lego batman movie review for parents

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The LEGO Batman Movie Parent Guide

Parents and older teens will likely find plenty to laugh at in this animation -- but you might want to leave the littlest ones at home..

In this LEGO animation, the super hero (voice of Will Arnett) is facing the challenges of balancing his time between being Batman: crime fighter and Bruce Wayne: adoptive father.

Release date February 10, 2017

Run Time: 105 minutes

Official Movie Site

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

The LEGO Batman Movie poses an interesting question within its opening minutes: Would we need good guys, that is superheroes, if we didn’t have bad guys? Batman (voiced by Will Arnett) is quite comfortable saving Gotham City singlehandedly. But when his usual nemeses The Joker (voice of Zach Galifianakis) surprises him by surrendering himself to Gotham City police, Batman is out of a job.

Of course, the lipstick fiend has ulterior motives. Playing with Batman’s vanity he manages to amass an army of other evil villains and attack the city. He also has a personal vendetta to pursue with the Dark Knight.

Fixing Batman’s narcissistic is tendencies the primary target of this film’s moral objective. His ego gets in the way of forming sincere relationships, as well as accepting help from others. These characteristics will be challenged after he falls in love with the new police commissioner (voice of Rosario Dawson), unwittingly agrees to adopt an obsessively admiring boy (voice of Michael Cera), and listens to his butler Alfred’s (voice of Ralph Fiennes) fatherly counsel.

Themes of teamwork may also be a little confusing to children when possible allies include a legion of criminals who aren’t quite as bad as the really, really bad dudes that align with The Joker. Yes, this isn’t the only movie on screens with fifty shades of grey, and parents should be prepared to discuss the good and bad traits that exist in all of us.

Although sight gags, like young Robin pulling his pants off, will keep kids amused, most of the humor here comes from sarcastic cultural references, decades of Batman depictions and other iconic characters. Parents and older teens will likely find plenty to laugh at, but you might want to leave the littlest ones at home.

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Rod Gustafson

The lego batman movie rating & content info.

Why is The LEGO Batman Movie rated PG? The LEGO Batman Movie is rated PG by the MPAA for rude humor and some action.

Violence: Characters are in perilous situations throughout the film. Although the action is not graphic in its depictions, it still includes threats from bombs, explosions, imprisonment, reckless driving/flying, fist-fights, falling from heights, weapon use, vehicle crashes and property destruction.The distinction between “bad guys” and “good guys” is blurred when the heroes behave unkindly and less-nasty villains turn against more evil villains.

Sexual Content: Some mild sexual innuendo and rude terms (like “butt”) are heard. Infrequent potty words and humor are included. Characters are seen in their underwear when they change their clothes.

Profanity: No real profanities or terms of deity are used, but characters do exclaim copy-cat words such as “heck” and “gosh”.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Social drinking is portrayed, and a couple of alcoholic beverages are mentioned.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

The LEGO Batman Movie Parents' Guide

Although Batman is a superhero, he does have a weakness. What is it? How does his ego sometimes cause him to behave like a bad guy instead of a good guy?

What is the relationship between heroes and villains? Can you have one without the other? What would a good guy do if there were no bad guys to chase? What kind of a world would we live in if no one was trying to thwart evil? How does this movie poke fun at the interconnectedness of these opposing forces?

Batman says he works alone. What are some of the problems with his policy? Why is teamwork more effective than a single person’s best efforts? What things happen in this film to help this superhero understand that principle?

News About "The LEGO Batman Movie"

From the Studio: In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. Will Arnett reprises his starring role from “The LEGO Movie” as the voice of LEGO Batman, aka Bruce Wayne. Zach Galifianakis (“Muppets Most Wanted,” the “Hangover” films) stars as The Joker; Michael Cera (TV’s “Arrested Development”) as the orphan Dick Grayson; Rosario Dawson (TV’s “Daredevil”) as Barbara Gordon; and Ralph Fiennes (the “Harry Potter” films) as Alfred.

