BATMAN!!! NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA, BATMAN!!! Batman is perhaps my favorite comic book character ever. Will Arnet lent his voice Batman in the first LEGO movie, and gave us a Batman to remember: a dark, overly dramatic know-it-all, who sings his own theme song. (Remember, DARKNESS! NO PARENTS!) Apparently he pleased the filmmakers so much that they immediately went to work on a spin-off movie. Now, normally I get a little worried about spin-offs. They can get too cute. But I can say that in this case, Warner Brothers did the right thing, because this movie is as good as the first in many ways. Here’s what I mean!
The LEGO Batman Movie starts with Batman really only caring about himself. He’s selfish and acts as though the world owes him everything. Alfred, his ever-present Butler, explains that Batman's life is somewhat meaningless, because he doesn't have anything to care about. Enter Dick Grayson, an annoying orphan who needs Batman. Through helping Dick, his encounters with the Joker, and some help from Alfred, Batman attempts to become a better person. The plot itself is slightly more complicated, and I won't give any of that away except to say that complication isn't a bad thing. It feeds a fun and fast-paced cartoon. Will Arnett once again stars as Batman, and with his great gravelly voice, and his absolute disdain for having to really care about anyone, he’s perfect opposite Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort Alfred. Michael Cera and Rosario Dawson portray Robin and Batgirl, with Baskets star Zack Galifinakis as the Joker, who ultimately just wants Batman to love him. The film has such great animation and funny jokes, I couldn’t stop laughing. And while the story goes all over the place, it still keeps you interested. I have only two complaints. It's slightly too long. And the cameos in it seem wasted, because in some cases, the scene goes by too quickly. But other than that, it’s terrific!
THE VERDICT
LEGO Batman may have some pacing problems and a couple of wasted actors, but its jokes, animation, and story keep you entertained. I give it an A-.
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