Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021)

Directed by: Chris Palmer | 85 minutes | animation, action | Original voice cast: Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel, Jack Quaid, Titus Welliver, Alyssa Diaz, Troy Baker, Amy Landecker, Billy Burke, David Dastmalchian, Naya Rivera, Fred Tatasciore, Jim Pirri, Alastair Duncan, Greg Chun, Julie Nathanson, Gary LeRoi Gray, Frances Callier

DC Comics is a special company. Sometimes it seems as if the comic publishing company lacks a vision and just does something. Take megalomaniac projects like ‘Justice League: The Snyder Cut’ and ‘Batman V. Superman’: these hour-consuming mega-productions received mixed reactions. The playing time was a point of criticism. Too long and yet too confused. Fortunately, the studio seems to be doing better when it comes to animation. Enter ‘Batman: The Long Halloween – Part One’.

In this story, Batman takes on a serial killer in Gotham City. This wicked city is home to the Falcone crime family. These mafiosi cause a lot of unrest. The chaos is complete when the Holiday Killer shows up. This serial killer who only kills on holidays leaves a trail of destruction and fills morgues. Batman, Commissioner James Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent race against time before the next fateful holiday arrives.

The title says it all: ‘Batman: The Long Halloween – Part One’ is the first part of a diptych. This cartoon is based on the comic of the same name. What director Chris Palmer realizes very well is that the source material deserves attention. Attention in the form of time, so the choice to release this film in two parts is very wise. What makes this story so interesting is the impact the atrocities have on Batman’s psyche.

Palmer takes his time with his story and lets things breathe. This is in contrast to the live action films in which directors try to cram decades of comic book history into one film (‘Batman V. Superman’ used elements from iconic comics such as ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ and ‘The Death Of Superman’ and cram some side-plotting, which made this production top-heavy and neither fish nor meat.) ‘Batman: The Long Halloween – Part One’ takes its time for mood setting, character development and action sequence mapping.

The animation is tight and striking. This time it was decided not to imitate the characteristic style of the artist of the story in question (in this case Tim Sale). Normally the animators of ‘Batman’ cartoon adaptations do. Fans of Batman, the source material and animated films in particular can’t afford to pass up this film!