The most recent home video release of The LEGO Batman Movie movie is June 13, 2017. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: The LEGO Batman Movie Release Date: 13 June 2017 The LEGO Batman Movie releases to home video (Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy, or Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy) with the following extras: - Original Animation Shorts (Dark Hoser, Batman is Just Not That Into You, and Cooking with Alfred) - Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That? - The Master: A LEGO Ninjago Short - Deleted Scenes - One Brick at a Time: Making the Lego Batman Movie - Inside Wayne Manor - Brick by Brick: Making of the LEGO Batman - Behind the Brick - Me and My Mini Fig - Comic Con Panel - Rebrick Contest Winners - Film Trailers - Lego Life Trailer - Social Promos - Director and Crew Commentary

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Bring it on, Bat dudes and dude-ettes. I am not among those flapping my Bat wings with overflowing joy over “The Lego Batman Movie,” the latest building block in a burgeoning animated toy-box franchise based on 2014’s “ The Lego Movie .” Before you head to the comments section below to disagree, consider that this dissent comes courtesy of someone who bestowed four whopping stars upon its predecessor, a supremely original and consistently entertaining outing about resisting socially-enforced conformity. 

It could simply be that I suffer from superhero fatigue these days. It’s a not-uncommon malady, one that seems to be also affecting even the stars of these repetitive enterprises as witnessed by current Bat surrogate Ben Affleck when he couldn’t summon the enthusiasm to also direct a sequel to last year’s critically maligned “ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice .” 

I also haven’t really been truly fond of a big-screen Caped Crusader since Michael Keaton ’s inspired outside-the-box interpretation of the role. When he sneered, “I’m Batman,” it contained true menace. When Will Arnett throatily growls his lines in this Lego version, it is usually in the service of derisive mockery that only semi-regularly hits its mark.

Of course, if I wanted to spend a morning with a narcissistic grumpy billionaire who claims he and he alone can bring law and order to the world while bragging incessantly about his accomplishments, I could have simply skipped the screening and turned on any cable news channel instead. Although Batman scores points for often beat-boxing rather than tweeting his self-praise.

But besides an implacable me-first disposition, the synthetically molded superhero and a certain White House dweller also have a financial patron in common: Treasury secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin, who earns an executive producer credit on this spoofy spinoff. Hmm. Are you thinking what I am thinking about how they might just build that border wall—namely, one Lego brick at a time?

Granted, I will never be mistaken for a diehard Batman fan. I was more into Superman as a kid, mostly because of Lois Lane—but I was a loyal admirer of the campy ‘60s Batman TV series (referenced here via its “na-na-na-na” theme song, cheesy villains and the pop-art “POWs!” employed during a fight scene—a bone thrown at us oldsters). So, yes, I am not the target audience. Then again, neither are kids under eight or so, who likely aren’t going to get most of the non-bathroom-and-butt-related humor.

Basically, those who are batty for this stuff will positively devour all the Easter eggs that whisk by. But those who aren’t as up on the 78-year history of the character will likely feel as if their brains have been scrambled.

That’s not to say I didn’t find some pleasure in this aggressively frenzied comedic spin directed by Chris McKay (who worked as an animation co-director/supervisor on the first Lego film) on this most dour of comic-book heroes as it draws upon decades of Bat lore for its inside jokes (no previous incarnation of the Dark Knight is left un-zinged, including an obscure baddie known as the Condiment King) and cultural references that zip by faster than any souped-up Bat vehicle. But it soon becomes apparent that not everything is quite as awesome this time around. For one, there is barely a plot other than how the bromance-inclined Joker ( Zach Galifianakis , who turns his leering clown into an incessant whiner) is ticked off that Batman refuses to acknowledge that he is his No. 1 arch-rival. Instead, Batman hurtfully claims that Superman is his greatest enemy before admitting, “I am fighting a few different people … I Iike to fight around.”

Action scenes consume most of the film's 104-minute running time, with a surplus of villainy summoned from not just the DC Comics universe but also home studio Warner Bros.’ warehouse of baddies—including the Eye of Sauron, Voldemort, King Kong, Gremlins, Godzilla and the Wicked Witch of the West and her Flying Monkeys. There is plenty of visual razzle-dazzle, to be sure, but not much else.

