Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Batman: Death in the Family Blu-ray Movie Review

Grave Robin.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 8, 2020

Based on the seminal 1988 four-issue Batman arc by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo (and 10 years after Under the Red Hood), Brandon Vietti's Death in the Family resurrects a controversial story that originally showcased the ultra-violent demise of Jason Todd, AKA the second Robin. This story's secondary claim to fame was a uniquely democratic format in which fans got to decide Robin's fate by dialing a 900 number to cast their votes. The synopsis above spoils how that all turned out, but Warner Bros.' intriguing new animated adaptation lets modern audiences literally choose their own adventure via interactive seamless branching. It's up to you now, people: does Jason Todd live or die?

Anyone unacquainted with Under the Red Hood will be seeing everything for the first time, but it's worth noting that Batman: Death in the Family is partially stitched together with selected scenes from that film -- which was incidentally also directed by Brandon Vietti -- that now include added contextual elements for clarity, such as voice-over narration and transitional shots. Other segments likewise pay tribute to the original comic while branching out into different directions, usually at the viewer's insistence. It's a creative way to get around potentially painful "What If?" pins and needles, with the end result playing out much better than past DCAU productions that radically changed the source material like the disappointing Batman: Hush and The Killing Joke. Not to mention, of course, that Death in the Family's "alternative universe" construction is practically built into its source material: the original comic's artist, Jim Aparo, had two different sequences ready to go based on the finally vote tally. Here's the other one.

As such, the typical synopsis featured in most reviews doesn't seem appropriate here, but those unfamiliar with the source material may at least want to familiarize themselves with it before watching, if only to understand how much your choices can affect the outcome. Of course, the biggest one -- does Robin live or die? -- is the strongest catalyst for change here, but other choices along the way can lead to drastically different "branched" outcomes for other main and supporting characters that range from 30 seconds to a full 20 minutes. Whatever route you choose, Death in the Family stands as a brief but pretty satisfying little experiment that may lead to similar releases in the future.

One more clarification: Don't be deceived by that default listed running time of 86 minutes, which represents the total amount of content based on every possible choice made during the show. Death in the Family Blu-ray's packaging more accurately reflects a running time of 18-31 minutes based on your potential choice combinations.

Batman: Death in the Family Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Despite the lack of a 4K option (likely due to limitations surrounding its specific authoring), Death in the Family serves up a satisfying 1080p transfer that showcases its Under the Red Hood-style animation almost perfectly. It's obviously a dark affair and the Blu-ray holds steady with good shadow detail, almost no black crush, and good color saturation that supports its mixture of vivid and muted hues. On-screen "choice breaks" are razor-sharp with crisp edges and easy-to-read text. No glaring compression artifacts or aliasing were spotted along the way, although a few instances of mild banding can be seen on harsh gradients. Again, Death in the Family is very much on par with similar DCAU Blu-rays but, due to its unique formatting, the transfer's visual consistency works in its favor more than usual.

Batman: Death in the Family Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio is no slouch either, delivering a suitably clean and immersive presentation every step of the way. Dialogue is typically anchored right up front with occasional surround activity during crowded conversations or in larger rooms, while the lion's share of rear channel presence is reserved for ambient touches, action sequences, and of course the rousing original score by Christopher Drake, who has contributed to more than a half-dozen DCAU films including Wonder Woman, Batman: Year One, and The Dark Knight Returns. LFE packs an awful lot of punch on occasion, and there's also no shortage of channel pans and discrete channel activity; both add plenty of weight to the film's heavy but dynamic atmosphere. Overall, a fine effort that falls right in line with most DCAU productions.

Optional dubs and subtitles (including English SDH) are offered during the main feature and select extras.

Batman: Death in the Family Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This single-disc title arrives in an eco-friendly keepcase with attractive cover artwork, a metallic-enhanced slipcover, and a Digital Copy redemption code -- be sure to see my note about that below, by the way. While this release lacks DCAU's traditional "house blend" of bonus features (not a big deal, as they rarely pertain to the main feature anyway), Death in the Family nonetheless contains a few welcome surprises in the extras department.

• Additional Shorts - These four animated shorts, originally released on earlier DCAU Blu-rays, are collected here in one place for posterity. All are presented in similar 1080p format with lossy Dolby Digital audio.
  • Sgt. Rock (14:55) - Being largely unfamiliar with the title character, I'll avoid any kind of in-depth analysis but overall, it's more or less on par with other DCAU movies as far as animation and voice work are concerned. This short was first available as a bonus feature on Batman: Hush.
  • Adam Strange (16:05) - This follows the titular space adventurer -- now a drunken bum -- during his extended stay on an asteroid mining colony, while his much more heroic earlier life is revealed during a few flashbacks. It's a pretty compelling little sci-fi adventure with solid visual design and features the voices of Charlie Weber, Kimberly Brooks, Fred Tatasciore, and more, with a story by J.M. DeMatteis (Constantine: City of Dreams) and direction by Butch Lukie (Batman: Unlimited franchise). This short was first available as a bonus feature on Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
  • The Phantom Stranger (15:07) - Ann odd little adventure that serves up a bit of psychedelic Scooby-Doo mystery by way of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with a dash of The Twilight Zone. Perhaps not as immediately impressive as other recent DCAU shorts, but the flexible format could make for interesting adventures. This short was first available as a bonus feature on Superman: Red Son.
  • Death (19:08) - Based the Sandman supporting character by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg, this follows a struggling artist named Vincent Omata after he loses another job. Confronted by Death while literally battling personal demons, Vincent comes to terms with his fate...but not before searching through old memories on the way through Hell. This is my favorite of the four and one I hope they expand upon in the near future. This short was first available as a bonus feature on Wonder Woman: Bloodlines.

• Audio Commentaries
  • Batman: Death in the Family - This all-new commentary features Amy Dallen and Hector Navarro, both former contributors to DC Daily, who speak over a linear version of the film for just under 31 minutes. Topics of discussion include the original comic's story arc and Under the Red Hood, Denny O'Neil's voting contributions, Jason Todd, the voice cast, references to other DC productions (including a few comparisons and contrasts), the "choose your own adventure" context, new additions to several short Under the Red Hood sequences, Batman as a father figure, cameos and supporting characters, and much more.
  • Additional Shorts - Amy Dallen and Hector Navarro return with new full-length audio commentaries for all of the four bonus shorts listed above. Discussion highlights include weird corners of the DC universe, war stories, sound design and visual effects, Les Misérables, character depth, rugged dystopian sci-fi, 1970s visual aesthetics and fashion, the rise of horror comics, childhood memories, Sandman history, and more. It's a very thoughtful touch that gives this release a decent amount of added value.

• Trailers for Apokolips War, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, and Red Son.

• Digital Copy - Normally I wouldn't comment on these...but due to obvious limitations, Death in the Family's digital copy does not feature the "choose your own adventure" formatting and instead plays as an extended linear version also known as Under the Red Hood: Reloaded. Physical media always wins, baby!

Batman: Death in the Family Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brandon Vietti's Death in the Family is a fascinating adaptation of the controversial 1988 Batman story arc... or maybe "expansion" is a better word: this unique production lets viewers decide the fate of Robin (among other outcomes) via seamless branching options chosen with the touch of a button. It's hardly new territory for those familiar with Telltale Games and the like, but this format feels natural for the source material and that makes a big difference. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray features other nice touches as well, including a quartet of previously-released DC Showcase shorts grouped together with new audio commentaries. It all adds up to a fun little detour that, along with Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge and Superman: Man of Tomorrow, feels like another step in the right direction.