Batman: The Long Halloween Part 2 review - One of the best Batman animated films!

3.5/5

Story:

The film is set a few months after the events of Part 1 where the Holiday Killer is still at large and continuing the spree of murders. Batman and District Attorney Harvey Dent are forced to face their own inner demons as Gotham is on the cusp of being overrun by criminals and supervillains

Review:

The new animation style for the rebooted DC animated universe might take a little time to get used to, but it certainly adds a unique aesthetic to the visual quality. What truly stands out is the sound design, where a lot of effort has gone into creating crisp sound for various scenes.

Even though Batman is the primary character, there is plenty of focus on Catwoman’s mysterious mission and Harvey Dent’s crusade against organised crime in Gotham City. The story takes a deep dive into Batman/Bruce Wayne’s relationship with the Godfather himself, Carmine Falcone, and questions whether his father, Thomas Wayne, was right to make a deal with the devil in order to maintain peace in the city. At one point, he even asks Alfred, his butler/guardian, whether the symbol of Batman is about avenging his parents or redeeming them.

Unlike the animated adaptation of Batman: Hush, the story is largely faithful to the source material other than a few minor tweaks. This has added a new dimension to the overall quality of the film rather than constraining it like the way Batman: Hush from 2019 did. The various appearances of the ‘rogues gallery’ such as Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Solomon Grundy, Calendar Man, and the Joker are carefully woven into the narrative, without disrupting the storyline. However, it is Harvey Dent’s transition to the Two-Face that truly stands out.

Josh Duhamel’s iteration of the character is easily on par with Aaron Eckhart’s from The Dark Knight and Richard Moll’s from Batman: The Animated Series. In fact, Duhamel has taken inspiration from Moll’s performance by using two different voices for his dual identities as Harvey Dent and Two-Face. The character’s arc is well developed over the course of both films. Harvey Dent’s tragic descent into madness is captured with conviction by the writers.

Jensen Ackles has truly established himself as the new voice of Batman. Succeeding voice acting legends such as Kevin Conroy, whose iteration of Batman/Bruce Wayne, is regarded as the most definitive version, is a thankless task. Ackles does an immaculate job as a young Batman early in his career. The late Naya Rivera puts in yet another convincing portrayal of Selina Kyle/Catwoman, which is her final performance as an actor. The rest of the supporting cast continues to impress in what could be one of the best adaptations of the Dark Knight in recent years.

Verdict:

Both Part 1 and 2 join an elite list of Batman animated stories told over the last 20 years. Splitting it into two parts has given the story the time it required to develop these fascinating characters. The post-credit scene confirms that this version of Batman is connected to the new larger DC animated universe.