The sequence that I most enjoyed, however, was a rare quiet and semi-serious one when Batman returns to his near-empty secluded compound that occupies an entire island and reheats the lobster thermidor thoughtfully left in the fridge by manservant Alfred (a fine Ralph Fiennes ). Dressed in a silk robe but still in his mask, Batman accidentally punches in 20 minutes instead of 2—glad to know I am not the only one who does this—and dines in solo silence before he heads to his Wayne Manor movie theater to giggle over the romantic interludes of such relationship flicks as “ Jerry Maguire ” and “Marley & Me.” Later, he gazes at photos of himself as a youngster alongside his parents, who—as Batman fans know—were tragically murdered. Bruce Wayne might be, as he declares, “the greatest orphan of all time,” but he also fears commitment to family, friends, even to fellow crime-fighters and foes.

That all changes when Barbara Gordon ( Rosario Dawson , who eventually becomes Batgirl) replaces her father and takes over as commissioner. Instead of being a lone vigilante, she wants Batman to work alongside the city’s police as a team, the better to keep Gotham safe. In addition, while at a charity event for an orphanage, Bruce manages to unknowingly adopt googly-eyed foundling Dick Grayson (a nicely eager-beaverish Michael Cera ), who eventually assumes his own super persona as sidekick Robin. 

Certainly, the five writers who pieced together this pastiche of Batmania have done their homework. But the story peters out long before it concludes with—what else?—a dance number. I guess I should semi-applaud any movie that employs Mariah Carey to provide the voice for Gotham’s pearl-wearing and pant-suited mayor. But when it comes to humorous satire, it is the movie that has to sing even while it stings.

Susan Wloszczyna

Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes.

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The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Rated PG for rude humor and some action.

104 minutes

Will Arnett as Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice)

Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth (voice)

Michael Cera as Robin / Dick Grayson (voice)

Rosario Dawson as Batgirl / Barbara Gordon (voice)

Zach Galifianakis as The Joker (voice)

Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn (voice)

Mariah Carey as Mayor McCaskill (voice)

Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face (voice)

• Chris McKay

Writer (Batman created by)

• Bill Finger

Writer (Superman created by)

• Jerry Siegel
• Joe Shuster

Writer (story by)

• Seth Grahame-Smith
• Chris McKenna
• Erik Sommers
• Jared Stern
• John Whittington
• David Burrows
• John Venzon
• Lorne Balfe

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The LEGO Batman Movie | 2017 | PG | - 1.3.2

SEX/NUDITY 1 - A male character stares at a female character and has an aura of light around his head and face, indicating infatuation in several scenes. A male character puts on bright red lipstick for several seconds. ►  A character removes his shirt and we see his bare Lego chest with muscle lines drawn on it. Two male characters remove their tights in four scenes to reveal rectangular legs and bikini briefs. We see one rounded Lego buttock in profile twice. A male character with muscle lines drawn on his shirt brags that he has huge pecs and a nine-pack; a computer voice says to him, "You have beautiful abs, Sir." One character rubs his bottom on things and calls out, "I'm rubbing my butt on your stuff!"

