Batman: Under the Red Hood

Ahhh! Welcome brethren, to my cozy Gothic library with its nonsensical fireplace. As per tradition, I am ensconced in a Turkish robe and bedecked with a fez, nestled happily in the high-backed velvet plush armchair, puffing away at my cheroot...
Pfft, who am I kidding. This is nerd fare. *crumples Gothic library setting*
Anyway
I came across a YouTube vid talking about the 'upcoming' DCU Animated feature a couple of months ago, and I bit my knuckle and squealed. And drooled over the stills/production snippets. And sighed when the cast list came around to find that Kevin Conroy would not voice Batman, and then fist-pumped when Neil Patrick Harris would be in it. All in all, I was a very happy fangirl.

So I watched it. And I liked it...enough. It wasn't anything to ZOMG! over. But satisfyingly good.
I liked the art this time 'round--I wasn't partial to the blocky, overtly cartoony-ness of Public Enemies. I noticed the eyes are a bit more stylized on teen Jason, and some of backdrop (the painted bushes outside the batcave) have maybe a hint of anime in them? The opening shot of Gotham was very classic B:TAS, complete with painted gargoyles and police blimps that, though dated, still felt very now. Still, it had more color in it than B:TAS and thank you crisp modern animation. The theme music was very heavily influenced from the current reboot--which is nice to keep continuity, but is also just good music. Despite the similarities, it put its own spin on it. Me like. (The action/chase scene music, I have to say, is just typical).
Character design also gets my approval. Batsuit is clean and nipple-free, the ears are just the right length. The only problem I have is the highlighting on the cowl. It reminds me of the batbrows. I never liked the batbrows. Nightwing is mullet-free, thank you! Robin is classic unadulterated Robin, although they may have changed the 'R' logo...I think. Jason Todd has the pixie boots and the Aquaman speedo as a kid, but is wearing a Red Robin suit when he's older...now I think about, makes sense as a sort of foreshadowing. Anyway. Joker is nothing to frown at, and does not take after Ledger's Joker except for the eye make-up (I'm scrolling through the movie as I review so stay tuned for such contradictions). And what he says about the Red Hood getup couldn't be truer: "When I wore that number it was classy, more flashy maître d’ than motorcycle fetish." Although, I have to say motorcycle wear is kinda hot.
The voice actors I'm a bit disappointed about, since they're more actors than voice actors. I may just be coddled too much from Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly. Bruce Greenwood does a pretty decent job (but he's no Conroy, says my fangirl). His Batman is softer, more like pebbles, less like gravel. The smoke/husk is still there, but it's more like a steam bath than a burning building. It sounds more human I guess. NPH as Nightwing is a really, really well-made casting choice, and I really wish I could commend him on a job well done, but he doesn't quite make the character sound natural--probably more from inexperience than lack of talent. His delivery is impeccable, he conveys the emotion, but there's not quite the oomph that makes me think "this is Nightwing speaking" rather than "this is NPH speaking as Nightwing." The Joker, oh Godiva, he sounded so freakin' familiar--that lisp! That range!--I had to look him up. It's the guy who, among other famous roles, played Drakken in Kim Possible. Oh man the nostalgia. He's a deeper Joker than Hamill, but it suits his frame/look for this movie. Red Hood had good lines that were spoken the right gusto, but still, "Jensen Ackles speaking as Red Hood/????? ????" rather than "Red Hood/????? ???? is speaking."
Despite everything, the script carries.
The storyline is good and tight. It's light on plot and mystery, heavy on the glorious, glorious group fight scenes. The choreography is soooooo good. And yet, there's so many fight scenes I found myself kinda bored. These aren't the trying-to-have-a-conversation-*grunt**kick*-and-bantering-while-*punch**dive*--fighting scenes. There's talking before, a bit of foreplay fighting,David Caruso line to sum up an act, fight, finish fighting, talking resumes. So I do focus on the sweet moves, but I'm also muttering "come on, come on, let's gooooo."
Batman: "Shut up and fight."
But man, those fight scenes......
Storywise, there is no twist ending. It is who you suspect. I feel like I've been cheated, but probably because I've only read Hush, where there was a twist and so I was kind of expecting it not to be him. All characters have balanced face time and contribute to further the plot. The meshing of "A Death in the Family" and "Under the Hood" works. The ending is implicit, but there is closure.
Overall, succinctly done and I was more or less satisfied with it. But I'm a fangirl, if it's Batman standing there for 75 minutes I'll like it.