THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since the release of Tim Burton's Batman in 1989, we've had too many disappointing Batman films that aren't thrilling enough or are just plain embarrassing to watch (Batman & Robin, I'm looking at you). Fortunately, we now have Nolan's trilogy which gave the titular Dark Knight more background and developed into a true hero. It was full of thrilling action and still remains, to this day, the best feature film adaptation of Batman. Last year, fans and critics were left disappointed by the release of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Suicide Squad. The former's plot was too dark and Ben Affleck's portrayal of Batman wasn't anything special and the latter suffered from a predictable plot. This lead to many fans being worried that the Lego version of Batman would be a disappointment too. However, there's no need to worry as The LEGO Batman Movie can go right up there alongside Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy as one of the best adaptations of the famous caped crusader.

In 2014, Warner Animations released The LEGO Movie and it proved to be a surprise hit, making over $469 million at the box office. It also received critical acclaim and, because of the action and humour that featured within the animation, it was entertaining for the whole family. One of the most popular characters was Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) and this lead to him getting his spin-off film.

In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The Lego Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble - Lego Batman - stars in his own big-screen adventure: The LEGO Batman Movie. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker's (Zack Galifianakis) hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

The comedy featured in The LEGO Batman Movie is where this animation succeeds the most. Batman has plenty of one-liners throughout and most of the laughs are due to him and his self-deprecating humour. Both Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna have written a brilliant script that's full of digs at previous adaptations and hilarious references. The pair certainly don't hold back. This leads to Batman making a quip regarding Suicide Squad: 'Fighting villains with villains? That's just stupid'. Even Batman's butler, Alfred (Ralph Fiennes), refers to all the previous adaptations, even that 'weird one in 1966'. There are also many pop culture references as we see Batman watching Jerry Maguire and we also learn that he has a thing for romantic films. I honestly doubt anyone will be able to keep a straight face throughout. 

This animated feature also has a star-studded cast including Arnett as Batman. Like in The LEGO Movie, he captures Batman's famous deep growl perfectly and his witty dialogue makes Batman an all-round likable protagonist. I was surprised to discover that Galifianakis voiced the Joker but, as it turns out, he was a great choice. Throughout the film, I forgot that it was him. Michael Cera was brilliant as the young and awkward Richard 'Dick' Grayson who, after being accidentally adopted by Batman, goes on to become his sidekick, Robin. Cera captures Robin's innocence and provides lot of the humour. Fiennes also brings comic relief to his portrayal of Alfred as he supports Batman through his many endeavors. Rosario Dawson gives a fresh approach to her role as Barbra Gordon, the new Commissioner of Gotham City and she soon develops into a bad-ass BatGirl. Other recognisable characters include: Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz); Clark Kent/Superman (Channing Tatum); Harley Quinn (Jenny Slate) and Bane (Doug Benson), however, they are nothing more than cameos, hopefully, we'll see more of them in a future sequel.

This animated feature also has some sentimental value to it too, especially in the final climax. Throughout the film, we can clearly see that Batman is very independent and finds it hard to open up about his true deep feelings. Since losing his parents at a young age, he has found it difficult to be part of a family again, however, he soon gains a new one. A lot of us will be able to relate to the idea of wanting to be independent but this film reminds us how important family is. This works really well as we see Batman develop new relationships with Robin and Barbra Gordon. 

Unlike what we've seen recently, The LEGO Batman Movie has a coherent plot and moves at a brisk pace. The film has a simple narrative that younger children will be able to understand. However, there's enough twists and turns to make it, at times, unpredictable. The climax features various villains from other franchises including Voldemort from the Harry Potter films, Sauron from The Lord of the Rings and even the Daleks from the popular sci-fi TV series, Doctor Who. This all adds to the humour as it's so unusual to see all this famous villains work together in one film.

Much like The LEGO Movie, the animation stands out. The filmmakers used digital 3D animation and it's really impressive. The film looks like it was built entirely out of Lego bricks. The animation is full of bright and dazzling colours and stunning visuals.

Fans of The LEGO Movie will not be disappointed with this spin-off. Much like its predecessor, it's fresh and entertaining and suitable for the whole family. Fans of Batman may also be happy with this adaptation as it's full of thrilling action sequences to make it a worthy addition to the franchise. 

8/10