'Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021)' is an animated crime-thriller in which Batman teams up with district attorney Harvey Dent and police commissioner Jim Gordon to take down the Falcone criminal family, while also solving a series of murders that take place solely on public holidays. The picture is, first and foremost, a detective story. It has a few action set-pieces, of course, but it's mainly concerned with its central mystery and the way in which it relates to its wider 'cops vs gangsters' conflict. This sets it apart from many of its counterparts and makes it feel much closer to a traditional crime-thriller than something more typically 'superhero'. The film, along with its accompanying 'Part Two' sequel, is based on the famous graphic novel of the same name, though it makes some major alterations to the story from what I understand. That's not an issue for me, but I can see why people expecting a straight adaptation could be disappointed. For the most part, the film is enjoyable. It has its slower moments and, as a whole, doesn't really feel like a complete narrative (because, for all intents and purposes, it isn't). However, it's generally rather intriguing, constantly engaging and occasionally exciting. It gets you involved with its mystery, keeping you guessing as to who 'Holiday' could be, and it plays with some interesting themes of grey morality. Its structure is also somewhat unique, with its events taking place solely on the holidays that end with murder, and it has several cameos from the eclectic members of Batman's rogues' gallery. Overall, it's a compelling mystery-thriller with some enjoyable action and a mature, thematically rich story. 7/10.