VIOLENCE/GORE 3 - A transport plane full of explosives (dynamite and round bombs) flies through the air and a helicopter lands on top of it; figures use blow torches to cut through the cargo bay and a pilot parachutes out the bay as villains take over the plane. Loud music plays as villains take control of a city (including the Riddler, Two Face, Cat Woman, Condiment Man [he squirts mustard and ketchup], Polka Dot Man, Scare Crow, Harley Quinn, a monster made of brown bricks, Mr. Freeze, and dozens of lesser villains who fire yellow beams from ray guns); villains egg the Bat Signal and we see runny eggs on the light, they shoot down a skyscraper with laser beams and it crashes in large flames and clouds of smoke while other small fires burn all over the city and characters run and scream; soldiers and police officers point rifles into the sky and shoot. ►  An extended fight scene occurs in a city filled with flames and smoke clouds; in a fist fight between two characters and a dozen others we see large words in the background (Bam and Kapow), police and soldiers fire ray guns and rifles (not very loudly), some characters throw hard boiled eggs as weapons and others use rocket launchers that seem to only light up the sky; a shark on a destroyer in the river fires many torpedoes that create smoke in the sky. A hero and a villain fight with ray guns flaring, fists, and kicks; the villain escapes. A metal rod goes through a penguin character. A Batmobile is driven into a little old lady in the street (we do not see the hit but we hear a thud). A character crashes a banquet with his army of villains and is fought by others with punches, kicks, a bullwhip, a transformer type vehicle that becomes a large bat with folded wings, and a few rifles; all of the villains surrender and are imprisoned in a prison/mental hospital. ►  A character cuts a wire to a bomb at the last second and other characters cheer loudly. A Batmobile with monster truck tires drives through a city missing other cars, as flaming fuel sprays from the tail pipe and it jumps over cars. ►  A character shoots a large beam from a projection gun at a villain, who flies into the sky. A character fires a projection gun at several villains, who fly skyward. A character shoots himself with a projection gun and floats up to the sky through a dark swirling vortex, but crashes into an unseen ceiling; then falls into the arms of a female character, who drops him. A projection gun shoots villains into a murky afterlife (the Phantom Zone), full of blurry clouds of pastel-neon lights; a white brick with flashing colored lights scans villains and finds them making faces, growling, and looking mean in their memories and a villain is accosted by other villains (gremlins that growl and point swords at him, King Kong, Godzilla, a sea monster with four arms, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, Dracula, Men in Black, and hundreds of Dr. Who Daleks). A tall tower creature has a large flaming eye that spews flames and lava. Lego Joker has green hair, yellow pointy teeth, thick red lipstick and he laughs maniacally several times. Two characters enter a security area in a forensic mental hospital and one of them unloads swords, a scimitar, a saw and a mace onto the scanner conveyor belt; both characters enter the long scanning booth, fighting with villains there as all their skeletons appear on the view screen (no one is injured or broken). A character steals a Batmobile and speeds erratically through streets to an amusement park where he enters and helps another character kick apart many robots that are shooting ray gun beams. A character enters a room startling another character, who kicks the second one across the room, uninjured. ►  A flood takes out several bridges and a giant crack opens in a river bed where Lego characters form "human chains" to pull the bridges back together and close the crack; hundreds of characters cheer loudly. A character jumps through a force field without effect and runs along cables that make a sphere around a projector gun; he slides, runs, flips, and jumps, kicking a spiky obstacle out of the way, grabs the projection gun and escapes. A character locks two others in glass-walled prison cells, then releases them and many other villains who decide to fight villains. ►  A giant ape knocks down a skyscraper with a crash. A vortex cloud covers the sky in a city and a face with white eyes and mouth and pink eyebrows appears; it tells inhabitants that villains are now in control causing people to run and scream. Gremlins crawl all over a plane and pull chunks of Lego bricks out of it. A tower creature spews lava out of an eye of fire, filling city streets and making all the popcorn in a truck pop; a plane flies at the eye and a sea monster spits a huge stream of fire at the plane but the fire hits the eye and destroys the tower. Two characters fall off the edge of a plane and a hero flies down and grabs one of them, missing the other; another hero flies the plane under the other character and saves him. A character enters an amusement park and punches out the mirrors in a fun house (we hear a little crashing and see some glass pieces on the floor). A character throws several plates of food off his table and we hear breaking china. A character kicks three other characters out of an elevator car onto the floor, uninjured. ►  A character says, "I'm gonna blow up Gotham City," and then he shoots himself with a beam of light from a device and disappears. A device says, "Exterminate" and points two toilet plungers at a character. Two male and a female character cry briefly, with tears. A character argues with another character several times. A character argues with an older character a few times and says he is angry and full of rage. A hero says that he is afraid of snake clouds and we see three Lego toy snakes with smiling faces, red lips, and red fright wigs look into the camera. ►  A character says that the sewers smell like dirty underwear. Characters invade a mansion and make it into an amusement park; one character rubs his bottom on things and calls out, "I'm rubbing my butt on your stuff!" ►  A character has a large dark cave in his basement, filled with combat vehicles and a museum of weapons that include dynamite, swords, a scimitar, a mace, clubs, and a large bomb.

