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GOTHAM CITY — When it was announced that Warner Bros. and DC were going to create yet another iteration of Batman on the big screen just a few years after Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan hung up the cape and cowl, a lot of eyes started rolling in heads with cries of, “We just did this, why are we doing this again?”
Then we got that version, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and most of the eye rolls were totally merited. Then it was announced that we were getting another version of Batman, this time in the form of “The LEGO Batman Movie,” but we didn’t see any eye rolls. Why? Because Will Arnett proved to be amazing as the tiny Caped Crusader in “The LEGO Movie” and we couldn’t wait to see more of it.
The movie is now ready to release and I can assure you that the fun, entertaining and totally off-the-wall LEGO Batman movie you wanted is here.
Let’s just start this off by saying I loved “The LEGO Batman” movie. Here’s why:
The cast
We know that Will Arnett kills it as the voice of Batman. I can’t see the comedic actor actually playing the Dark Knight in a live-action film, but I think he was born to voice the Batman. His timing and tone are absolutely hilarious, and at this point, Arnett is Batman to me. But thankfully he’s not the only great part of the movie.
“The LEGO Batman” movie is stacked with talented performers including Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Jenny Slate, Billy Dee Williams, Conan O’Brien, Zoe Kravitz, and of course, Zach Galifianakis.
All of the voice actors are hilarious in their own right, but the leads of Cera, Galifianakis, Fiennes and Dawson are hilarious and well worth your time to check out.
It’s so much fun
I loved “The LEGO Movie” and had an absolute blast watching it. The same can be said for LEGO Batman. Between the stunning visuals, witty one liners and long setup jokes, it’s pretty much impossible to not have a great time at this movie.
Director Chris McKay gives us a visual feast in his motion-picture debut that keeps you glued to the screen throughout the film. There are moments when the pacing is a little off and my attention came dangerously close to wandering, but then I’d get something that pulled me right back in.
Just understand that when I go to a movie with my kids, I want to have a great time, and that is exactly what I got with “The LEGO Batman” movie.
It’s almost too clever
Something I really appreciated about “The LEGO Batman Movie” is how clever it is. The writing is smart, out-of-the-box, and at times, magically ridiculous. I don’t want to spoil anything, but know there are more villains in this movie than any other superhero movie ever and it works. Scratch that, it more than works; it’s borderline brilliant.
The construction of the plot as it intertwines with jokes and insane setups are so well developed that professors could probably teach screenwriting classes based on it. OK, I’m not a screenwriting professor, but the narrative seamlessly flows with the jokes and character motivations so well that even though it’s ridiculous, it’s incredibly smart.
The jokes come fast and the film will require multiple viewings to catch all of them, but that’s OK, because watching this one several times won’t be a chore.
It has a great message
Underneath the silly jokes and massive explosions lies the heart of “The LEGO Batman Movie,” which just so happens to be a really sweet message about family, selflessness, and the importance of helping others while being willing to accept help in return. I’m not trying to get sappy here and neither do the filmmakers at any point, but there is a strong message in there that is great for both kids and adults.
I appreciated the fact that the team behind the movie didn’t go for all slapstick and no depth, but just like its predecessor, “The LEGO Movie,” this one manages to remind us that film can be a great teacher while entertaining us along the way.
Conclusion
When comparing them side-by-side, I still prefer “The LEGO Movie” to “The LEGO Batman Movie,” but it’s not by much. The few issues with pacing that the film had couldn’t deter from the fun I had in the theater.
When it comes to age appropriateness, I’d say use “The LEGO Movie” as a measuring stick. If your kids could handle that then this should not be an issue. I took my 3-year-old son and he loved it. Some of the jokes went right over his head, but the visuals and physical humor were more than enough to keep him excited.
While we’re on the topic of my little boy, I think his words sum up what you should know about “The LEGO Batman Movie.” When it was all over and we got back to the car, he looked up at me from his car seat in the back seat and said, “Dad, that was the best Batman movie ever.”
Granted, it’s the only one he’s ever seen and I can’t agree that it’s the “best ever,” but I will say it’s the best family Batman movie ever and worth the trip to the theater.
