We have detected a history of abnormal traffic from your network so we ask that you please complete the following form to confirm that you are not a robot and are indeed a real person. Most of this time this happens if there has been a lot of malicious bot activity from your current internet provider's network or you are using a VPN. It likely has nothing to do with you. We're really sorry for the hassle.Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutTwitterGoogle+LinkedInPinterestPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. ‘Lego Batman Movie’ hits with humor“The Lego Batman Movie” is an irreverent blast, a fun, funny send-up of the Caped Crusader and his world that turns out to be just the shot of adrenaline the dour superhero with the permanent scowl needs right now.It’s been awhile since a “Batman” movie had a sense of humor about itself, and in Joel Schumacher’s neon-and-nipples interpretation of Gotham City, humor wasn’t something Batman wore well.
But “The Lego Batman Movie” manages to cleverly spoof the “Batman” movies with a knowing wink and a nod while still celebrating the Dark Knight. Pit against Ben Affleck’s hulking sourpuss in Zack Snyder’s doomsday vision of Batman, Lego Bats is much preferable company.Will Arnett, who perfected his cartoonishly menacing low rumble whisper in an over-the-top villain role on “30 Rock,” is a gas as Batman, whom he first played in a small, but memorable role in 2014’s delightful “The Lego Movie.”Here he’s Gotham’s egomaniac rock star savior, quick to thwart his foes, save the city and drop off merch for the wee ones at the local orphanage. But when he returns to his Batcave at night he’s all alone, reheating lobster dinners and watching “Jerry Maguire” by himself in his garish Bat Theater.Everybody needs somebody, the movie argues, even the “Batman” villains. As played with a needy, attention-starved zeal by Zach Galifianakis, the Joker doesn’t so much want to bring chaos to Gotham as he just wants Batman’s attention.
His heart is broken when Bats tells him, “You don’t mean anything to me. The Lego Batman Movie” sets out to give Batman a hand and teach him the value of friendship and teamwork. He partners with Robin (Michael Cera), Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) and his trusty butler, Alfred (Ralph Fiennes), begrudgingly at first, to take on the Joker and a collection Batman baddies, both known (the Penguin, Poison Ivy) and unknown (Peanut Butter and Jelly Man?). (It’s worth noting Doug Benson does a great send-up of Tom Hardy’s muffled Bane voice.)The joke-per-minute ratio is as sky-high as a “Naked Gun” or “Scary Movie” sequel, with most landing successfully. Things dip a bit in the movie’s midsection, but pick up as it barrels toward its finale, which opens the floodgates to a parade of characters from the Warner Bros. vaults.First-time director Chris McKay preserves the good-natured, lighthearted and whip-smart tone of “The Lego Movie,” and the script (credited to five writers) crackles with wit and fanboy know-how.
There’s even “Deadpool”-style fourth wall shattering when Arnett opens the film by commenting on the opening titles and production logos and says as the film opens, “Black. All important movies start with a black screen.”You wouldn’t automatically think animated Lego pieces would make for such effective cinematic tools, but the nostalgic charm of the childhood mainstays coupled with their simplistic, emotive features — there’s something refreshingly innocent and endearing about those round dot eyes and curved yellow faces — make Legos work surprisingly well on-screen.“The Lego Batman Movie” brings the “Lego Movie” franchise to two-for-two. It’s the Bat-spoof we didn’t know we needed and it gives Batman a chance to loosen up. (313) 222-2284@grahamorama‘The Lego Batman Movie’GRADE: B+Rated PG: for rude humor and some actionRunning time: 106 minutesAll important movies start with a black screen,” intones the titular character of The LEGO Batman Movie. “And logos—really long and dramatic logos.”
And so continues our narcissistic hero, mansplaining every crucial component to a great film’s intro and sounding self-important, even when he pronounces his studio’s name “Warner Bras.” With that, The LEGO Batman Movie already feels like a promising spinoff of 2014’s surprisingly entertaining The LEGO Movie, even though not one of the filmmakers involved in the original had a hand in creating its follow-up. This crew—the helmer and five (!) scripters—isn’t even well-versed in the film world, but earned their chops working in television: Director Chris McKay is best known for Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken while the writers bear credits such as Crank Yankers, Community, and American Dad. Collectively, however, they’ve captured the wit, silliness, and parodic spirit of The LEGO Movie note-perfectly.The LEGO Batman Movie sets up its storyline early: Batman/Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett, returning and just as terrific as in the first go-’round) is lonely. When the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) mentions to his nemesis early on that he’s his greatest villain, Batman bristles like a typical commitment-phobe: “Batman doesn’t do ’ships,” he says. “
I like to fight around.” Yet after he saves Gotham City once again (and a cheering fan mentions how great it must be to be Batman), Bruce returns to his literal island, heats up a dinner-for-one, and watches TV alone in the cavernous Wayne Manor. After losing his parents—Bruce is famously an orphan, of course—he’s afraid of letting anyone in. But during a lovestruck moment (one not unsimilar to what Emmet Brickowski experienced in the original LEGO Movie), Bruce unthinkingly agrees to adopt a puppyish orphan (Michael Cera) who follows him around. The love interest is Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), who’s taking over as police commissioner after her dad (Hector Elizondo) retires. And though everyone at the orphanage calls the boy “Dick,” (“Well, kids can be cruel,” Bruce remarks), he’s renamed Robin—and we all know what happens there.Though the Joker is, in fact, the main villain here, he’s brought along pretty much everyone in the DC universe to help him destroy Gotham, from Superman to Harley Quinn to Godzilla.
Warner Bros. fantastically allows itself to be mocked, with not only knocks on its superhero flicks (Suicide Squad is a slow-moving target, as is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; there’s even a quick reference to Zack Snyder) but also romantic properties such as Must Love Dogs. And if you’re not familiar with the history of Batman, you may not catch the flurry of homage to former Batmen down to pre-Adam West days, along with their attendant styles or, in West’s case, goofiness. The re-created look of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is particularly brilliant.As with The LEGO Movie, the jokes come too rapidly here to catch them all—at least in the first half. Batman has more flat moments than its predecessor, but when it hits, it’s hilarious: Batman’s dark-soul personality is consistent throughout (when Robin and the Joker exchange a “Namaste” greeting, Batman responds, “Gross”), and a protracted, nearly silent scene involving Bruce and his microwave may leave you laughing until you tear up.