Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One
The latest DC animated feature, and the second in their newly rebooted approach to animation. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One sees a brutal series of murders occur during various holiday's, striking fear into the heart of Gotham City. Batman sets out to pursue the serial killer with the support of police officer James Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent.
Based on the iconic Batman tale of the same name, Part One does a very solid job of seeing the seeds of mystery, balancing bombastic action and grit, as well as being bolstered by a strong voice cast. However the animation style and various pacing, structural and storytelling hinderances thanks to the runtime and divided narrative are noticeable.
A significant amount of me thinks that this should have been one 3 hour feature (which it will no doubt be re-released as, and obviously more parts = more sales). This first part does translate the material well. It has been a while since I have read the graphic novel, but the moody tone, harsh edge and smatterings of Golden Age goofiness are on display here. It's also fun to see the moments in the source material that influenced Nolan's The Dark Knight.
Decent enough focus is given to each plot thread, but unfortunately due to the runtime land large scale nature of mystery means that some of them feel very surface level and lack emotional weight. There are a few moments that will likely subvert expectations of those unfamiliar with material (and those like me who have forgotten significant chunks) and though it's repetitive, the intrigue of the murders and the dynamic between the characters is engaging.
Unfortunately I'm still not 100% taken by this new animation style. It works well enough for the action beats (one particular Yakuza clash and the Joker plane sequence are both great). However some of the character models' anatomy, facial designs (mainly Joker again), lack of detail and stoic demeanour is very noticeable. The film does have its standout shots and colour usage, as well as replicating iconic frames from the comic.
Jensen Ackles does a strong job as the Caped Crusader, bringing a menacing, blunt and deep voiced solemn approach. The late Naya Rivera brings enthusiasm and witty playfulness to Catwoman. Troy Baker explodes onto the screen in a whirlwind of maniacal cackling with his film stealing Joker portrayal. Billy Burke and Josh Duhamel both deliver as Commissioner Gordon & Harvey Dent respectively and David Dastmalchian brings a spaced out, wispy sneer to Calendar Man.
Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One unfortunately doesn't reach the heights of DC's best. It's sprawling portrait of Gotham and vast cast of characters set it apart from its peers and the story keeps up the interest. However some weak animation, cliche dialogue and a lack of focus and depth in the subplots thanks to its decision to be two separate films do let it down.
Based on the iconic Batman tale of the same name, Part One does a very solid job of seeing the seeds of mystery, balancing bombastic action and grit, as well as being bolstered by a strong voice cast. However the animation style and various pacing, structural and storytelling hinderances thanks to the runtime and divided narrative are noticeable.
A significant amount of me thinks that this should have been one 3 hour feature (which it will no doubt be re-released as, and obviously more parts = more sales). This first part does translate the material well. It has been a while since I have read the graphic novel, but the moody tone, harsh edge and smatterings of Golden Age goofiness are on display here. It's also fun to see the moments in the source material that influenced Nolan's The Dark Knight.
Decent enough focus is given to each plot thread, but unfortunately due to the runtime land large scale nature of mystery means that some of them feel very surface level and lack emotional weight. There are a few moments that will likely subvert expectations of those unfamiliar with material (and those like me who have forgotten significant chunks) and though it's repetitive, the intrigue of the murders and the dynamic between the characters is engaging.
Unfortunately I'm still not 100% taken by this new animation style. It works well enough for the action beats (one particular Yakuza clash and the Joker plane sequence are both great). However some of the character models' anatomy, facial designs (mainly Joker again), lack of detail and stoic demeanour is very noticeable. The film does have its standout shots and colour usage, as well as replicating iconic frames from the comic.
Jensen Ackles does a strong job as the Caped Crusader, bringing a menacing, blunt and deep voiced solemn approach. The late Naya Rivera brings enthusiasm and witty playfulness to Catwoman. Troy Baker explodes onto the screen in a whirlwind of maniacal cackling with his film stealing Joker portrayal. Billy Burke and Josh Duhamel both deliver as Commissioner Gordon & Harvey Dent respectively and David Dastmalchian brings a spaced out, wispy sneer to Calendar Man.
Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One unfortunately doesn't reach the heights of DC's best. It's sprawling portrait of Gotham and vast cast of characters set it apart from its peers and the story keeps up the interest. However some weak animation, cliche dialogue and a lack of focus and depth in the subplots thanks to its decision to be two separate films do let it down.
- jackransom-69832
- Jun 20, 2021