Batman: Hush (Movie Review) – The Best Secrets Are Kept Hush

Review: Batman: Hush by Justin Copeland (7/10)

Continuing with their expansive animated movie universe, DC have attempted to tackle the iconic storyline written by the stellar creative team of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. Following a mixed bag of hits and misses, I had many apprehensions leading into this film. With many people being dismissive towards this universe due to its clear inspiratory connections to the New 52, I am of a seemingly small minority of fans who has been very open to these creative decisions — no doubt driven by the New 52 being my initial first step into reading comics on a more serious level.

Despite all these handicaps, having now watched and had time to digest the film, I can confidently say that there are many things to love by both fans of the New 52 and pre-52 era of comics. However, without any spoilers, don’t sit down expecting for a one-to-one recreation of the comic material.

Hush — Credit: Warner Bros Animation

For those of you familiar with the previous catalogue of films in this universe, not much has changed on this front. Jason O’Mara lends his usual brooding voice to the main man himself, providing a compelling performance as Batman that would make Kevin Conroy proud. He is additionally accompanied with a mostly well-voiced supporting cast, with standouts being Jennifer Morrison and Sean Maher — as Catwoman and Nightwing, respectively. The former leading lady brings the will-they-won’t-they relationships of the Bat and the Cat to life with the usual hijinks you’ve come to expect over the course of decades of written material.

Batman and Catwoman — Credit: Warner Bros Animation

One thing DC has consistently impressed me with across the many Batman-centric films in this series is the accurate portrayal of the dynamic Bat-Family. All these characters leap off the page, quietly assisted by the writing team behind the scenes and given life by the actors embodying them. It’s just a shame that the Joker, while not a major player in the film, is so underwhelmingly represented. With fantastic previous work provided by Mark Hamill and Troy Baker in various iterations of the character, you would think DC would pick up on such a wanting performance.

Hush features many of the pivotal villains from the source material — Credit: Warner Bros Animation

The animation itself still utilises the same stylistic choices and designs seen across previous entries, with the classic appearance of a new bat suit lending a much-needed reprieve from the excellent, if not overused, New 52 design. Unfortunately, as is the case in the past, there is an evident impression given that DC is holding back, unwilling to invest more money and time into these projects. It’s a truly wasted opportunity given the excellency of alternate design styles shown through the years, such as the fantastic work of Bruce Timm. However, I will acknowledge the need for parity across these movies and the jarring effect a sudden artistic change could have on the consistency of the universe. But this doesn’t make it any less diminishing.

But what about the plot? Well, I’ll honestly admit that I am yet to read the comic on which it is based, despite having owned the graphic novel collection for two years now — a detriment of buying so many books. But I am familiar with the famous twists and turns that have made Hush into such an impactful character. Like I said earlier, this is the type of film I would advise entering into with an open mind. If you simply want to see a fully realised and accurate interpretation of the titular storyline, you will be left disappointed. However, where is the fun in knowing all the answers before you’ve even experienced it? Enjoy the film for what it is, not what you want it to be, and you will engage with a loose following of an excellent storyline, filled with all the expected fan service you would want out of a Hush adaptation.

The film features another iconic DC superhero — Credit: Warner Bros Animation

Ultimately, if you’ve been yearning to see this storyline adapted for years, this is for you — just as long as you keep in mind what I have told you. But if you are only slightly interested, there won’t be any harm in giving this one a miss. And if you just want a bit of light entertainment after a hard day, there’s no harm in giving it a try.