Batman himself as a character might not be joy personified, but this film certainly is. As much as I love 2014’s The Lego Movie, I was admittedly somewhat skeptical as to whether or not its satirical take on Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) could sustain an entire feature of his own. As the trailers, clips, and TV spots began to finally roll out for this spin-off, my fears slowly subsided. Still, a part of me worried that the schtick my wear out its welcome. My doubts and worries were unfounded. The Lego Batman Movie is fantastic.
Where to even begin? Naturally the film pokes fun at every notable era of the character on both the big and the small screen. From the Adam West “Batman” show to the ’90s animated series. From Batman Returns to Batman & Robin. From The Dark Knight to Suicide Squad. If you can think of it, it’s in there somewhere. The same goes for the majority of the Caped Crusader’s increasingly ridiculous gallery of rogues. Clayface, Egghead, The Gentlemen Ghost, and even a very Tom Hardy-ish Bane and many, many more all make an appearance.
I could go on and on about all of the references, character cameos, celebrity voice cameos, and all around surprise appearances in the film. To do so would be a disservice to the movie, however. I will leave you to discover those moments for yourself when you finally get a chance to see it. Make no mistake, you should go see this movie. The sooner the better, I might add.
No, what really drives The Lego Batman Movie home as a giant plastic-y slice of must-see enterntainment is the ooey-gooey heart at the center of it all. This film has a message and its one not just meant for kids. That message? You are no alone. You do not have to go through life alone. There are people that love you and people that need you in their lives just as much as you need them. Yes, that sounds incredibly corny and sappy. It is very much all of those things, but it is also incredibly hilarious and inventive in its execution of this message.
It’s rather fitting that this is the best Batman film to grace the silver screen since 2008’s The Dark Knight. In many ways, this is the yin to that film’s yang. If Nolan’s mid-trilogy opus epitomizes “dark” Batman without ever taking it too far, this film lives and breathes “fun” Batman without ever crossing the line into the “this is a toy eommercial” stylings of Batman & Robin. The world we live in is in so much turmoil these days that we must stand together to succeed and persevere. Positivity and unity are more important now than ever. The world will probably always need Batman, but it’s time for the grim and gritty Batman we’ve been dealing with steadily for almost 30 years to step aside. Right now, this is the Batman and the Batman movie that we need the most.
See this movie, folks. I think you’ll enjoy yourselves immensely if you do. It’s beyond delightful.
