IT TOOK a cartoon to render a cinematic Batman at his most human. As I continue to talk with fans of “The Lego Batman Movie,” two aspects keep coming up: How this film’s Joker engenders uncommon sympathy, and how moviegoers finally get a relatable Dark Knight. Those elements aren’t unrelated. “Lego Batman” is the most smartly subversive superhero film since last year’s “Deadpool” and goes after more specific game. The Ryan Reynolds blockbuster cheekily pokes fun at the rehashed tropes of the superhero film; “Lego Batman” is taking a toy sledgehammer to the entire dull-gray character construction that now encases the on-screen Caped Crusader. [‘Lego Batman Movie’ is all fun with none of the standard Dark Knight drama] We get it: With a bow toward Frank Miller, Batman on film must always be dark and tortured, or yet darker and more tortured. He’s one twisted, obsessed dude — the vigilante orphan who can find no peace, only purpose. His motivational pain only gains momentary salves through the spiritual cleansing of crime-fighting.
He tells himself that Gotham needs him, but just as much, he needs a Gotham. But what if Batman was boiled down to simply your textbook narcissist with attachment issues? What if, in other words, Batman was just kind of a self-absorbed glory hog — the kind of superhero who visits the orphanage more out of ego and guilt than goodwill? For once, in “Lego Batman,” the character is made “hashtag relatable” because he isn’t some Jenga tower of psychoses. He’s perhaps not even a loner entirely out of choice, but instead because he’s just kind of a cold, smug jerk. This new, plastic-soul Batman can’t even muster much hate for the Joker, who feels as though he’s doing all the emotional work in their one-sided relationship. Batman is positively frigid in his affections — the kind of icy fortress of perpetual solitude who watches “Jerry Maguire” and laughs at the title character’s neediness — to the point that it’s the Clown Prince of Crime who’s getting clowned.
It’s often been noted that Will Arnett has the ideal low-octave gruffness — like Cris Collinsworth recording his lines from inside a cigar humidor — to voice Batman without even need of tech modulation. But it’s not just a gravely baritone that renders Arnett right for the role. [The top 10 Batman actors ever, from George Clooney to Will Arnett] If there’s one character type that Arnett can play like a default setting, it’s the guy who’s self-involved to the point of smugness. From “Arrested Development” to “Blades of Glory” to “BoJack Horseman,” the actor has a gift for playing the mock-worthy jerk. And this is where Ben Affleck comes in. In interviews if not in his roles, Affleck has a beautiful knack for oozing smugness. And now, as DC’s multi-film Batman, it’s a gift that Affleck needs to fully own. Please take a cue from Lego Batman, Mr. Affleck. Let your live-action Dark Knight wear his self-satisfied smugness as snug as his scowling cowl. Because with that, the dark bite rises.
[Frank Miller on his ‘Dark Knight Returns’ 30 years later: ‘I was rooting for Batman all the way’]President Trump orders his steak well done with ketchup Brie Larson refused to clap for Casey Affleck at the Oscars Last night’s Oscars mix-up may have been caused by a tweetAlthough not as good as the brilliantly subversive The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie offers a PG dollop of the same self-mocking humor that made Deadpool so successful. By rejecting the pervasive darkness that has shrouded the character since Tim Burton brought him to the big-screen, this version of Batman is able to reconnect with the campiness of the beloved 1960s TV series. Overall, The Lego Batman Movie offers enough action and silliness to enthrall children while providing sufficient pop culture and Batman-through-the-years references to keep adults entertained. For those who have wondered what it might be like for Batman to take on the Daleks or King Kong, here’s your chance to see it realized.
