This isn't the first time I've watched a two-part Batman animated direct-to-DVD movie for my October set at a friend's suggestion, but it is a more appropriate choice than before. I won't split this into two reviews, partly because I watched both halves back to back and partly because it doesn't feel like two stories stuck together.
In contrast with The Dark Knight Returns, this takes place pretty early in the Caped Crusader's (Jensen Ackles) career: Old-school mafias are still big in Gotham, Barbara Gordon (Amy Landecker) is a little girl, and a moderately sane Harvey Dent (Josh Duhamel) has just become the district attorney. From one Halloween to the next, an anonymous killer code-named "Holiday" picks off people close to Carmine "The Roman" Falcone (Titus Welliver) on major holidays, leaving a seasonal decoration and a handgun with a bottle nipple for a suppressor. (Seems a bad strategy to leave the weapon in plain sight every time, but Batman enemies aren't known for their caution.) As usual, Gotham police protection is inadequate. Any number of people could have a reason to get at a mob boss, so Batman and Commissioner Gordon (Billy Burke) must examine many a suspect.
Despite a clear focus on Holiday and the unthemed gangs, we get the largest number of iconic villains this side of The LEGO Batman Movie. No surprise to see such creeps as the Scarecrow (Robin Atkin Downes) and the Joker (Troy Baker) in a Halloweeny story, and we do get yet another Two-Face origin story, but I wouldn't necessarily have bet on Poison Ivy (Katee Sackhoff), the Mad Hatter (John DiMaggio), the Penguin (David Dastmalchian), or even Solomon Grundy (Fred Tatasciore) joining the fight. Batman's only elite partner against them, however little he wants her there, is Catwoman (the late Naya Rivera), who has her own reasons for taking interest in the Roman. And Calendar Man (also Dastmalchian), of all people, serves in a Hannibal Lecter-type role, dropping hints about Holiday from inside Arkham Asylum while hoping to get out. Too bad the Riddler never got an invite to the mystery.
It's hardly a spoiler to say that none of these infamous figures is Holiday, because they all like to sign their work. That doesn't make the solution particularly obvious. My friend and I guessed it shortly before Batman did, based primarily on the process of elimination of other characters. After all, it wouldn't be someone we hadn't even seen yet.
Part 1 is PG-13, but Part 2 is rated R. That might be primarily due to intensification toward the climax, plus a telling of an extra tragic past. I think there's also an uptick in strong swearing. And while nothing is overtly erotic, I hate to think what Poison Ivy may have done.
I'm afraid Ackles is no Kevin Conroy. Burke actually sounded more appropriate for Batman. And Falcone is too much of a Don Corleone knockoff. At least the rest of the voices work well, not least the Joker, who does joke a bit.
My favorite aspect: the artistry. OK, the outlines are a bit thick, and the design of the Chinese gangsters should have no place in this day and age, but the cinematography sometimes impresses me. The filmmakers exercise more patience than I've come to expect.
The nearly three hours of B:TLH didn't feel that long to me. I liked it enough that I may well plan on another Batman flick next October.
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