"Batman: A Death in the Family" (a four-part comic series conceived by Jim Starling, Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Jim Aparo and behind-the-scenes guru, Dennis O'Neil in 1988) became both popular and controversial. However, after the passing of so many years and with the story now reinterpreted through a twenty-minute, DC Spotlight, animated short, its sting may have subsided. For the sake of the short, it also bounces off "Under the Red Hood" (the animated feature, that is), which covers pretty much the same turf, though in this instance narrated by Bruce Greenwood's Batman and rigged with alternate, story directions.
For those unfamiliar with "Death in the Family", I'll try not reveal too much, though how could one have missed its startling turn, since its cover was at one point plastered here, there and everywhere? (I even stationed a couple versions above, just for feisty measure.) It's what leads up to (and wraps around) the story's culmination that counts or crushes it.
Directed and adapted by Brandon Vietti, the short focuses initially on Jason Todd's fledgling Robin (Vincent Martella) and his obsession to squash the on-the-mirthful-lam Joker, who hit a vengeful chord in Todd by having paralyzed Batgirl. Though a courageous kid, Todd plays with fire by pursuing the Clown Prince of Crime, and his blinding rage seals his fate and carries the consequences well beyond.
Perhaps I've already given too much away for something so brief, eh? Then again, DC movies (no matter the length) rarely adhere to all aspects of their source material. However, in this case the ingredients are more borrowed than fresh, even with a clever, interactive component that allows one to tickle the plot (shades of O'Neil's tried-and-true, live-or-die, voting gimmick), which then in turn leads one down reintroduced, "Hush" alternatives. Despite this spiffy technological twist, such guest-starring icons as Nightwing, Ra's al Ghul, Black Mask and Clark Kent/Superman feel more forced than organic within the whole, since their footage is cut from prior productions and/or rushed to deja-vu ends.
In light of its flip-flopping, all-too-familiar installations and tangent streams, much of the concept's conflict will probably please novice viewers, but even then, Todd's spanning impulsiveness may prove hard to swallow. If one does find merit in the overzealous lad, it comes more by default, since one would rather see Robin prevail than some damn super-villain, but it doesn't click as well as it could beaming from Batman's perspective. All (or most) narrative elements should have sprung from Robin.
At least the original's ingrained, "family" tension stays intact, keeping the set-up connected to its comic-book roots, and when that inevitable, life-or-death culmination comes between Robin and the Joker, the scene hits hard, even if rehashed.
By the experiment's end, "Death in the Family" is more a multi-layered, patchwork than a streamlined adaptation, but for those willing to give it a nostalgic try, it's interesting enough to pass the time, though not in the least bit grand enough to surpass its printed foundation.
(Accompanying "Death in the Family" are animated segments on Sgt Rock, Adam Strange, the Phantom Stranger and Death: each impressive and engaging, but like the main feature, prone to leave one desiring more; and more, indeed, do all these gems deserve.)
