The LEGO Batman Movie review: All other Batman parodies are now defunct Sorry, this LEGO Movie spin-off has made every Batman joke possible, so the rest of you might as well go home Saturday 4 February 2017 11:05 GMT It's intriguing, in a way, to see The LEGO Batman Movie hit the scene exactly a full year after Deadpool's trumpeted arrival. The hope, obviously, is that kids won't have seen the latter (pray for good parenting); yet, for adults, the comparison may be hard to ignore. We've re-entered the realm of the meta-superhero narrative and, honestly, it's The LEGO Batman Movie which actually emerges triumphant. Call it the boon of opportunity which arrives hand-in-hand with animation, but it commits fully to its fourth-wall-breakage and endless self-referencing in a way which simply outlasts its live-action compatriot. Buckle in and hold on tight, because the jokes start dropping as early as the studio logos and only relent once we're deep into end credits territory.
A spin-off of 2014's wildly successful The LEGO Movie it may be, but it's hard to consider this film as anything other than a one-shot deal; Warner Bros. have thrown everything into the ring here, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single Batman joke that isn't exploited here, much less any wiggle room for a sequel. Every age, every iteration becomes prime target for parody: from the whiz-bang camp of the '60s TV show to Tom Hardy's indecipherable mumbles in The Dark Knight Rises. Even Gentleman Ghost gets a brief shout-out: a gentleman, a ghost, and possibly the least expected Batman villain ever to make it screen. Will Arnett's welcome return, after his scene-stealing turn in The LEGO Movie, continues a vocal performance which expertly combines every Batman that's come before; all combined with the fragile ego of a man who's Instagrammed every single gym session he's ever undertaken, as he now attempts to stop short the Joker (Zach Galifianakis)'s plans to conquer Gotham, while finding himself saddled with a newly-adopted son in Robin (Michael Cera).
If this all sounds a little exhausting, worry not: LEGO Batman nimbly manages to pull off this kind of hyperspeed humour through the sheer level of quality being maintained, interspersing its silliness with pointed jabs at Batman's place in pop culture, getting right to the heart of the matter in a way Zack Snyder's excessively sombre Batman v Superman never dared. That includes the admittance that, despite his iconic appeal, we're talking about a character who represents something of an authoritarian elite; certainly, a tax-dodger if he's managing both the upkeep of the Batcave and all of its ludicrous gadgets. Or, as the film succinctly puts it, he's essentially "an unsupervised adult man karate-chopping poor people". With any superhero movie, inevitably, come the shadow of the shared universe; however, LEGO Batman keeps its references to its cinematic predecessor refreshingly minimal, though a continued giddy attitude towards its property mash-up ethos once more ends up being a driving force behind the film.
37 Films to get excited about in 2017 Which is exactly where the film may prove its most divisive: either charming its viewers with the straight enthusiasm of its arsenal of pop culture references, or gaining its contractors through that oncoming stench of merchandising opportunities. Neither does the film engage with the breadth of emotions which made The LEGO Movie such an instant treasure, choosing instead to invest squarely in its gloriously chaotic action setpieces. Yet there's no doubt, The LEGO Batman Movie delivers a deliriously fun ride that likely to stand up surprisingly well amongst the rest of this year's superhero films. The LEGO Batman Movie hits cinemas 10 February. The LEGO Batman MovieBrooke Vincent let her hair down and indulged her inner child when she attended The LEGO Movie 4D: A New Adventure premiere on Saturday.The Coronation Street actress turned out to support the popular play brand's latest project: an immersive 12-minute-long film featuring characters from 2014's LEGO Movie which is set to be screened at Manchester's LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in the Trafford Centre.Brooke
, 23, couldn't stop smiling at the event, for which she put on a stylish display in a long-sleeved white shirt, dark skinny jeans and Adidas kicks. Playtime: Brooke Vincent, 23, turned out to support LEGO's latest project: an immersive 12-minute-long film featuring characters from 2014's LEGO Movie at the film's premiere in ManchesterShe wore a sophisticated split-sleeve cape over her shoulders in a preppy style, partially obscuring her cream over the shoulder bag.Stood in a playroom with plenty of building blocks and soft apparatus, Brooke cut a cheery figure, flashing a pearly white smile.The star wore her sleek brunette tresses in a middle parting and her skin emanated a healthy glow. She opted for a muted application of make-up, with a matte lip and lashings of mascara.Brooke couldn't stop smiling at the event, for which she put on a stylish display in a long-sleeved white shirt, dark skinny jeans and Adidas kicks Soap stars: The Corrie star posed beside Emmerdale actress Natalie AndersonBrooke was joined at the event by fellow soap stars Natalie Anderson, Jane Danson and Kirsty-Leigh Porter as well as the Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward.Manchester's LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is the only such centre in the UK and is one of the city's top attractions for children.
According to LEGOLAND, the new film sees The LEGO Movie characters 'Emmet, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, MetalBeard and Benny visit a strange new theme park where all the rides are inspired by the madcap events of The LEGO Movie. But all is not as it seems when the heroes are once again thrust into the middle of an evil secret plot and must rely on the Master Builder skills of a surprise ally to save the day.' Cheerful: Jane Danson covered up in a leather jacket and black jumper which she teamed with skinny jeans and black boots In February, it was revealed Brooke's long-term relationship with footballer Josh McEachran had ended, with a source telling The Sun: 'The long-distance thing works for some people, but not for them. Josh has been texting Brooke since the split but she's determined this is now the end.'There's no bad blood between them. They've been together since they were teenagers and they've vowed to remain friends.'The actress is temporarily quitting Corrie, which she's appeared in since 2004, later this year to star in the theatre production of Be My Baby.