The animated adaptations of classic DC Comics tales have generally been well regarded. If they have anything that I would hold against them, is that under 90 minutes they generally don’t do these stories justice. For some of their heftier adaptations, they have created two volumes. This has created some pacing issues. However, The Long Halloween uses the two part structure to its advantage. It differentiates itself from part one and stands on its own.
The one thread that continues from Part One to Part Two is the Holiday Killer.
Where Part One focuses on the threat to Gotham’s crime families, Part Two treats the Holiday Killer has a harbinger of the madness coming to Gotham. In doing so, the Holiday Killer mystery is set aside for large portions of the movie. This leads to a resolution that feels rushed. While fixing some problems from the resolution in the original source material, it creates other problems.
The Long Halloween, Part One introduced Poison Ivy in post credit scene. Part Two opens with Poison Ivy having ensnared both Bruce and Alfred on behalf of Carmine Falcone. Rescued by Catwoman, he finds out he’s been under Ivy’s spell for three months. During this time, the Holiday Killer has taken more victims.
The Long Halloween, Part Two features Carmine Falcone attempting to use the super villains in Gotham to his advantage. Concurrently we follow Harvey Dent’s descent into madness and transformation to Two Face. The movie manages to show how a man of law and order like Harvey Dent loses control once the works around him changes.
The action in the movie is exciting and full of suspense. The madness set off by Carmine Falcone’s greed and hunger for violence has a climax set in the Falcone penthouse in which all hell breaks loose.
With the fall of Falcone and Dent being so action packed and dramatic, the mystery of the Holiday Killer feels like a rushed afterthought. The revelation feels like it relies on hoary old cliches that were stale when Gone Girl came out. The resolution in the original source material had some holes in it. Here it feels like a term paper being rushed to meet a deadline.
The post credits scene is a real cheeky, funny scene. Definitely worth sticking around for. Especially after a heavy, dramatic ending. It’s not essential, but it feels like a mint after a heavy meal.
Extras include the DC Showcase Animated Short: The Blue Beetle, which was produced in the style of the 1960s Spider-Man animated series, previews of two older releases, a sneak peek at the upcoming Injustice animated film, and two episodes (Two-Face Part 1 and Part 2) from Batman: The Animated Series.
Batman: The Long Halloween, both Part One and Two, feature voice performances on par with any that have been featured in other adaptations. Well crafted animation and action sequences that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Unfortunately, the solution to the mystery is a bit of a letdown. But if you’ve liked these DC animated adaptations, this one ranks in the top half of them.
I’m giving it a B.
******
Produced by Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau
Written by Tim Sheridan
Based on Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale
Directed by Chris Palmer
Starring Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel, Naya Rivera, Billy Burke, Titus Welliver,
Katee Sackhoff, David Dastmalchian, Troy Baker, Robin Atkin Downes, Laila Berzins,
Amy Landecker, John DiMaggio, Alastair Duncan, Julie Nathanson, Fred Tatasciore, Jim Pirri
