Review of The Lego Batman Movie (2017) by Joshua S — 05 Mar 2017

What makes Lego Batman so remarkable is how earnest it is. There has been much discussion of this movie trying to be a send up of the modern, darker and serious takes on Batman. But to me, it felt more self-contained than that. It merely tells a story about a self-absorbed egomaniac coming to grips with his need for a family and tells it well. It ends up being one of the most heartfelt and didactic children's movies this side of Zootopia. No, it doesn't have the twist or shock and awe of The Lego Movie. But it engrosses its audience in its surprisingly serious narrative all the same.

Now, obviously I have a vested interest in this movie. Lego Batman is, in fact, the mascot of our humble movie blog. And Batman and his mythos is perhaps one of my favorite things ever, as many of you are PAINFULLY aware. However, it was actually the intelligent and deconstructive knife that The Lego Movie used that excited me for this picture. And there is more of the same brilliance here. Will Arnett plays the same obnoxious windbag that he did before. He follows a bit of an arc similar to Emmett from Lego Movie. The difference is where Emmett had to be umm...less stupid and clueless in order to evolve, Batman has to be less of a selfish, lonely jerk. Arnett knows how to play up comedic hijinks and dramatic moments quite fluidly and in his own off-beat way belongs in the pantheon of actors who have successfully given their own take on the Dark Knight. There is a crapton of voice actors who earn their pay in this one and I'm going to no doubt miss some. Michael Cera is an overeager and borderline innocent Dick Grayson/Robin who is desperately searching for a father. Ralph Fiennes is an excellent Alfred Pennyworth who really wants Bruce Wayne to grow the hell up. (Btw if this was live action you have to admit Fiennes is PERFECT casting for Alfred.) And Rosario Dawson impresses as a Barbara Gordon who is becoming the GCPD Commissioner and represents much needed change. And yes, the metaphor for Batman admitting that he needs Joker in the same way one would need a significant other pretty much nails the psychosexual angle of that 80-year-old rivalry on the head completely.

The visuals likewise are beautiful and make you want to grab a ton of LEGO bricks and get to work. So yes, the marketing here works, but it's service to a better story than we deserve or need to be honest. The Lego Batman Movie will probably end up as one of the best children's movies of the year. I don't necessarily agree with a good chunk of the self-important jackasses on the internet saying that it's the best Batman movie since The Dark Knight or Batman 1989 or something, but it's a fine popcorn movie for everybody. And besides, the finest non-live action Batman movie to date is unquestionably The Mask of the Phantasm. But you knew that already.