was seriously underwhelmed. They took the Robin everybody hated and turned him into Deadpool, a crazed killer everyone (including the entire Electric Aeons staff) loves. Also, they turned Black Mask into the Black Skull. Seriously, has he always looked like this?

Okay, a quick image search shows that yes, yes he has.

The movie is well-made, and engaging as far as licensed TM toy-driven anime in the US goes. It just ends up leaving us to ask "Exactly why isn't Batman in prison for recklessly endangering children on a nightly basis?"

This movie paints Batman as not only every bit as psychotic as the Joker. The difference being, Batman has a strong sado-masochistic streak allowing him to feed off the guilt he feels about all of the carnage the Joker causes every time he escapes Arkham.

The solution to the Joker's marauding, psychotic murder sprees, is simply killing him, which Batman is more than capable of doing. He won't, however, because he needs to relive the guilt of not being able to save his parents, so he gets to feel it every time the Joker murders some random person. This is clearly spelled out in the movie, it is fucking sick and tragic.

Almost, but not quite, Shakespearean.