Today’s quick review: Batman: Hush. While investigating a kidnapping, Batman (Jason O’Mara) uncovers a mystery involving some of his greatest foes. As Batman searches for the mastermind who has been pulling their strings, a man known only as Hush, Hush takes aim at Batman with a series of targeted, personal attacks. Meanwhile, circumstances bring Batman closer to Catwoman (Jennifer Morrison), who has been trying to put her criminal past behind her.
Batman: Hush is an animated superhero movie based on the DC comic book series of the same name. Batman: Hush is a sprawling mystery that pits Batman against a sizable portion of his rogues’ gallery, as well as Hush, a new foe who always seems to be one step ahead. The movie has plenty to offer fans of the genre, with a solid balance of action, character development, and plot. However, its loose story structure won’t satisfy everyone.
Batman: Hush has the same consistent quality as the other movies set in the Son of Batman universe. The animation is nicely detailed without feeling stiff. The voice acting is skilled. There’s plenty of action as Batman fights his way through villain after villain. The script scores a few hits, especially when it visits the other members of Batman’s extended family. It also delivers up another peek into a living, breathing superhero universe.
Where Batman: Hush takes risks is with its story. The plot is a loose adaptation of the comic, keeping the villain and several of the key beats while stripping out some of the complexity. The changes go a long way towards streamlining the movie, but they do tweak some of the moments hardcore fans will consider pivotal. Batman: Hush also dives into Batman’s relationship with Catwoman, which is handled well and helps tie the movie together.
Fans of the superhero genre should give Batman: Hush a shot. It’s a concentrated dose of what the superhero genre excels at, with a story that covers a lot of ground and execution quality that’s hard to fault. Some viewers may not get as much as they hope to out of the mystery, thanks to its winding structure and grab bag assortment of characters. But Batman: Hush offers enough to please most existing fans and makes a great sampler for new ones.
For other animated movies in the same series, try Son of Batman, Batman vs. Robin, or Batman: Bad Blood. For a more realistic take on the character, try the Dark Knight trilogy from Christopher Nolan. For a similar adaptation on the Superman side of the universe, try The Death of Superman.
6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a high-quality and nicely varied superhero adventure.