MovieChat Forums > Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) Discussion > Nightwing Out-of-Character

Nightwing Out-of-Character

posted 14 years ago by laozamor
46 replies | jump to latest

Now, I actually really liked the movie, and this didn't bother me too much, but I couldn't help but notice that Nightwing was acting, well, like an idiot. Every time something happened, he'd shout out some surprised exclamation or useless remark. And he apparently felt the need to narrate everything as it happened, no matter how unnecessary or obvious. I mean, I understand that the writers may have been trying to show that Dick is much less uptight and more talkative than Bruce, but I feel they carried it too far and made him look more juvenile than anything, like this whole superhero thing was still new to him.

A few of the ones that really bugged me:

[Amazo chucks Batman] "Packs quite a punch for a toaster on steroids, huh?" (okay, really? He's not the BOY Wonder anymore)

[Amazo eye blasts them] "Lasers, he's got lasers!" (no duh)

[Batman shoves something in Amazo's eyes] "I don't think puddy in his eyes is gonna hurt him" (This one really irked me. Dick worked with Bruce for YEARS. I think he knows him well enough to know some of his basic tactics.)

[puddy explodes] "But plastique will. Nice!" (again, sounding like The New Guy)

[they're chasing Red Hood]
[Red Hood trick 1] "He's good!"
[Red Hood trick 2] "He's real good!"
[Red Hood trick 3] "We got him!"
[Red Hood trick 4] "That's impressive." (Bruce got it right, "It's nothing we haven't seen before." I mean, Nightwing is acting like all these little flips and whatnot are just totally wowing him.)

Now, he was a lot better in other scenes, and I really liked his conversations with Bruce in the Batcave, but his dialogue during the fights just really bothered me. Basically I'm wondering if I'm overreacting and nitpicking, or if anyone else thought something similar.

Something I will add though: I absolutely LOVED the way they animated him. All of his movements, even while fighting, were very acrobatic, which is obviously appropriate for him. I actually dislike how quickly and nonchalantly they shut him down for the rest of the movie. I think more Nightwing could've created some great interaction and character development, but that's another discussion altogether.

Am I crazy?

------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] bethnor1 14 years ago

i had no problem with dick's levity.

i did have a problem with him being mr. obvious. for instance, i am sure 100% of the viewers of the movie knew that batman put plastique on amazo's eyes. it was very odd that dick didn't. the same is true of the sniping, etc., etc.

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

Oh yes, that was my point, although I may not have made it clear. Happy chatty Dick is fine with me. I mean, come one, it's Dick. But as you said, the Captain Obvious and Mr. New Guy stuff is what got old.

----------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] WickedRedGrin 11 years ago

I took it as more Nightwing wondering what gadgets Batman had now, n wondering what the puddy did, thinking it might be a new gadget.

[–] HorrorMonkey 14 years ago

--[Batman shoves something in Amazo's eyes] "I don't think puddy in his eyes is gonna hurt him" (This one really irked me. Dick worked with Bruce for YEARS. I think he knows him well enough to know some of his basic tactics.)--

I had the same thoughts about this line too. Most weren't that bad, but some did make me want to shake my head at the writers and ask 'what were you thinking'.

--I absolutely LOVED the way they animated him. All of his movements, even while fighting, were very acrobatic, which is obviously appropriate for him.--

Yeah, I noticed that too and was happy to see it. My only problem was that his hair was too short, but that's only a minor thing and keeping his movements more acrobatic in nature (staying true to that part of his character) made up for it.

--I actually dislike how quickly and nonchalantly they shut him down for the rest of the movie. I think more Nightwing could've created some great interaction and character development, but that's another discussion altogether.--

The moment he hurt himself I just knew that we probably wouldn't be seeing him for the rest of the movie. It's a shame. Since they kept Tim Drake's Robin out of the film I was hoping for at least a Nightwing/Red Hood fight. A Robin aganist Robin kind of showdown, like what they had happen in the comics when Jason heard that Bruce thought Tim was a better Robin than he was and the two fought. It would have been nice to have seen something like that.

"I have NEEDS now, Alfred - dirty, horrible needs!" -- Batman

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

Oh, I know. As soon as he started clutching his knee (although Alfred said it was his ankle, lol) I thought, "Well, great, that's the last we're gonna see of him." It was just a really lazy way to get rid of him, personally, and a very obvious crutch for the writers. Instead of somehow weaving Nightwing's absence into the plot, "Oh, well, let's just have him bust his leg; that'll decommission him"

And yeah, you're right, something involving Red Hood and Nightwing would've been VERY interesting. I mean, there's bound to be some jealousy or rivalry between two young men who filled the same position. And besides those basic tensions, they could've easily built some indignation on Dick's part too. Having been a Robin, he knows how close Jason would have been to Bruce, and would've interacted with him himself at times. It would've been very easy for Dick to have been furious at what Jason was doing. Seeing those two face off would've been great. Actually, THAT could be when Nightwing gets taken out, leaving Bruce and Jason to themselves for the very end of the movie, which would've worked great actually now that I think about it.

