written by David Steffen
The Lego Batman movie is a comedy/action computer animated movie by Warner Bros. Pictures released in February 2017. It is a followup, if not exactly a sequel, to The Lego Movie (reviewed here). The connection with The Lego Movie is slight apart from the obvious connection that they’re Lego-based worlds: Batman (Will Arnett) is a recurring character, and there are references to certain characters being Master Builders who have uncanny Lego-building powers.
The movie starts with a typical scene in Batman’s life: Batman facing off against the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) and a horde of his other enemies both well-known and lesser-known, and then retires to his giant mansion empty but for Alfred his butler. Soon after, when Batman is back to being his alter-ego Bruce Wayne while at a charity event he accidentally adopts the orphan Dick Grayson (Michael Cera). Soon Dick finds the Bat Cave and decides to take a costume and bcome Robin to join Batman in his crimefighting adventures whether Batman likes it or not.
Like The Lego Movie, this movie is hilarious. You don’t have to watch The Lego Movie first, since there is very little connection between the two, but both are very well made comedy movies. You don’t necessarily have to be familiar with Batman, but a lot of the humor will land better if you have some familiarity with the characters–there are a lot of fun campy jokes poking fun at the old Batman TV series and movies. But there are plenty of funny parts even if you’re not in on those, and in some of my favorite parts late in the movie took very unexpected turns that were completely unexpected.
At the movie they had a preview for The Lego Ninjago Movie, and I will happily go see it, even though I’m completely unfamiliar with Ninjago.
