Batman: Hush (Blu-ray)

I like who HUSH is in this one. The original story was ruined for me during the reveal or sooner as in when I figured it all out in the first issue (you know that feeling when you go--that would be stupid if it's....). Jim Lee's artwork was incredible but Jeph Loeb (who had written two of my favorite Batman tales) delivered something that was just too easy to predict.For those holding the HUSH comics as precious, I will shrug. I loved Jim Lee's art. That's the best thing I can say about Hush. It was so so very pretty. And I loved Loeb's Long Halloween and Dark Victory (but well, ya see, Tim Sale is my favorite artist).While Jim Lee's art doesn't make the transition, thankfully neither does Loeb's strained effort to give Lee a chance to draw every possible awesome Batman related scenario. Don't get me wrong, if someone wasn't well versed in batman or storytelling I'd have no problem giving them my copy of Hush (comic).The up the Bat/Cat angle which would irk me if it wasn't full of the best moments this flick has to offerThe animation and voice acting is often embarrassingly stilted, but given the budget and comparison to most anime and Marvel's animated offerings it's all acceptable. But I do wish they'd step up their game at least in the editing department where a couple of cut frames would avoid the awkwardness of some of the voice direction.Other than that my only real complaint is replacing Croc with Bane. It works fine in the story and for newcomers who won't miss it, but I really, really wanted to see Lee's Croc animated. Oh well.I like oMara's Batman and this animated universe has really grown on me, they make a real effort to connect the films, and the recent Death of Superman/Reign of the Supermen at least gets a reference. I look forward to more of the films connected to this universe as it makes it easier to accept the changes to these adaptation. So if you've enjoyed the run of Son of Batman on this is more than a worthy addition.as for the Blu, the SGT ROCK SHORT WAS AWESOME and is worth at least $10 of the purchase cost. They'd stopped doing animated shorts many years ago which was a shame, and this one reminds me how crappy of a decision it was to not continue giving the non-trinity characters a chance to be animated. It is better animated than the feature and cinematically superior as well. I never knew I wanted Karl Urban to be Sgt. Rock. Get on it live action gods!

“Batman: Hush,” the thirteenth film in the DC Animated Movie Universe, adapts Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s 2002-2003 comic book storyline to the New 52-inspired continuity of the animated film universe. A mysterious new villain named Hugh has begun working to undermine Batman’s efforts in Gotham, recruiting villains including Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, the Joker, and the Scarecrow. Like the comic that inspired the film, the story explores a romantic relationship between Batman and Catwoman. It differs from the comic in that it features Damian Wayne, who first appeared in the second DC Animated Movie Universe film “Son of Batman,” and references events from the previous film in this continuity, “Reign of the Supermen.” Without giving away spoilers, certain elements of the story are also changed to streamline it for its 81-minute runtime and the conclusion is drastically condensed from the comics, perhaps to better incorporate the story into the DC Animated Movie Universe or to similarly condense it. It’s neat to see this story adapted, but it will best appeal to fans of the DC Animated Movie Universe.Included among the bonus features are the DC Showcase short “Sgt. Rock,” a short documentary titled “Batman: Love in Time of War,” a look at the upcoming animated films, “Wonder Woman: Bloodlines” and “Batman: Assault on Arkham,” and the “Catwalk” episode of “Batman: The Animated Series.” The Sgt. Rock story is fun and features him partnering with supernatural creatures like Nosferatu, a werewolf, and Frankenstein’s monster to fight a Nazi mad scientist creating Zombies. The documentary examines the relationship between Batman and Catwoman, both in comics and film, with a focus on how comic writers and filmmakers have approached Catwoman’s personality to portray her as capable of standing up to Batman as his equal. The “Batman: The Animated Series” episode continues this theme, similarly exploring Batman and Catwoman’s relationship.