ulyssesgammahose

Don't want to oversell this, but probably the best killer insect movie ever made - with the caveat that it's a twisted, slow-burn drama that only becomes full-blown horror in the last act. Genuinely disturbing.

Simply put, most of these animated movies (which I love BTW) are loads of action with enough plot wedged in-between to get by. The Long Halloween isn't that. It's a proper story, with character development, drama, intrigue, suspense, relationships...there is action, including a great Chinatown brawl with three Triads, but this is a story-driven movie. Batman, James Gordon, Harvey Dent et al are all more rounded than usual, Gotham feels more like real place, and the sense of corruption and crime is tangible.

The Dark Knight took a lot of inspiration from The Long Halloween comics, so you'll spot some similarities to that movie both major and minor.

Also the animation is first rate, detailed and smooth. The unique, expressionist style of original Long Halloween comic artist Tim Sale isn't used, but instead a more realistic style that still allows for touches of caricature. Batman looks menacing and mysterious, but like an actual human being. Catwoman is lithe and athletic. Gotham itself is murky and mysterious in a film noir way.

Not many downsides. This is only half the story, so the most exciting stuff is yet to come, and it'll undoubtedly be re-released as a complete movie, so it might be best to wait for that.

There's some completely unnecessary gore with a ship's propeller.

Also, given this is part of the brand new DC animated continuity, it seems an odd, jarring choice to use an imitation of Mark Hamill's Joker voice, which is thirty years old now.

A good introductory horror for teenagers who are old enough for scary movies but not really horrific ones. There's a monster, a mystery to be solved and a frightened but determined heroine. Although some characters are killed, it's not gratuitous or gory.

Polaroid is also very nicely shot, with a kid of dusky gloom throughout.