2017. Dir: Chris McKay
When you’re laughing before a single frame of the incredible stop motion style animation has even been shown, you know you’re in for a fun time. And that’s exactly what the wonderful LEGO BATMAN MOVIE delivers by the truck load. Fun. There’s a lot to be celebrated with this film, not least that it’s the first Batman film in 20 years that kids can go and see, without parents having to worry about them asking “mummy, why did Batman decapitate that man with his car?”. More than any DC film for a while, you can feel the love and appreciation of the character poured into every inch of the screen.
One of my biggest criticisms of the current DC cinematic universe is how they seem to feel embarrassed of their source material, unwilling to let the grim scowl drop for even a moment to lighten up proceedings, and even when they try to do something slightly off-centre with SUICIDE SQUAD, it feels forced, clunky, coming off like a sloppy imitation of something more original, like Mega Bloks.
Of course, LEGO BATMAN, spinning off from the wonderful 2014 surprise smash LEGO MOVIE, wasn’t going to be dour or ashamed of itself. I don’t think its possible for this animation team to make a grim movie, but boy does it enjoy poking fun at the live action films that do. Perfectly skewering any and all Batman property, from BvS to Nolan’s trilogy, bat nipples, all the way back to the first TV show, nothing is safe from a good teasing and it’s here that the film is at its best. Jokes come at you so fast, and so thick in the first 45 minutes that at times it feels almost overwhelming, your brain trying in vain to keep up as theyre exploding at you, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just so jam-packed with humour and fun that you’re only likely to fully appreciate everything after a few viewings.
While writing this I tried to think of which of the numerous Bat-villains cameos I enjoyed the most (every Bane moment made me burst laughing), and I just got one of the many jokes I missed, involving Killer Croc and began giggling to myself. I cannot stress enough the sheer density of jokes this thing has in its first half. The opening sequence reels through the rogues with lightning pace, giving nearly all a memorable moment as Batman fights through them while playing a brilliantly funny, pre-prepared rock mix. It’s an incredible, dizzying sequence and one destined to be repeated over and over as I try to find every last visual gag in the frame. Perhaps the villains would’ve benefited from a little more fleshing out here and there, they pack a lot into a snappy 90 minute run-time but sometimes you are left wanting more time with them in this bonkers world.
When the film eventually does settle down, it’s a story about how Batman has isolated himself from people, scared of connecting with anyone after losing his parents (we thankfully don’t need 3 separate Wayne murder scenes here). Over the course of the film, along with the help of the accidentally adopted Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), butler Alfred (Ralph Feinnes) and Gotham’s new commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), the story follows the path of Batman learning to let people into his life, embrace friendships and family and not be the depressed, lonely figure he had become (wonder if there’s a lesson for DC in there somewhere?). I have long felt the strongest and most interesting aspect of Batman’s mythology is this extended family he gathers, and how they support and enrich each other, those stories always seem to be the most powerful and its wonderful to see them taking that route here.
Zach Galifianakis plays his arch nemesis the Joker, and him and Batman share a fun play on a romantic tale of them needing each other but Bats wont admit it, it works well with enough jokes to both entertain kids with the odd one that will sail just slightly over their heads and hit with the adults in the audience. It’s a balance that studios like Disney have been great at maintaining for years, and the team here led by director Chris McKay in his first feature-length animation after working on the TV series ROBOT CHICKEN, also walk that line perfectly. Lord and Miller stay on from THE LEGO MOVIE this time as producers, making sure the film is every bit as witty and sharp, and everything clicks into place as perfectly as a pair of freshly moulded 2 x 4 bricks.
I cannot leave without mentioning the incredible character designs, from Joker’s exaggerated smile and long purple coat tails, a fully brick-built Clayface, Dick’s jam jar glasses that magnify his eyes, and possibly my favourite design with Killer Croc, where they marry the regular crocodile LEGO head-piece to a big-fig which is absolute genius. Every character has been given a wonderfully fresh twist on their traditional comic book looks and they work perfectly with the joyful, playful tone of the movie.
While it doesn’t quite hit the heights of that original film, LEGO BATMAN is every bit as enjoyable, providing a much needed injection of fun, humour and a deep love for its characters that DC films have been missing for the best part of a decade. If only all DC films were rebuilt as vibrant, energetic LEGO films, I have no doubt they would all be much better for it.
that lego guy 