Batman: The Long Halloween (2021)

Batman: The Long Halloween (2021)

Dir. Chris Palmer

The 'Deluxe Edition' of TLH comprises the third and fourth instalments of DC's stupidly named Tomorrowverse continuity. Originally released in two separate parts, the total combined running time is 2:48:18. [1]

That's pretty long as it is, but it felt even longer to me because the pacing is bad, the story is a bit of a mess, and the animation is in the same ugly style as previous instalments.

It's based on a 1996-97 thirteen-issue limited series written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale, but there are many changes, courtesy of Tim Sheridan, who gets primary writing credit, for some reason. [2]

The original story isn't perfect, either, but the pairing of Loeb and Sale was something special, with Loeb's taut situations brought to life wonderfully by Sale's fluid, dynamic linework and super-dramatic angles. The animation has none of that power. It's bland and has the 'cardboard cut out' feel that I alluded to in a previous review. (E.g., note the bottom of Batman's cape as he walks toward camera - just awful!)

Events kick off on Halloween night, evidenced by the occasional pumpkin. Even if every kid in Gotham is at home, afraid to go out, the night should be bustling and alive with adult party-goers, or even criminal activity, but there's nothing, it's a holiday that feels as dead as the ghouls that American kids typically dress up as. The music fails to fill the gaps that the animators left.

The Halloween setting isn't just an easy way to add gothic undertones to the setting, it's central to the story, which focusses on a serial killer who whacks specific members of Gotham's mob families on dates that coincide with public holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc, then disappears until the next date comes around. But the subsequent holidays are the same, empty and lifeless. At one point it's mentioned that "half of Gotham" is on the streets, but you'd never know it by the lack of cheer (that turns to a weak attempt at fear and screaming).

The voicework is mostly weak, too. Jensen Ackles isn't terrible as Bruce Wayne / Batman, and Troy Baker at least tries to give his character a suitable level of madness, but the rest are unmemorable, at best, or passionless, at worst; e.g., Billy Burke as Jim Gordon, and Naya Rivera as Selina Kyle / Catwoman, respectively. They should hire on merit, not celebrity status.

- The movie's version of Catwoman is nothing like Tim Sale's iconic version -

I don't know what's worse - that they forced the story into the Tomorrowverse continuity, or that Tim Sheridan (or the producers) thought that messing with Loeb's plotting would make it better. There are a few memorable additions to the dialogue, for sure, but most of the changes made are dumb, with a lot of unnecessary shuffling and relocating. [3]

The ending is different to the book's and, despite obvious signposting before the 'shock' scene, it makes little sense in context when set alongside what was shown previously; i.e., the person was clearly not the same one we are supposed to believe was shown earlier in the story. Bullshit.

I'm struggling to find anything positive to say. I enjoyed the Godfather influence that was carried over from the source (but the Scarface one was maybe a bit too much). That's all I can muster.

[1] The 'Deluxe Edition' omits the two DC Showcase Shorts that were on the standalone releases pictured above, namely The Losers and Blue Beetle, both of which are directed by Milo Neuman and run approx 16 mins each. In this case, 'Deluxe' is a synonym for 'Incomplete'.

[2] I found out afterwards that he's the person responsible for Reign of the Supermen (2019) and Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020). I wish I'd known that in advance. 😐

[3] SPOILERS TO FOLLOW. IT'S BEST NOT TO READ ON IF YOU'RE NOT OKAY WITH THAT.

They choose to show Martha Wayne's pearls being snatched and broken in the alley heist, but purposefully weakened the narrative by not revealing the reason she was wearing them in the first place (as shown in the comic). Only an idiot would show one but leave the other part out.

Regarding the post-credit scene and the duo that called at Wayne Manor in full superhero garb. I get the seasonal joke, but sacrificing logic for a cheap laugh is lame, unless they were there to see Bruce in his day role and not, as is more likely, to set up a subsequent Justice League story. If it's the League direction, it would've made more sense to have the duo use the Bat Signal on the roof to call the actual Batman and not draw undue attention to Bruce Wayne's home. (I suppose it's possible that Selina had blabbed to them, too, in yet another act of bad writing.)

I'll probably never know if my League theory is correct or not because, while there are six more movies in the Tomorrowverse continuity after this one, I won't be watching any of them. If they're as bad as what I've watched thus far, I couldn't tolerate another six minutes.

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