The Lego Batman Movie

There is an increasing super-hero fatigue in Hollywood where most stories seem recycled, the only answer to keep this genre going is to laugh at itself and not take itself too seriously. This phase was started out last February with Deadpool, and it’s seemingly continued with The Lego Batman Movie.

The Lego Batman Movie is an indirect spinoff of 2014 hit The Lego Movie, and this time we follow Batman (Will Arnett) as he goes about battling a diverse handful of villains including the classic Joker (Zach Galifianakis), and as he works reluctantly with new sidekicks, Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), Robin (Michael Cera), and Alfred (Ralph Fiennes). But the real merit of this film is in the way its able to meld worlds and genres much like The Lego Movie did.

However, as much as the satire makes you laugh, you can’t help but feel that it leans more towards jokes than the creative mold that made The Lego Movie such a critical and audience darling. And if we’re going to get into narrative choices, then we have to mention the final battle, which is extended a bit longer than many parents in the audience would like.

That’s not to say that this film isn’t enjoyable. It certainly goes all out on a satire and name-dropping that many movie-lovers will love, and even the plot itself is more ambitious than Deadpool’s was, making this the richer of those two superhero comedies. And the voice cast is absolutely perfect; Will Arnett returns as Batman and once again is great with both the arrogance and suave that his character require, and the additions of Michael Cera and Ralph Fiennes are invigorating with the enthusiasm that both actors brought to the roles.

So despite a less creative outing of this Lego franchise, the film is a good laugh as well as a decently made Batman movie; that’s more than the live Batman iteration can say currently.

7.3/10