The second part of the animated adaptation of the beloved comic, The Long Halloween, arrives on Blu-Ray this week and it’s very worth picking up.
Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 2
Directed By: Chris Palmer
Written By: Tim Sheridan
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel, Naya Rivera
Release Date: Digital available now, Blu-Ray on August 10, 2021
Purchase (Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/3rMIcen
Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long to see how The Long Halloween movie would conclude. After ending things on somewhat of a cliffhanger, one that pretty dramatically changes up the comic story we all know and love, the second part is here to bring it home. The result is a really engaging Batman story that manages to work on its own, but combines with the first film to make something even greater.
The Movie
In the months following the events of the first film, Gotham isn’t much better off. The Holiday killer is still eliminating mob targets, and Batman has mysteriously vanished. Turns out, for the last few months, Bruce Wayne has been under the influence of Poison Ivy, who’s using him to sign away his funds/holdings to the Falcone crime family.
With the aid of Catwoman, the hold is broken and Batman is ready to get to work. Despite all the work going into bringing down the mob, they’re no closer to uncovering the mystery behind Holiday. As evidence mounts against one of Batman’s own allies, Harvey Dent, the stakes are higher than ever.
Things continue to go downhill as Dent is maimed, turning him into the villainous Two-Face, and sets about with his own plans to bring justice to Gotham. On top of fighting off a gaggle of supervillains escaped from Arkham, Batman works to uncover new clues while trying to save his friend’s soul.
I’m trying to avoid spoilers here, so I’m not going into much detail. Especially since this movie really changes things up from the original comic. So even if you’ve read the source material, there are some twists here that alter the story we know. While some might think that a bad thing (it is an adaptation of a well-loved story), I really loved how it was handled.
Though a few elements of the story are different, the changes feel very much in line with the overall themes of The Long Halloween story. Hell, it’s been long enough since I’ve read the comic that on some of the things, I had to go back and double-check if it was actually different!
In handling it this way, The Long Halloween feels fresh. I felt like I didn’t know how things would turn out, and anything was possible. By the time things resolved, there was a sense of satisfaction, as it we were figuring things out right alongside Batman himself (something his best stories tend to do). No matter how attached to the comic you are, there’s no denying they managed to maintain the tone and overall FEEL in this second part.
In short, I loved it. When I got this copy in the mail for review, I went ahead and watched Part 1 back-to-back with this one. Placed together, The Long Halloween makes for one of the best, most engaging Batman movies I’ve seen. The character work is impressive, and makes you feel for all of the (many) players in the story. The animation is slick, bringing its own unique style while feeling in line with the comics, and there are great action sequences to keep you coming back for more.
If you missed out on Part 1, take the release of Part 2 as your sign that it’s time to get on top of this adaptation. It’s impressive, changes things without altering the core themes/ideas, and is just a blast to watch.
The Bonus Features
Batman: The Long Halloween Part 2 Blu-ray includes a digital code insert and these special features:
DC Showcase – Blue Beetle (New Animated Short) – Sufferin’ Scarabs! Silver Age Blue Beetle is back! And, had he ever starred in a 1960s Saturday-morning limited-animation cartoon with its own jazzy earworm of a theme song, it would have been just like this! Welcome to the adventures of Ted Kord, alias the Blue Beetle, as he teams up with fellow Super Heroes Captain Atom, The Question and Nightshade to battle that nefarious finagler of feelings, Doctor Spectro.
A Sneak Peek at the next DC Animated Movie – An advanced look at Injustice.
DC Universe Movies Flashback
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
Batman: Hush
From the DC Vault
Batman: The Animated Series – “Two-Face, Part 1”
Batman: The Animated Series – “Two-Face, Part 2”
DC animated films always include some good stuff, especially things out of the “vault” and here is no different. The Blue Beetle animated short is a lot of fun and great to have a physical copy of, and it’s nice to get that sneak peek of the next film, Injustice. By and large, however, the real value in this release is the film itself.
