Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two
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Based on 3 reviews
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Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two is a 2021 animated action sequel to The Long Halloween, Part One, in which Batman, Harvey Dent, and Commissioner Gordon continue to search for an elusive serial murderer. Expect a fair amount of violence, including characters shot in the throat and killed, images of dead bodies on the street in the aftermath of murders taking place on holidays, and fighting with guns, machine guns, poison gas, punches, and kicks. There's some horror/demonic imagery. In a courtroom scene, one of the lead characters is hit in the face with acid, causing half of his face to become disfigured. Profanity is heard, including "f--king." There's also cigarette smoking and some drinking. Poison Ivy wears a revealing costume as she has Bruce Wayne under her spell.
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What's the Story?
In BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, PART TWO, killings of mob members from both the Falcone and Maroni families continue on every holiday. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne (Jensen Ackles) has been under the spell of Poison Ivy, who has hypnotized him into signing over his financial holdings to Carmine Falcone -- until Catwoman rescues Wayne from Poison Ivy's clutches. The reemerged Batman meets with Commissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Josh Duhamel) to tell them where he was on the night Alberto Falcone was murdered, and he discusses his parents' connection to the Falcones when Bruce was a boy. As the murders continue, Harvey Dent begins hearing a sinister voice in his head. This voice only grows louder while he's in the courtroom, before one of the mob leaders turns on Dent and then throws acid into his face as an act of revenge. With half of Dent's face permanently disfigured, the supervillain Two-Face emerges, escaping from the hospital and hiding out in the sewers, where he meets Solomon Grundy and recruits him to help with Two-Face's plans for revenge. While this is happening, Batman makes discoveries of his own concerning the identity of the person behind the holiday murders. After Solomon Grundy and Two-Face free the supervillains locked up in Arkham Asylum, a battle royale ensues in which Batman, Catwoman, and their allies must find a way to stop the supervillains from destroying Gotham, and must also stop Dent/Two-Face's obsessive executions of vigilante justice.
Is It Any Good?
This is a very good, if graphic, contribution to the Batman canon that's ultimately best enjoyed by superfans. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two chronicles Harvey Dent's descent into madness as events transform him into the supervillain Two-Face. While there's considerable action, there's also considerable backstory, as we get into Bruce Wayne's complicated history with one of the two Mafia families responsible for the crime wave rattling Gotham, the emergence of Catwoman, and the usual explorations of how vigilante justice, besides getting into thorny moral ground, creates its own set of new problems. Such backstories, origin stories, and meditations on good and evil are no doubt enjoyed by the fans, but those looking for more direct action will have better luck elsewhere.
Not that there isn't action, and the battle royale at the end is definitely entertaining. But it took two movies' worth of buildup to get there. Nonetheless, the acting is excellent across the board, and when the story is focused on what's happening to Harvey Dent as he begins the transformation into Two-Face, the movie is at its best. Unfortunately, for those not thoroughly versed in the DC Universe, all the side stories and subplots are overwhelming, to say nothing of all the secondary characters. And given the mature content, this isn't the best starting point for kids looking to enjoy Batman's struggles with good and evil.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about animated movies based on comic book heroes like Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two. How is this similar to and different from other animated features centered on Batman and the other superheroes and villains around him?
Did the violence in this movie seem necessary, or excessive? Why?
Vigilante justice is a recurring theme in Batman movies. What do these movies seem to be saying about taking the law into your own hands? What are your thoughts on vigilante justice?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 27, 2021
- Cast: Jensen Ackles, Josh Duhamel, Naya Rivera
- Director: Chris Palmer
- Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Superheroes, Book Characters
- Run time: 87 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: Some violence and bloody images.
- Last updated: July 21, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One
Violence, smoking, language in noir DC action-mystery.
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Batman: Soul of the Dragon
Engaging animated superhero tale has strong violence.
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Batman Ninja
Anime Batman time-travels to ancient Japan; lots of action.
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