Under the Red Hood begins with the climactic sequence from the classic comic-book series, A Death in the Family, in which the Joker beats Jason Todd, aka Robin, nearly to death with a crowbar, then finishes the job with a bomb. From there, the movie picks up the storyline five years later, when Jason returns from the dead -- you'll find out how and why midway through the movie -- and comes home to Gotham to clean up organized crime by taking over the city's gangs and killing anyone who gets in his way.

He's also got a mad on for Batman -- not because his mentor failed to save him from the Joker, but because he failed to avenge him by killing the Joker afterwards.

Let me get this out of the way -- this was one of those moments, when it first came out in the comics, that fanned my growing dissatisfaction with mainstream comic books. It was a basic truth for years that anyone who died in a superhero comic would eventually return -- with the ironclad exceptions of Captain America's sidekick Bucky, Spider-Man's Uncle Ben and Batman's second Robin, Jason Todd. When two of those three were resurrected, I started to lose interest in the medium. Although I still sometimes read the occasional comic or graphic novel, my enthusiasm has definitely waned (although I still retain my fandom through movies).

While I regret the editorial decision that led to Jason's return, I will say the story as presented here in a 75-minute animated film is pretty solid. Not so much the resurrection itself, mind you, but once Jason is back, his vendetta against Batman is solidly told. Also, the film isn't just fights and gadgets; the script delves a bit into psychology, too, and it makes for a richer tale. The animation is dark, but serviceable; it works for the story being told.

Under the Red Hood features the vocal work of Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing and Wade Williams as Black Mask. (John DiMaggio voices the Joker, but I don't care for the Joker's look or sound in this one.)