The LEGO Batman Movie Review: It’s Awesome!

“The LEGO Batman Movie” is awesome!

The LEGO movie franchise strikes again with “The LEGO Batman Movie.” I went to a screening of this movie earlier this week, and let me tell you that I thought it was funny, clever, and offered a dose of nostalgia for the grownups, too. It’s one of those movies where you can laugh out loud along with the kids, though they’ll likely not get a lot of the jabs you’ll be snickering about.  

This is a family movie that has something for everyone: action, adventure, bad guys, bad jokes and good ones, too. And there are cameos from characters that are very familiar to the mature crowd. (Gremlins, anyone?)  There’s even a little throwback to those black-and-white days watching Bruce Wayne on the old TV.

“The LEGO Batman Movie” is based on the old storyline; Batman has to save Gotham City from the Joker and LEGO bricks fly everywhere in the process!  But this flick adds new twists to the old plot. The Joker is after Batman’s attention, but the Cape Crusader has his own personal problems to deal with: loneliness, relating to others, and BatmanvsSuperman issues. (Yep. THAT movie still haunts Warner Bros.)

This movie will also tickle any self-respecting comic book junkie’s fancy.  The barrage of old-school superheroes leap onto the screen as fast as you can click a LEGO brick together. 

The cast is loaded with comedy ammo. Will Arnette does LEGO Batman’s voice. His sulky voice adds a layer of sass to the zingers the Cape Crusader delivers in every scene. Rosario Dawson is Batgirl. The Joker is voiced by Zack Galifianakis, and Conan O’Brien does The Riddler. There are slaps at Suicide Squad, with Harley Quinn voiced by Jenny Slater, and even Marvel’s IronMan gets a poke. 

“IronMan sucks!” is Batman’s password to get into the Batcave. 

Michael Cera gives us an adorable Dick Grayson. He becomes Robin after prancing around in a pant less Halloween costume, and ends up as Batman’s adopted son. 

Lord Voldemort joins the band of evil characters. Oddly Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and father figure, is voiced by Ralph Fines. He was the original voice of Voldemort in the Harry Potter films.

Anticipating who’ll come out next keeps our attention fixed on the fast-moving LEGO figures.

Yes, I said “fast moving LEGOS.”

If ever there was an oxymoron to describe LEGOS it has to be this one. Making the stiff LEGO figures seem life-like and flexible is quite an animation achievement!

And “The LEGO Batman Movie” is so fast paced you’ll need to put on a seat belt!

Of course, you can expect to hear stuff to make the younger viewers laugh out loud, too. Words like “butt” will likely make the tikes crack (pun!) up.

There’s violence and confrontations. And the action sequences come at you fast and furious. Though there are a lot of bombs and explosions, things are put back together in a snap! (I just can’t help myself!).

The one thing this movie doesn’t have is a memorable song. Unlike the tune “Everything is Awesome” in “The LEGO Movie,” you won’t walk out of “The LEGO Batman Movie” with a song planted deep in your brain’s frontal lobe.

And this, my friends, is another reason “The LEGO Batman Movie” is, well, awesome! 

The LEGO Batman Movie

Rated PG

Runtime 1 hour and 44 minutes