REVIEW: The Lego Batman MovieBy Quinn OxleyFebruary 11, 2017I was mildly disappointed that it didn’t feature Batman’s “Untitled Self Portrait” (“Darkness, no parents”) from its predecessor, but I digress.

Do I need a synopsis here?  It’s Batman, and The Lego Movie.  You’re gonna see it.

By far, the best thing about The Lego Batman Movie is its self-awareness.  The references alone are worth the price of admission.  Batman and Robin, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad - nothing is safe from a biting critique.  The movie has a perfect understanding of Batman’s cultural presence and capitalizes on it in the best way.  The movie also revolves around some historically fascinating facets of Batman’s character - his back and forth with the Joker, his loner persona, and his extremely awkward relationship with Robin.  I’d even go so far as to say that future live-action Batman films could learn a thing or two from this approach to the character.

The scenes where humor was the focal point were absolutely hilarious.  The opening scene, for example, was very Deadpool, and I love to see that kind of hyperbolic, cognizant humor making its way into movies with a less exclusive audience.

Obviously, Will Arnett leaves an indelible mark on animated Batman, and Zach Galifianakis is a surprisingly appropriate Joker.  (Of course, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill will always be the standards, but for this movie’s approach, Arnett and Galifianakis were spot-on for their respective roles.)  Michael Cera, Ralph Fiennes, and Rosario Dawson provide an exceptional supporting cast, and the myriad of other voice talents - Jenny Slate, Jemaine Clements, Seth Green, Eddie Izzard, and on and on into eternity - make the film a joy to listen to.

The Lego Batman Movie isn’t perfect, however.  The story isn’t so subtle, which is par for a family-oriented film, but slightly disappointing nonetheless.  While the story does like to focus on the more relational side of Batman’s lore, it has some trouble accomplishing that.  His relationship with Robin is still awkward, even if it is “clearly” a father-son relationship; his interactions with the Joker are also satirized, but as the film is coming to a close, their chemistry becomes… strange, to say the least.  Much of the conversational humor failed to impress me, as well, but that simply means I didn’t laugh at every joke.  The movie’s more than covered in the humor department.

Is it good, though?

Definitely.  Perhaps not the best animated movie ever made, but undoubtedly the best DC big-screen feature in the last five years.

Rating: 7.5/10

2016 © ScreenFellas Entertainment