Review of The Lego Batman Movie (2017) by Nelson P — 15 Mar 2017

Brooding, dark, tormented, these are the words that come to mind when one mentions Batman. Whether you read about him in the pages of DC's comic books or follow his adventures in Nolan or Synder's universe, everyone knows the Batman is one superhero/vigilante that bad dudes do not want to be caught down a dark alley with. However, this self serious attitude that surrounds the cape crusader can be a turn off to some long time fans that prefer the superhero portion of the character, rather than the deep character study of Bruce Wayne and his gallery of rogues that is often covered. Director Chris McKay aims to change all of that and gives us one of the most hilarious and heart felt takes on the dark knight, ever.

The villains are on the loose and on the prowl, ready to blow a hole through the heart of Gotham City and send it sinking to the Lego abyss below. Not while Batman is on the clock! With his master builder skills, Batman makes short work of his foes and cements to his greatest villains and everyone else that he works alone and does not need anyone. This is the key to the story as Lego Batman explores the depth of what makes Batman a compelling character and drives to keep those he cares for as far as away as possible to keep them out of harms way. Gone is the long winded and repetitive backstory which we have seen a thousand times (most recently in 2016's unhappy BvS), instead we get an enriching story of the importance of family and accepting that not everything can be controlled or prevented and handled alone.

At the core of the film is a fantastic message for children to take in, covered in eye popping CGI reminiscent of the fast paced, colorful Lego Movie from a few years back. Everything here, script wise, is just as tight and quick as it was before with many jokes for both children and their parents (or inquisitive and nerdy adults like myself). As a fan of comic books and all things Batman, the film packs in many references to Batman's history in all mediums, including film, TV, comic book, and more! Eagle eyed fans will spot characters and pieces of Batman lore peppered throughout the film and be introduced to the most obscure villains to come out of the pages of DC's comic books (Condiment Man was a real thing, wait until you see him). Will Arnett brings Batman to roaring life, giving the character the perfect mix of dark and funny, accompanied by a stellar cast that features Micheal Cera as Robin, Ralph Fiennes as Alfred, Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon, and Zack Galifianakis as the most upbeat and adorable (that's right, I said adorable) version of Joker you have ever seen. So grab the kiddos or plan a cool Saturday afternoon and catch Lego Batman while it's still in theaters. It's the perfect film for the comic book kid in all of us!