Batman: The Long Halloween Part I – Movie Review

Batman: The Long Halloween Part I is one of the new DC animated movies I had been patiently waiting for a long time. I love this string of DC releases. On the heels of the Justice Society, DC uses one of the most memorable Batman storylines from the 90s to appeal to fans of all ages. In Batman: The Long Halloween, Gotham’s favourite son, Batman, is in his early detective days searching for a killer who strikes on various holidays.

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I like the animation style DC is using for these animated features. The film’s noir aesthetics are very true to the Batman we’re familiar with, and this is the classical Batman, the standard we’ve come to know. His story has always had classical noir roots. Especially when it leans into its detective tropes as it evokes nostalgia for a long-forgotten style.

Batman: The Long Halloween Part I also possesses a brilliant cast of voice actors who brought their characters to life. Jensen Ackles voices for the protagonist Bruce Wayne. Naya Rivera voices for Seline Kyle. Josh Duhamel voices Harvey Dent. Most notably for me, however, was the voice actor for the Joker, Troy Baker.

The last voice actor for the Joker, who I can remember being this exceptional, was Mark Hamill in Batman: The Animated Series. It was one of the matchless renditions of Batman and Gotham city characters, in my opinion. I was impressed at how closely Batman: The Long Halloween Part I was able to follow its source material while keeping things fresh, upbeat and exciting.

The story flows, and they did a fantastic job of interweaving various storylines and notable characters without being confusing or forced. They even manage to slip in some moral debates relevant to the time, such as Batman himself being the underlying cause of increased criminal activity.

The one area Batman: The Long Halloween Part I does lose points for me in, however, was its music and soundtrack. Great soundtracks can put movies over the top and increase their memorability. (For example, Batman: The Mystery of Batwoman).

It is a tiny criticism as I thoroughly enjoyed Batman: The Long Halloween Part I and await Part II. It’s an adult version of the Batman we grew up on, and it most definitely created for fans of the 90s animated series that are all grown up now. Rent the movie on Google Play here.

‘Batman: The Long Halloween Part I’ Rating – 4.5/5

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