After the mega-success that came from 2014’s critical and commercial darling, “The LEGO Movie,” it seems like the world of LEGO could do almost anything. The creators of the original film are back with a solo film based around their brooding, heavy metal and self-obsessed version of Batman.
The immediate best part of the film is, as with the first LEGO movie, the animation. The world crackles and pops with plastic goodness, showing the scratches and finger print smudges on Batman’s face as he stares and broods in the dark. LEGO and pop culture filled Batcave.
Will Arnett manages to channel plenty of emotion into his seemingly one-note version of Batman, showing us his darkness and why Batman is who he is. The rest of the cast is excellent; Michael Cera may well be an excited puppy as he voices young Dick Grayson, Rosario Dawson channels her inner hero as Barbara Gordon and Ralph Finnes delivers deadpan glory as Alfred the Butler.
Zack Galifinakis deserves acclaim all his own, bringing an original kind of energy to The Joker and a whole new kind of undertone to the film. Let’s just say ‘entendre’ is the name of the game here, and it’s just one level of the film’s glorious humor.
Chris McKay, a writer from the first film and alumnus of the adult parody show “Robot Chicken,” directs this LEGO outing. His signature stylings show with frenetic humor and fast paced action shining throughout the film. The humor cuts deeper than the C grade villains shown, with everything from George Michael tributes to jokes about past Batman costumes and their “cultural insensitivity.”
The filmmakers have realized that we kind of know what to expect with a LEGO film now and cranks the nerdy fever dream that is “The LEGO Batman Movie” up to eleven. Without spoiling anything, the villains and characters that pop up aren’t just limited to Batman and you very well may find yourself in the theatre with your jaw on the floor.
From the very first moment the film begins, Batman tells us how to open a good movie. The humor is clearly on point, with jabs at everything from the most laughable D.C. villains, to romantic comedies, like “Must Love Dogs” and “Serendipity.”
While not as unexpected as the first films, the emotional core is still rock solid here. Batman is a lonely guy, as shown in every one of his past theatrical excursions, and the writers explore this, giving the weirdest version of the Caped Crusader his best emotional arc yet.
“The LEGO Batman Movie” has the potential to alienate those who are sticklers for the Batman canon. However, the movie not only expands on the LEGO Cinematic Universe and the emotional stakes of these plastic bricks, but it shows that we don’t know what to expect from the LEGO films anymore. The only thing we can expect, is the unexpected- the amazingly good unexpected. 5/5 stars
