It’s time to end those debates on which version of Batman is the best. Senseless diatribes over whether Tim Burton’s, Christopher Nolan’s or Zack Snyder’s vision of the character is superior need to come to a close. Frivolous feuds over who donned the costume best: Adam West, Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Val Kilmer, George Clooney (hell no) or Ben Affleck? They’re all moot. Ditch the disputes, because the answer has been decided. The very best cinematic Batman is Will Arnett in the animated The Lego Batman Movie. From his incredible 9-pack abs, rugged persona, crime-dispensing prowess, outlandish gadgets and sharp wit to his impressive beat-boxing skills – this is the Batman to beat them all.

While it may seem in bad taste to start a review off by comparing it movies past, this is a film that does exactly that itself. More specifically, LEGO Batman perpetually compares itself to previous cinematic iterations of the Caped Crusader. It pokes fun at almost everything it can about the character, as well as the recent DC adaptions that have graced our screens (yes Suicide Squad, here’s looking at you!). This is without a doubt, the quintessential Batman film, unashamedly doing its best to make fun of everything it can and leave you laughing in its wake.

Resurrecting the tongue-in-cheek humour from The first Lego Movie, the Lego Batman Movie launches a barrage of jokes from the very first moment Will Arnett’s voice is heard, spectacularly breaking the fourth wall, to perhaps even better effect than another super-hero movie that we all know. It perfectly sets the tone and the audience’s expectations for the laugh-a-minute joyride ahead.

I was concerned that if the studio took the same approach with Batman, his sidekicks and his rogues gallery as they did in The Lego Movie, that they would run out of ideas to make a compelling film. I am happy to be proven wrong here. While the story still throws a cannonade of characters at you just as the first Lego Movie did, preventing any ideas from becoming stale, it’s firmly centered around Batman. As a masterstroke, there’s a surprisingly strong sense character development. To describe its plot as simplistically as possible: the film is about Batman and his relationships, or lack thereof, with others. Yes, there is the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) getting up to his usual tricks and an orphan boy that Batman mistakenly adopts who becomes Robin (Michael Cera), but the key motivation that drives the film forward is relationships. It sounds out of place for a movie that tries not to take itself seriously, but it works in spite of itself.

I don’t want to reveal too much more about the plot, but expect big, zippy action scenes with glorious amounts of bricky chaos, punctuated by charming scenes that add a ton of heart to characters you might have assumed you already knew. Also, be prepared to laugh. A lot. Practically every minute of The Lego Batman Movie is layered with an inside joke, gag or subtle jibe about something related to the expansive lore surrounding Gotham’s best detective, current events or pop culutre. It’s not just a silly, comic brand of humour either. Often its jokes are hard-hitting, incredibly clever and witty and most importantly, fresh. Yes, it’s an animated Lego movie, so it can also be quite absurd at times, but that’s part of its charm. Lego Batman features a core main cast that includes Gotham stalwarts like Batman’s butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes), a new commissioner Gordon and Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) and Harley Quinn (Jenny Slate). The rest of the numerous supporting characters come not just from DC Comics, but a host other movie properties that get the whimsical LEGO treatment. Most are used brilliantly for comedic effect, and this also allows the story to feel bigger than it should. The voice acting is impressive and though most of the supporting cast don’t get a lot to say, they make the most of delivering their lines with incredible wit. And those pew-pew sound effects never grow old

It’s also quite astonishing how incredibly deep the The Lego Batman Movie is. Although it never allows these emotional moments too much time to seep in, the sobering themes of Batman’s loneliness and desires for family are poignant and powerful, and handled with surprising sensitivity by director Chris McKay. He manages to tackle this weighty themes in a simple and succinct manner, perfectly balancing the comedy and dysphoria without becoming overbearing. In many ways, this presents a more human, more real Batman than found in Batman films from decades past.

And while The Lego Batman Movie is aimed as a movie for kids and adults alike, like many films of this ilk are, it probably skews on the side of the older generation. That’s not because the humour or subject is mature by any stretch of the imagination. In fact it’s as giddily, erratically childlike as you would expect for a children’s movie. But many of the jokes in the film are about references to previous movies, pop culture and characters that children are unlikely to understand and they will end up simply laughing at the slap-stick stuff but miss out on most of the film’s sharp wit. The cinema where I watched was packed with children, and while they definitely enjoyed the film, the adults did most of the laughing.

As you may expect given the nature of the movie though, it’s perhaps a little overstuffed. There are simply too many characters to appreciate and it’s easy to miss a lot of the jokes if you aren’t paying close attention. Additionally, some of the end action sequences get a little chaotic and it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all that was happening on-screen. It’s a minor gripe for what is otherwise, likely to be the most fun you’ll have in the cinema this year.

The Lego Batman Movie takes that addictive and outrageously fun attitude from The Lego Movie and builds on it exponentially, managing to create a hilarious film that is instantly memorable and decidedly weighty. There are many impending superhero movies to look forward to this year, but no matter how incredible they end up being, they are unlikely to top The Lego Batman for the most fun superhero movie this year. Or perhaps, ever.

Last Updated: February 7, 2017

The Lego Batman Movie
This is possibly the funniest movie you are going to watch this year and arguably one of the best Batman movies of all time. The Dark Knight has never been funnier, more macho - or more poignant.
8.5

30 Comments

  1. Captain JJ

    February 7, 2017 at 14:44

    THIS is the Joker we asked for 😀

    Reply

  2. Captain JJ

    February 7, 2017 at 14:45

    It’s Will Arnett, of course it’ll be awesome

    Reply

    • miaau

      February 7, 2017 at 15:50

      Assuming, of course, that A) I think all of Will Arnett’s work is superb and B) I know what work that is and C) I know, other than voice of lego Batman, I know who Will Arnett is.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ

        February 7, 2017 at 15:58

        Hmmm. I’ll assume that 😉

        Reply

        • miaau

          February 7, 2017 at 16:25

          Hey, you made a donkey. Somewhere, there is a donkey.

          *edit, late in the day, my blood sugar is really, really low and we are struggling. now, right?

          Reply

          • Captain JJ

            February 7, 2017 at 16:29

            XD

  3. DragonSpirit009

    February 7, 2017 at 15:10

    Good review… Finally a movie I can go watch!

    Reply

    • miaau

      February 7, 2017 at 15:54

      I am wondering if I can take my 3 year old. We saw Sing and she loved about 50 % of it before she got bored and we sat in the entrance way (nobody could see us from there, but could see 80% of the screen.) BUT, when the big finale came, she loved it. But that was music.

      Sigh. Wishful thinking, that I can take my daughter to see this.

      Reply

      • DragonSpirit009

        February 7, 2017 at 16:02

        For a 3 year old I can understand that the middle part was a bit boring for her. But yeah the end was excellent! Loved the music!

        Not sure this movie will be okay for her. Mostly because if it’s fast action stuff she might get bored from not actually understanding it.

        And I have no clue about kids anyway XD

        Reply

        • miaau

          February 7, 2017 at 16:24

          “And I have no clue about kids anyway XD”, yeah me too.

          Just wing it every day.

          Reply

  4. HairyEwok

    February 7, 2017 at 15:18

    DARKNESS, NO PARENTS! Super rich, makes it kinda better.
    – Batman

    Reply

  5. Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

    February 7, 2017 at 16:42

    MUST WATCH !!!

    Reply

  6. Banana Jim's Final Form!

    February 8, 2017 at 17:06

    I need to see this movie!

    Reply

  7. Grimsupanoob

    February 9, 2017 at 09:22

    Sweet. watching this tonight

    Reply

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