Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Starring Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, Khary Payton, Tara Strong

Directed by Peter Rida Michail & Aaron Horvath

The Story:
While all the other superheros are getting their own movies, the Teen Titans - led by Robin (Scott Menville) - are desiring a movie of their own, particularly Robin.  No matter how hard they try, they can't seem to draw the attention of famous filmmaker Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell), because they don't have an arch-nemesis, and are seen as goofs.  Robin, along with Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Raven (Tara Strong), and Starfire (Hynden Walch) set out to find their own arch-nemesis, and find it in Slade (Will Arnett), who plans on controlling the minds of everyone in the world to do his bidding.

The Synopsis:
In 2003, the original "Teen Titans" cartoon hit Cartoon Network, and the show was a critical and audience hit, because it didn't dumb itself down for a younger audience, but rather served as a treat for young and old alike, comparing it to the classic "Batman" animated series in the 1990s.  The series wasn't afraid to tackle serious issues, and the animations were crisp and vibrant, but the show was eventually canceled.

In 2013, the series was re-invented, but instead appealed to a much younger audience.  Although the voice actors returned to their roles, the show was a shell of what it used to be.  Instead of being a dark, serious show, it was instead a silly, goofy, lighthearted version of itself that catered only to the much younger audience.  When they announced a movie based off this iteration, I wasn't excited to say the least, and it took me awhile to finally watch it, despite surprisingly decent reviews from critics.  While the film wasn't as awful as I thought it was going to be - and even though it hinted at moments of pure brilliance - it always managed to resort to its silly nature, serving as nothing more than an elongated episode that had no logical right to exist.

The film follows the antics of the Teen Titans - Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire - as they try to make a name for themselves in a world overpopulated by serious superheroes.  Robin in particular wants to be taken seriously, and have a movie of his own, since it seems every superhero is getting their own movie.  When they're told they're not taken seriously because they don't have an arch-nemesis, they find villain Slade, and it seems that their dreams are coming true - or it could just be the start of a new nightmare for them all.

The film does a great job at poking fun at superhero movies, and isn't afraid to make fun of itself (including references to poorly received fellow DC films like "Green Lantern"), and this is where the film shines.  There's no hinting that they're making fun of the insane fandom superhero movies hold, and most of these jokes are very funny and unintentionally emotional (especially the cameo appearance of Stan Lee, who, despite founding rival comic world Marvel, appears in this DC film as one of his famous cameos that came out months before his death).  The whole point of the film is Robin getting his own film, and we see how this could unintentionally nefariously create problems in the world.

The action is decent, hearkening back to the classic series, with some real implications that go far above any silly consequences the new series has.  On top of that, there's some great moments for the older audiences to enjoy - most notably a montage where they go "back to the future" - but those only seem moments of brilliance in an otherwise bloated kiddy film.

There's several running gags that get old after the first two outings, and it seemed there were moments where the film didn't know where to go.  Robin repeatedly stated that he wants his own movie, and it's something that's beaten into our brains as he repeats it ad nauseam.  Then there are the songs, which were numerous and more mind-numbing than the last, and personally were just irritating to me.  Maybe I was hoping for a more serious take on the Teen Titans, despite knowing it wasn't going to happen.  At least it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be - and that's the best thing I can say about it.

The Summary:
Despite offering some moments of pure brilliance, "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies" maintained its more kid-friendly version of the DC heroes, annoying the audience with songs and low-brow humor that were interrupted only momentarily by truly hilarious moments.

The Score: C