English Dub Movie Review: “Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic”

Anime series Black Butler proved one of the most popular and unique franchises. Based off of the manga of the same name, it follows Ciel (Brina Palencia) and his faithful butler Sebastian (J. Michael Tatum) in a new adventure. While it’s set in the same universe as the Black Butler anime, Book of the Atlantic is largely standalone. Benefiting from an original story, masterful balance of comedy and horror, as well as superb voice acting, Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic is a fresh entry in the Black Butler saga.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyUUFE2E-f4

Ciel and Sebastian’s newest escapades find them aboard luxury liner the Campania. Lizzy (Cherami Leigh), Ciel’s betrothed, requests that he join her as well as her family. Mystified by the intriguing Aurora Society who plan a secret meeting on the ship, Ciel and Sebastian infiltrate the Aurora Society meeting. Although the society boasts its commitment to bringing patients back from the dead, it instead creates zombies. While waves of zombies wreak havoc on the ship and its passengers, Sebastian and Ciel attempt to save themselves and the passengers from the hordes of undead as well as the now-sinking ship.

Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic is a delightful romp featuring Ciel and Sebastian. From the onset, comedy and horror are incredibly well mixed. It’s one part Holmesian mystery with a dash of Wodehousian dynamics, and a hint of Dawn of the Dead. To this end, it’s a bit like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I really appreciated the lightheartedness which gels well with dry humor. Writing is top-notch, and the British rigidity lends dry humor that permeates the entire affair. Plus, small surprises like Lizzy’s stellar swordsmanship add further intrigue to the story. One of the best moments finds a riotously comedic Titanic reference.

Voice acting is some of the best in any animated feature. Notably, Spike Spencer as Snake lends his talents marvelously. Snake’s reptilian companions are named Wordsworth, Emily, Bronte, Oscar, Wilde, Goethe, Keats, Webster, and Donne. These literary names are an excellent touch, and his constant narration continues to shine. Grell Sutcliff (Daniel Frederick) appears and remains charmingly devilish. Fellow reaper William T. Spears (Barry Yandell) also enjoys a prominent. role. There’s a lot of depth given to characters throughout. Undertaker (John Swasey) notably features a fascinating evolution. But it’s Lizzy who comes sees the largest transformation during the movie.

I like that the story is fairly standalone. Black Butler Book of the Atlantic can be enjoyed without having seen a previous episode. In the third act, there’s a detour to recap the events which brought Ciel and Sebastian together. Additionally, only subtle moments reference past Black Butler lore and what’s absent is implied. As such, it’s a film which eschews a reliance on previous material.

However, the recap in the third act gets a bit long. This segment is neat as is it’s a brief history of Sebastian and Ciel. But it lasts a noticably lengthy amount of time. Additionally, while the animation is exquisite, the mixture of 2d and 3d artwork is distracting. Often for long panning shots like the boat exteriors or ocean scenes are 3d while the rest of the film is 2d. This feels uncomfortable as transitions are fairly awkward.

Yet Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic is nevertheless phenomenally well acted and written. Its campy, Hammer Films-esque horror is amazing and the character design is majestic. Book of the Atlantic is a fresh, hilarious, and riveting chapter in Black Butler.