The LEGO Batman Movie

The LEGO Batman Movie

Starring Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson

Directed by Chris McKay

 The Story:
After once again saving Gotham from the likes of the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) and the other bad guys of the city, Batman (Will Arnett) confronts the Joker and tells him that he doesn't mean anything to him, hurting the Joker's feelings.  Then he attends a gala where the new Commissioner - Gordon's daughter Barbara (Rosario Dawson) - is taking place, and Batman unwittingly acquires foster child Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), and then learns Barbara plans on limiting Batman's abilities and having him work more with the police force than as a vigilante, since it doesn't seem to be stopping the bad guys from attacking the city.

Meanwhile, still hurt by how Batman treated him, the Joker unleashes a plan to bring the baddest of the bad guys the world has to offer to Gotham in hopes of being Batman's biggest enemy, and Batman comes face-to-face with dealing with handling Dick as well as coming to terms with his biggest fear - having a family.

The Synopsis:
In 2014, "The LEGO Movie" hit theaters and I was very skeptical about it.  I couldn't see how a movie based on the world-famous building blocks could be any sort of success.  Thankfully my skepticism was banished within the first ten minutes of the movie as I found myself in uproarious laughter and throughout the film I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe at some points, and I had to see it again (and again, and again) to pick up on all the other jokes I had missed the previous times.

So with "The LEGO Batman Movie," my expectations were slightly increased, and once again I was not disappointed.  I've only seen it once so far, but I'm planning on going again real soon to catch up on the jokes I missed because I was once again laughing so hard I was surely missing out on some of the jokes.

That's not to say "Batman" is on par with "The LEGO Movie," as I still find the original much more funny especially with Chris Pratt and Morgan Freeman, but that's not to say "Batman" didn't have its moments as well, thanks to the amazing Will Arnett and Michael Cera, who played off each other brilliantly.  The film consisted of so much self-defecating humor that it was a pure delight to see how not serious the film was taking itself.  From showcasing some of Batman's most obscure - and downright corny - villains (The Condiment King, The Eraser, The Polka Dot Man, etc) to insulting every other Batman movie incarnation (even the 1960s Batman), the film is chocked to the brim with special Easter Eggs any true Batman fan would know and appreciate.

What I also enjoyed about the film is that it is a delight for old and young alike.  The animation is beautiful, the humor is contagious and non-stop, and the action is exciting and fun.  There's an old adage that says to get a serious point across you should use humor, because it lets the guard down and allows the hard truth to seep in and take root, because you're not paying attention to it.  "The LEGO Movie" did that by getting the point across that it's most important to be yourself, and you have the power inside yourself to be awesome.  With "The LEGO Batman Movie," the theme is that you can't go through life alone - you need other people in your life in order to live a rich, full life.  Batman struggles with this not just here but in his other incarnations after the deaths of his parents and the fear of trusting others again, and here it's shown with his relationships with Alfred, Barbara, Robin, and even the Joker himself.

Speaking of the Joker, this is the best version of a movie that showcases the symbiotic relationship between the Caped Crusader and the Crown Prince of Crime, as the two have been literally duking it out for decades.  They do serve as the yin and yang to the series, and one cannot fully exist without the other.  The main threat in the movie doesn't necessarily come from the Joker - but rather from how Batman treats his arch nemesis.  The Joker just wants to be Batman's main villain, but he's so isolated he won't even allow there to be a main villain in his life.  We've seen these two battle it out in comics, television series and movies for decades, and here they really explore their relationship and the odd way they really depend on one another while they keep battling it out all the time.  Of course, it was done in the most hilarious way possible.

The Summary:
While it wasn't as funny as its predecessor, "The LEGO Batman Movie" is a pure delight for young and old alike, filled with beautiful animation, non-stop humor and a deeply personal message embedded inside.

The Score: A+