The LEGO Batman Movie under fire for being 'pro-gay propaganda' Because Bruce Wayne and Batman aren't the same person? Thursday 23 February 2017 12:15 GMT When The LEGO Movie hit cinemas in 2014, some people were very displeased by the ‘anti-business’ rhetoric being projected onto their kids. The film’s villain is, of course, President Business (a character who bears a striking resemblance to another current President). Now, those same critics are calling out The LEGO Batman film for apparently being ‘pro-gay propaganda’. Those of you who have seen the film are probably thinking ‘Wait a minute, did I miss something? There are no obviously gay characters, are there?’ Well, as brought to light by The Mary Sue, there are some people out there (read: conspiracy theorists) who believe the filmmakers were attempting to subliminally brain wash us. Founder of website Voice of the Family, John-Henry Westen, said of the film: “It was chock full of pro-gay propaganda.
Think the sexual innuendo of the Flintstones minus the real humour. “It seemed the creators were so anxious to subtly indoctrinate the little ones into the gender ideology that making it humorous came as a distant second thought.” First look at the LEGO Batman movie Western cites a review written by Michael Hamilton throughout, one that focusses on the adoption of Dick Grayson (Robin) by Batman and Bruce Wayne. Yep, Batman and Bruce Wayne are the same person, as admitted in the review, but there’s an ongoing joke in the film about Robin not realising this and thinking he has two Dads. The fact Robin is so OK with having two Dads adopt him, plus the hilarious relationship between the Joker and Batman has ignited fury in Hamilton. He writes: “The writers could have clumsily stacked topics such as gender identity, gender roles, and gender neutrality all over the story board like so many LEGOs. Instead, these topics hide in plain sight, because they are the foundation.
“Few parents and fewer kids will question any of it, because there’s a way to interpret all of it as technically innocent. That’s what makes these messages subliminal (and potentially powerful). LEGO Batman makes them seem plain as vanilla and American as apple pie.” There are, at no times in the film, romantic relations between the Joker and Batman. Nor does the ongoing “two Dads” joke ever reference a gay relationship. “[The] subliminal nature of LEGO Batman’s questionable themes is a mixed blessing,” Hamilton continues. “They’re subtle enough most people won’t notice. But failing to notice grants them normalcy, as though you’d be crazy or cruel to suggest anything was amiss here.” If we really are going to read into The LEGO Batman Movie, perhaps we should celebrate how Robin having two fathers is normal. Neither the character nor the majority of the audience question the idea of two men adopting a child together. (It also seems ironic that pro-family advocates are complaining about a film that focusses on the importance of family.)
Meanwhile, you can read our review of the genuinely hilarious film here.You guys, have you seen The Lego Movie? Have you have you have you have you? Because if you haven't, you should totally go see it as soon as possible. Yeah I know you're busy, but what have you got going on that's more important than being completely and thoroughly entertained for 100 continuous minutes? I'm feeling evangelical about The Lego Movie because I took my kids to see it this weekend and I was totally surprised by how much I loved it. While my 6-year-old was squirming in his seat and my 8-year-old was semi-distracted by the task of ferreting every last kernel out of his popcorn bag, I was utterly enraptured by the action happening onscreen. Honestly, I don't think I've laughed that much in a theater in years. What I'm saying is that I'm almost entirely certain you'll love it even if you don't have kids -- but if you need a little extra encouragement, here are 5 Lego Movie in-jokes that were clearly meant to sail right over little kids' noggins.
The Lego Movie was written and directed by the team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who also did 21 Jump Street, which starred Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. In The Lego Movie, Tatum voices Superman and Jonah Hill plays the socially awkward, overly clingy Green Lantern. Channing to Hill, when their characters get stuck together in a wad of gum: "I super hate you." Cobie Smulders from How I Met Your Mother voices Wonder Woman in The Lego Movie. If this seems like an oddly appropriate choice, given Smulders' gorgeous WW-esque looks, Joss Whedon has said he considered her for the role of Wonder Woman in his draft of the eponymous film, which never went into production. Smulders was also reportedly in the running for the Wonder Woman role in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman, but lost out to Gal Gadot. That's a bummer for her, but it looks like Smulders is at least enjoying playing a minifig version of the superheroine: The failed BIONICLE product line.When Morgan Freeman-voiced Vitruvius describes the various worlds Lord Business has tried to master, he mentions there are some no one cares about.
Watch the blink-and-you'll-miss-it glimpse of Bioncile, the line of toys Lego discontinued in 2010 (semi-replacing it with the Hero Factory series). Nice little self-deprecating nod to one of Lego's own unsuccessful products. Early on in the movie, Emmet's "friends" are seen eating croissants and turkey drumsticks while waxing poetic about what makes them all individuals. The joke here is that Lego only has a few foods that fit into mini-fig hands. Croissants show up in over 30 different LEGO sets, while turkey drumsticks are in well over 50. And now for the last one, which is a BIG spoiler if you haven't seen the movie ... At the very beginning of the movie when Lord Business and Vitruvius fight over the Kragle, we see a title screen that says, "Eight and a half years later." This we can assume refers to the birth of Finn, the live-action kid who's been playing with the Legos all along. As MTV puts it, So though it's never explicitly stated, when Finn was born, The Man Upstairs locked his toys away, separated the worlds and made sure that his son would never play with them.