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!)

Justice Society: World War II (2021)

Justice Society: World War II (2021)

Dir. Jeff Wamester

An animated tale that's set mostly during WW II, unsurprisingly. In addition to forcibly occupying as much of Europe as they can, Hitler's Nazi forces also hunt for magical items that could sway the tide of war in their favour; e.g., things like the Lance of Longinus, or the Ark of the Covenant, etc. But America send a group of skilled and/or superpowered US citizens under the radar to prevent that from happening.

[If they thought they could feasibly get away with it, I sincerely believe that the US military would want the rest of the world to think that they won that war all by themselves.]

Like the superior JL: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) movie, the events in JS:WWII occur because of Barry Allen / Flash's unique abilities.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)

Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)

Dir. Chris Palmer

As soon as the DCAMU was ended, the Tomorrowverse continuity was launched. The Adam Strange DC Showcase short (on the JLD: Apokolips War disc) is its beginning, but the first feature-length movie was the aptly named Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020).

It explores the Kryptonian's early years, firstly as a youth in Smallville and then as a twenty-something adult in Metropolis working as an intern at the Daily Planet newspaper. The latter period is a modern 'smartphone' era. In ways that are both subtle and not, we see his pain at feeling alien and misunderstood.

Things thereafter descend into mostly mediocrity and blandness, with some very uninspired directing choices. It was the director's first feature film, so some allowances must be made, but even with those in place some scenes — such as the one wherein a costumed Supes first meets Lex Luthor — are amateurish at best. I don't mean that to sound unkind; it's simply an opinion.