------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] rosscurtis 14 years ago

The plastiqu irked me a tiny bit, and long hair would have been more in keeping with the comics but other that I like him in it

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Spixe 14 years ago

I wasn't happy with this version of Nightwing either. The old Nightwing, at least the one we who grew up with the tv series are used to, was a bit bitter at Batman and gave him more of a dark and cynical attitude, not so, uh... "cheery and surprised" all the time. Yet he still kept up with his funny comments and remarks.

This movie's Nightwing did have a lot of remarks, but like you and many others here have pointed out, they were stupid, not funny. I said "seriously?" with the whole "lasers" thing and was just downright disappointed with the "puddy" remark - he really thought batman was putting putty in Amazo's eye? Apparently the writers wanted Nightwing to act naive and a tad moronic in this movie. Such a pity.

Still, the animation in itself was excellent. On another topic, I'm also disappointed off they didn't use Mark Hamill as the Joker :(

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

See, I actually didn't really like the Batman TAS Nightwing, for the exact reasons you stated. He had a strained relationship with Bruce. In the comics, he's more lighthearted. But yeah, they took that lightheartedness too far in 'Under the Red Hood.'

And actually, while at first the Joker's voice kinda threw me (having always thought of Hamill as THE Joker) it really grew on me as the movie went on. It was gruffer, and more, well, believable. I think they're starting to steer the Joker in a darker direction, like we saw in "The Dark Knight" movie. Instead of being a krazy zany Joker, he's a psychotic deranged Joker. Less goofball, more sadist. While it's different, I think it works ::shrug::

------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] Spixe 14 years ago

I see your point. The joker in this one was definitly more sadistic, and had the psychotic mass murderer vibe going on, with a touch of irony. I didn't make him out to be the "crazy", lunatic, the world is one big joke Joker. That's one thing I really loved about the old one. Everything is funny. This one was very serious much of the time. But I guess if that is what they were going for, they hit their mark. I just prefer the screws-loose Joker, that's all, he's more fun :)

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

Oh, that's definitely true, zany Joker's much more fun :D And yeah, while I like the new direction, I do think that this Joker was a tad TOO serious. Mix in a bit of the TAS Joker, more jokes and more giggles, and I think they'd have it. Instead of just a goofy whackjob or a creepy sadist, they'd get a deranged killer with a slippery grasp on reality and a sadistic sense of humor. All packaged of course in abundant maniacal cackles and giggling carnage. THAT'S the Joker I'd like to see ;)

------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] simpsonmmyers 14 years ago

Hamill will only play Joker with *his* Batman, Kevin Conroy.

[–] Mikey_Corkey 14 years ago

I honestly couldn't have put it better myself, wonderful examples of the unnecessary drivel Nightwing was spouting.

Admittedly, he received a terrible part, but it seemed as though Harris was hardly trying at all, and could have (and probably did) recorded all of his idiotic dialogue in about 15 minutes.

Alright?!

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

Haha, thanks, that would mainly be my OCD showing. When something bothers me, I have to, well, say EXACTLY what was bothering me. I literally played the movie on my computer as I typed that so I could get all the quotes right, lol.

And you're right, it may not have ALL been the writers giving Dick bad lines (although I think that was most of it) but his voice actor's "Hai guyz!" tone didn't help much either. It worked in the other scenes, but not the fight scenes.

-----------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] HorrorMonkey 14 years ago

--Instead of just a goofy whackjob or a creepy sadist, they'd get a deranged killer with a slippery grasp on reality and a sadistic sense of humor. All packaged of course in abundant maniacal cackles and giggling carnage. THAT'S the Joker I'd like to see ;)--

Agree with you completely.

"I have NEEDS now, Alfred - dirty, horrible needs!" -- Batman

[–] matthewsbennett 14 years ago

they gave the joker some great lines, why couldnt they do the same for nightwing, your right hes worked with batman for years, why did they make him like hes all new to this. they just kicked batmans loyal followers in the balls & were left asking why?

[–] JaySherman7 14 years ago

OP, great post. nail on the head

I agree that Nightwing came off a little green in the fights. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it really even bothered me, but yeah, he was just a little too chucklehead for my taste

and yes, his animated flips and whatnot were very fluid and very awesome. I commented on it to my bro right off when he first dodged that huge cargo loader.

[–] laozamor 14 years ago

Chucklehead, that's a good way of putting it XD And oh yeah, I definitely perked up at that first shot too. He flips on and around the cargo unit, and I remember sitting up and going "Ooo, that was cool!"

---------------

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] JaySherman7 14 years ago

hey, Lao, what's 'XD'?

[–] laozamor 13 years ago

Haha, it's just an emoticon. Someone who's laughing so hard their eyes are scrunched closed and their mouth is open. XD Ya see?

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] laozamor 13 years ago

Whoa! Okay, I can see how that'd be a little unnerving. Some creepo on Teh Interwebz addressing you by your naaaaame ::dun dun DUUUNNN::

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

[–] Aiursrage2k 14 years ago

I actually really liked it, it was a nice change of pace from the usual teen brooding Dick. Now is a happy go lucky guy, which is a nice contrast to batmans even more than stoic self.