Movie Info
Movie Name: Batman: The Long Halloween—Part One
Studio: DC Comics/Warner Bros. Animation
Genre(s): Comic Book/Animated/Action/Adventure/Mystery/Suspense
Release Date(s): June 22, 2021
MPAA Rating: PG-13
The Long Halloween begins…who is Holiday?
Someone is targets Gotham’s top bosses, and he or she is only striking on the holidays. Holiday’s identity needs to be uncovered, and only the Dark Knight might be able to do it. Teamed with Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon, Batman is chasing down leads as he learns that one of his allies could be at the breaking point. Time doesn’t stop, and Holiday keeps killing.
Directed by Chris Palmer, Batman: The Long Halloween—Part One is a DC Universe Animated Original Movie. Following Justice Society: World War II (also release in 2021), the film is a two part adaptation of the Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale 1996 limited series.
Batman: The Long Halloween was a fun comic book because it did what Batman does best. It is full of crazy Batman characters and it also features a mystery (which the fact that Batman is the “World’s Greatest Detective” is often glazed over in storylines). Here, Batman is having to tap into his two skills to stop a killer who seems to be one step ahead of him.
The Bat and the Cat together
The movie gets stuck in a tricky place. It is too long to condense into a regular feature film, but it is asking a lot to have the audience sit through a really, really long feature length animated film (I feel that about many live action as well). By breaking up the Long Halloween, it not only creates a suspense to the story, but also kind of creates a serialized story that harkens back to Batman’s early days…Will Batman catch Holiday? Who is Holiday? I almost wish they had flashed those questions at the end of the movie because it felt like the classic Saturday morning serials in that sense.
DC never skimps on casting for its animated features. Jensen Ackles is a solid Bruce Wayne-Batman and Josh Duhamel is good as Harvey Dent. The film features the final performance (and is dedicated to) Naya Rivera (Catwoman) who drown while swimming with her son in Lake Piru, California in July of 2020. It also features the voice work of Billy Burke, Titus Welliver, Troy Baker, and other solid voice actors.
A Very Solomon Grundy Thanksgiving
Visually, DC Universe Original Animated Features also set a high bar. They aren’t as developed as a feature animated motion picture, but they often have a rawness and style that those movies lack. Ever since Batman: The Animated Series, DC has managed push the boundaries. I also enjoy in this outing the incorporation of Tim Sale’s original artwork for the series to stylize the picture.
Batman: The Long Halloween—Part One is a great set-up for a two part movie. The mystery is there and the danger is high. The comic (and the film) are a great coming together of character and story for a solid mix. With the animated film, I feel the chances of a Long Halloween live action are limited (plus, a stand-alone Batman movie or superhero movie in general seems unlikely now), but I’m glad to have a good feature made. A combined version of both movies is scheduled for 2022. Batman: The Long Halloween—Part One is followed by Batman: The Long Halloween—Part Two in July of 2021.
Related Links:
