Director – Chris Palmer (Voltron: Legendary Defender, Superman: Man of Tomorrow)
Starring – Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, My Bloody Valentine), Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Turistas), and Naya Rivera (The Master of Disguise, Frankenhood)
Release Date – 2021
Rating – 3/5
Over the years I’ve discovered that I’m a huge fan of the DC animated films. These one shots often deliver on a level that the live action films cannot. Even the most weakest of the animated films is leagues better than most of their live action counterparts. When WB and DC announced a two part animated adaptation of The Long Halloween I was all for it.
A few months ago part one was released and though I enjoyed it I found it to be very underwhelming. Around that time my work and personal life took off and things were spinning rather frantically. So frantically that I completely forgot about part two until it arrived for review. I want to thank WB and DC for sending this one over!
**Spoiler Alert** The film picks up sometime after the first film with the Falcone crime family still being terrorized by the serial killer known as Holiday. As Batman continues his search for the killer he begins to suspect that someone close to the case may be the killer and soon Harvey Dent, now going by Two Face after a chemical attack, is bringing together Gotham’s underground criminals. **Spoiler Alert**
The Long Halloween Part Two does pick up the pace so to speak and deliver a little more action but it doesn’t deliver the impact that a lot of the previous DC films, especially the Batman titles, did. It blends together several genres with some horror elements as well but when it was done and over with I found it to be an easily forgettable film.
The voice acting is great. It’s awesome to hear Ackles tackle the dark knight again. I still struggle with hearing him as Dean Winchester but he still delivers a fantastic job. The rest of the voice cast is great as well. Everyone does a fantastic job and bring a lot of iconic characters to life.
The story for this one dives into the story that was established in the first part. We get a lot of red herrings thrown as us but if you stick with it you will find yourself unsure of who the real Holiday is. With that being said, the action sequences and the side-arks are not as enjoyable and it takes away from the overall film. I feel these two films would be more enjoyable if all the side stories were removed and just one film remained. It’s not enough going on worth while to warrant two films.
Finally, the animation is solid and on par with the other DC films. I loved the look of all the characters and seeing Dent’s transformation was a highlight of the film. Overall, the Long Halloween Part Two is worth a watch but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression on the viewer. It’s not a bad film but it’s nowhere near as amazing as it should have been. It’s worth a watch, however.
