Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1 [2021]

A new DC comics animated movie.This is the first in a two part release, which adapts 1990's graphic novel 'Batman: the Long Halloween.' Which takes place early in his vigilante career and sees him having to turn detective to find Holiday, a serial killer who only strikes on such days. In the meantime, the mobs in Gotham are having to deal with the new breed of criminals. Who wear costumes and are crazy. And DA Harvey Dent and GCPD Captain Jim Gordon are both finding work life balance very hard...If you've read the comic, you will find this is a very faithful adaptation indeed. Of the first half of the story.If you've not, you will find this is a very mature character drama, and a good whodunnit with it.It's a fifteen certificate, so it's not for younger viewers.It does use the same animation style dc have adopted for their last few releases. Which still takes a bit of getting used to because the backgrounds are rather too static at times.And yet....There was a point when the detail in this sucked me in. You notice how Harvey Dent's face in is shadow at key points. You notice the rain in a Batman Catwoman rooftop chase. The colours in a Chinatown chase scene are superb and eye catching. The street decorations at christmas and new year stand out. There's so much little detail in this that it comes to life so very well indeed.It has great casting as well. Jensen Ackles, best known for the tv show Supernatural, makes a great younger Batman, convincing as being one as early in his career as this. Naya Rivera, in what alas was her final role, is an appealing Catwoman. Josh Duhamel and Billy Burke add great depth to their roles as Harvey and Jim, but the real two standouts are Julie Nathanson as Gilda Dent, who convinces superbly as being a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and Troy Baker is an utterly wonderful Joker.It brings the comic to life really well. It shows a good mature character drama. And it's a good whodunnit with it. The time jumps as time passes in the narrative can be a little jarring at points, as there's often nothing to initially show you that days have passed since the last scene. And there are still some points where the animation is a little average.But those are minor complaints. This is absorbing viewing, and a great adaptation. And I am very much looking forward to the forthcoming at the time of writing release of part two.Do keep watching to the end of the credits, as there is an important scene after them.The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English, French.Subtitles: English, Dutch, French.It goes straight to the main menu when loaded with no ads or trailers.Extras: The usual preview of the next dc animated release, which as mentioned is part two of this story. Usually these will also have two previews for existing releases. But not in this case.

Great animation and story. I have to admit I have not read the comic so I am only basing the review on the movie. I think the phrase "too many peices missing", is very adept. Just too much if the story missing for my liking.The other thing that I did not like in this movie is though it is written as a organised crime, murder mystery but Batman is still not much of a detective. Also he is sloppier and less physically coordinated. Catwoman seem a couple of steps ahead of him here.I like the style of the story and love the animation. I am told part is more of everything, including the villains but also putting the threads together I hope that means filling in all the holes and not rushing the story.

Compelling characters that are introduced and developed over the course of a mere hour and a half put most other “Hollywood” movies to shame.This is only part one of two and it makes you understand that this is Batman in his early days, where he realises that fighting crime takes more than just being a bat-themed ninja with fancy gadgets.Gotham City and its inhabitants are given far more attention compared to pretty much any of the live action Batman films in the past. You actually give a damn what happens to them and the people in their lives. Not just Batman because he’s the main character.Also: I look forward to seeing this Batman eventually team up in a movie alongside the slowly forming Justice League in this new Animated Universe.

Not being a Batman aficionado and without any real prior experience with DC animated movies, I went into Long Halloween Part 1 with a pretty unbiased and open mindset.For the most part I had a good time. The animation is powerful and punchy, with lots of angular jawlines and bold black outlines. Gotham City looks beautiful in the background and on the horizon; a kind of gold and black, art-deco Emerald City. Daytime doesn’t seem to exist in this adaptation, and it snows almost constantly, really amping up the bleak, winter atmosphere.Pacing was a little bit staggered, as was the overall tone, especially when the Joker got involved. His scenes are almost too cartoonish, making certain scenes jarringly goofy and hard to swallow (there’s a sequence where he steals a crop duster and successfully pilots it into Gotham despite, on his own admission, having no flight experience. It was all very Looney Tunes-y.) The Joker also never felt like a threat, but more of an annoying overgrown child.The script too is laced with shockingly bad cliches (gangsters unironically say things like ‘sleep with the fishes’, Falcone is called Godfather, etc).Voicework was mostly very good.A lot to like here, but a lot to improve. I look forward to watching Part 2, and to diving into more animated DC films.7 out of 10

Loved this first part of The Long Halloween. Good to see DC not trying to cram it all in one dvd movie. Featuring The Joker, Catwoman and Solomon Grundy, this is a Gothic mix for a Gothic tale. I really enjoyed this first part, and while some tweaks have been made, they did not spoil the story for me. in fact with The Long Halloween, DC have redeemed themselves after the terrible Death in the Family and Justice Society animated movies. As I've said in my other review, this part if stronger than the second, but together both are great viewing. With this first part Blu-Ray, you get an animated short of The Losers, which is a little bit weird story wise, but Kirby is God in my world. Plus two episodes from the Batman vaults of The Joker with the amazing Mark Hamill who will for ever be Mister J in my book!