A spin-off of 2014’s phenomenally successful The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie brings back Will Arnett as the gravel-voiced superhero and surrounds him with friends and enemies who will be familiar to fans of the Batman comic books, television series (both live-action and animated), and movies. Since this is intended as a family film, the darker and more disturbing aspects of the title character’s history and personality have been dialed back. Tonally, it’s closer to the Adam West television program than to any of the subsequent incarnations, although (if possible) The Lego Batman Movie takes itself even less seriously. Since the movie exclusively uses the Lego animation style, it is by nature more lively, colorful, and cartoonish than any previous Batman movie (either live-action or animated). Director Chris McKay, who was an animation co-director/supervisor for The Lego Movie, maintains the vibrant look of the 2014 film while adapting it to a more action-oriented type of story.
With tongue planted firmly in cheek, McKay provides us with Lego re-enactments of moments from all of the previous Batman incarnations (Snyder, Nolan, Schumacher, Burton) with the exception of the ‘60s TV show (he shows a live-action clip instead). The story is on the level one might expect from this sort of movie - that is to say, it’s bold, over-the-top, and completely nonsensical. It starts with an attempt by The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) to band together all of Batman’s past enemies from the comic books, TV series, and movies. Their attempt to blow up Gotham City ends in failure. In jail, The Joker seems to turn over a new leaf - something accepted by neither Batman nor the new commissioner, Barbara “daughter of Jim” Gordon (Rosario Dawson). However, while Barbara is willing to wait out The Joker, Batman decides to take decisive action by sending The Joker to The Phantom Zone. Accompanied by his new ward, Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), he pays Superman (Channing Tatum) a visit.
While The Man of Steel is distracted, Dick steals The Phantom Zone weapon that Batman uses on The Joker soon thereafter. This proves to be a mistake because it allows The Joker to ally himself with a more powerful team (including King Kong, Voldemort, Sauron, the Gremlins, and the Daleks) that, when subsequently freed from The Phantom Zone, is more than a match for Gotham’s small group of heroes. The Lego Batman Movie’s soundtrack is loaded with nostalgic elements. The TV series theme is ubiquitous and there are times when Lorne Balfe’s score either takes elements from or pays homage to the Danny Elman music from the Tim Burton features. The doorbell to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude uses a few notes from the John Williams “Superman Theme”. Pop songs are represented (tongue-in-cheek, of course) by “Man in the Mirror” and “I Just Died in Your Arms” (the latter going perfectly with Batman’s favorite movie, Jerry Maguire). The movie offers a message, although its inclusion doesn’t do much to humanize the Lego figure Caped Crusader.
At the film’s outset, Batman is presented as the ultimate loner - a vigilante who works outside of the system to capture criminals and thwart the plans of evil-doers. During the course of the narrative, he learns to care about others and work as part of a team. There’s a moment when he adopts the Fonz’s difficulty to say “Sorry” but, like the Henry Winkler character, he eventually spits it out. It’s difficult to say how Batman neophytes will feel about this film since so much of what makes it work demands at least a cursory familiarity with the comic books, the films, and (especially) the Adam West TV series. Many of the in-jokes require a deeper knowledge (for example, some of the cheesier characters from the “Superfriends” TV series have cameos). Then again, it’s difficult to understand why anyone with a total ignorance of Batman would see this movie in the first place. It’s witty, bright, and entertaining and makes a great contrast/alternative to DC’s current line of serious live-action films.
Far more than anything Zack Snyder is doing, The Lego Batman Movie offers an enjoyable superhero romp. Lego Batman Movie, The (United States, 2017) Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis, Ralph Fiennes Screenplay: Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers U.S. Release Date: 2017-02-10 Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 better movies of this genre Beauty and the Beast (1991) Lion King, The (1994) worse movies of this genre Quest for Camelot, The (1998) Happily N'Ever After (2007) Ant Bully, The (2006) better movies of Will Arnett Lego Movie, The (2014) Horton Hears a Who! worse movies of Will Arnett Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) Blades of Glory (2007) Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) better movies of Michael Cera Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) worse movies of Michael Cera Youth in Revolt (2010) better movies of Rosario Dawson