Even as a Lego, the Caped Crusader is at His Crime-Fighting Best

Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) and Robin (voiced by Michael Cera)
in "The Lego Batman Movie"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 2014, “The Lego Movie” became one of the best cinematic surprises of that year when, instead of being a shameless marketing gimmick to sell the popular toys, it turned out to be a surprisingly funny, clever, and visually dazzling film with a heartfelt message that champions the power of imagination.  While that movie had a profusion of unique characters, one of the standouts was Batman, for whom Will Arnett provided a terrific voice performance.  

I have to admit, when I first heard there was going to be a spin-off involving his character, I was worried it would just turn out to be the cash grab “The Lego Movie” succeeded not to be.  However, this is not the case with “The Lego Batman Movie.”  Although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the first Lego film, director Chris McKay delivers an energetic and enjoyable continuation of these building blocks’ big-screen adventures.

In Gotham City, Batman/Bruce Wayne lives his life fighting numerous criminals and saving the day.  But despite his success, he can’t help but feel lonely in his mansion and always be troubled by his parents’ deaths, all of which cause him to be unable to hold onto any meaningful human connections.  But when Gotham faces danger from the maniacal Joker (Zach Galifianakis), Batman must get over his fear of relationships and enlist the help of his newly adopted son Richard Grayson/Robin (Michael Cera), his butler Alfred Pennyworth (Ralph Fiennes), and Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) to help him foil the Joker’s devious plans.

Arnett, Cera, and Galifianakis provide the best voice performances of the cast.  Arnett continues his comical and gravelly tough-guy voice à la Christian Bale from the “Dark Knight” trilogy; Cera is hilarious as Batman’s hyper and eager-to-please sidekick; and Galifianakis is wildly entertaining as the Batman’s dastardly nemesis.   

However, the one problem with this film’s voice roster is how, even though the three central cast members turn in very funny work, it’s the supporting characters who, although the voice actors do a fine job with the material they’re provided, their roles aren’t quite as memorable; whereas “The Lego Movie” had many distinctive characters, whether they be main or supporting.

When a screenplay has too many writers, it faces the risk of having a clash of multiple visions.  However, despite “The Lego Batman Movie” having five screenwriters (Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Somers, Jared Stern, and John Whittington), the film manages to tell a cohesive story with a clear idea in mind.  The narrative comes loaded with clever jokes, as well as pop-culture references that don’t feel like they were included for the sake of being hip.  Even with the film’s wealth of jokes, the writers are able to flesh out a heartfelt story of Batman and his difficulty connecting with others.  And although the movie’s ending is a tad similar to that of the first film, the story as a whole is still a delightful ride.

Just like directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s work on “The Lego Movie,” Chris McKay employs an endless amount of gorgeous and eye-popping animation.  He builds this installment into a lively action-adventure that keeps the jokes and impressive visuals coming at a lightening pace throughout the film, while also skillfully incorporating the emotions involved when dealing with Batman’s loneliness.  And with the help of a fun story from the film’s quintet of writers, McKay is able to harness the sense of creativity that stems from these building blocks and brings us an entertaining film that has something for viewers of any age, adding an inventive approach to Batman on screen.

Final Grade: B+