The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

Review

103min

Genre:      Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Comic-book, Family

Director:   Chris McKay

Cast:        Will Arnett, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis…and more

Writers:    Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers… more

-Synopsis-

Basking in his glory of the saviour of Gotham City, ‘Bruce Wayne’ is faced with his greatest challenge yet… change. Now saddled with new responsibilities and facing his inner demons, the Lego ‘Dark Knight’ gears up for the ultimate clash against his greatest enemy… and a few of his new ‘friends’.

After nearly stealing the show in 2014’s unexpectedly glorious ‘The Lego Movie’, everyone’s favourite angry crime-fighting orphan get the full star treatment as Lego gets in on the ‘Cinematic Universe’ racket and shows the rest of Hollywood how play the toy-movie game, in this hugely entertaining animation epic for the whole family.

Will Arnett once again dons the virtual black cape, lending his deep gravelly voice and expert comedic timing to a gruff and arrogant ‘Batman’ who hides some deep-seated insecurities. He’s joined by an all-star voice cast which includes dramatic actors like Ralph Fiennes as ‘Bruce Wayne’s’ parental figure butler/confidant ‘Alfred’ and Rosario Dawson as his crime-fighting foil ‘Barbara Gordon’. While top comedic actors also feature, like Michael Cera as naive orphan/sidekick ‘Robin’ and Zach Galifianakis as ‘The Joker’ vying for ‘Batman’s’ disaffections, all adding their own spice to this delightful potpourri of endless characters.

Rather than your typical origin story, ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ plunges the audience straight into the frenetic action while wittily building the narrative on top of the near 80 year legacy of Gotham’s ‘Dark Knight’ in comics, TV and film. DC Comics fully commits to masterfully executed self-referential humour, cleverly conjured by the film’s many writers, digging into their extensive character repertoire and hilariously referencing every screen incarnation of their cowled ‘Caped Crusader’, while Warner Bros. unlocks its movie villain vault for some unexpected but welcome surprises.

The film has everything you might hope from an animation blockbuster based on the beloved interlocking plastic bricks; the action is non-stop and epic, rendered by animation so good that you’ll forget it’s all computer generated and believe you’re watching real toys in action, within the personal play session of the most creative kid ever. Add to that some major sound design, a driving superhero score and a soundtrack of pop from past & present, and you have a hugely entertaining spectacle to tickle all the senses.

The real star of the show though is the wonderfully inventive and joyful narrative, packed with gags, satire and pop-culture references, while layered enough for the whole family to take plenty from it. But there’s a good deal of emotion and a morality tale here too, with some funny but poignant relationship dynamics including an unwanted child paradigm between ‘Robin & Batman’, a ‘Joker’ longing for recognition by his nemesis, and ‘Alfred’ as a father-figure raising a petulant child in ‘Master Wayne’. All of them revolving around a brash titular hero who hides a soft centre, refusing to open up for fear of being hurt and loosing loved ones again in an overarching theme of family & friendship… and a timely message about the importance of unity during dark days.

Having to follow 2014’s hugely successful ‘The Lego Movie’, there’s no doubt that some of the novelty is gone, and ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ doesn’t have the luxury of an audience with no expectations or any idea of what a Lego movie could be. But director Chris McKay and the writers keep to a proven formula while successfully adding to it, giving the audience just under two hours of pure unadulterated entertainment. We’re sure to have fun finding out whether Warner Bros. can maintain the magic, as they expand their Lego ‘Cinematic Universe’ with ‘The Lego Ninjago Movie’ in October and the ‘The Lego Movie Sequel’ in early 2019.

The Bottom Line…

Will Arnett stakes his claim for the title of greatest Batman and leads an ensemble cast of voice talents on an epic animated battle of good vs. bad vs. evil. ‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ captures the magic of 2014’s ‘The Lego Movie’ while adding bags of self-referential humour and a strong social message, the result is a glorious visual spectacle and hilarious cinematic experience for the whole family. It remains to be seen whether the future of Lego at the movies will be this bright… but for now everything most certainly remains awesome.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The Lego Movie (2014)

In a Lego city in Lego world, a humble unsuspecting construction worker gets caught up in the fight again the tyrannical president when he joins a disparate group of heroes, mistaken for the prophesied ‘special’ who will lead them to glory he brings everyone together with his particular talents in this smash-hit animation epic.

Directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller and starring Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks and Will Ferrell among others.

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