LANGUAGE 2 - 7 flatulence sounds made with the mouth, 6 mild anatomical terms, name-calling (crazy, loser, nuts, weird, stupid, lunatics, criminals, boring, human sparkers, muggles, J-bird), exclamations (heck, darn, sucks, shut-up).

SUBSTANCE USE - A server at a banquet walks with a tray of tall glass goblets and a male character takes one and drinks and then spits out what may be water or an alcoholic beverage, and two male characters argue about what variety of wine one of them drinks (no wine is shown).

DISCUSSION TOPICS - Anger, fear, loneliness, feeling left out, relationships, rivalries, families, friendship, danger, villains, heroes, teamwork, criminals, prisons, saving the world, reconciliation, acceptance, the afterlife, people who are different, people who like costumes, secret identities.

MESSAGE - Relationships are important, even those with our enemies.

Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.

We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated , Special , Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.

REVIEWS See ratings & reviews at Critics.com

WEB LINKS Official Site    IMDb PREQUELS & SEQUELS The Lego Movie - 1.3.2 The LEGO Ninjago Movie - 1.3.1 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - 1.3.2

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THE ASSIGNED NUMBERS Unlike the MPAA we do not assign one inscrutable rating based on age but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY , VIOLENCE/GORE & LANGUAGE on a scale of 0 to 10, from lowest to highest depending on quantity & context | more |

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Review: In ‘The Lego Batman Movie,’ Toys and Heroes, What’s Not to Like?

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By Manohla Dargis

• Feb. 8, 2017

As gateway drugs go, “The Lego Batman Movie” is pretty irresistible. It’s silly without being truly strange or crossing over into absurdity. Along the way it pulls off a nifty balancing act: It gives the PG audience its own Batman movie (it’s a superhero starter kit) and takes swipes at the subgenre, mostly by gently mocking the seriousness that has become a deadening Warner Bros. default. “The Lego Batman Movie” can’t atone for a movie as grindingly bad as the studio’s “ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ,” which stars Ben Affleck as the Gotham City brooder, but at least someone on that lot gets the joke.

The cast and crew of “The Lego Batman Movie” sustain that joke admirably, filling in its 104-minute running time with loads of busy action, deadpan humor, visual comedy, reflexive bits and an overfamiliar story line. It features the usual cavalcade of marquee-ready talent (Rosario Dawson, Conan O’Brien, Mariah Carey), the comic and less so, but owes much of its pleasure and juice to Will Arnett, who voices Batman. The movie puts a goofy spin on the Batman saga, but it squeezes its brightest, most sustained comedy from Mr. Arnett’s hypnotically sepulchral voice, which conveys the entire bat ethos — the Sturm und Drang, the darkness and aloneness, the resoluteness and echoiness — in vocal terms. It’s blissfully self-serious, near-Wagnerian and demented.

Mr. Arnett anchors the movie, though he’s nicely book-ended by Michael Cera, as the excitable pip-squeaker Dick Grayson, and Ralph Fiennes, who voices Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s trusted butler and operational aide-de-camp. Some of the wittiest moments happen early, before the story machinery starts humming, and involve Batman-Bruce wandering his mansion in his fetishlike mask and a silky red bathrobe, nuking his lobster dinner and giggling solo at “Jerry Maguire.” If Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” cycle suggests that Batman teeters on actual madness, “The Lego Batman Movie” ups the ante by insinuating that he has fully settled into near-Howard Hughes eccentricity.

Not too much nuttiness, mind you, just enough to keep the jokes pinging and zinging, at least until the story amps up. Most of that involves the Joker (Zach Galifianakis), who’s not the transgressive opposition but a whining smiler desperately yearning for Batman’s attention. This isn’t as funny or engaging as the filmmakers seem to think, partly because a child-friendly Joker can’t have the scariness or anarchic threat that distinguishes this character’s better iterations. (He can’t compete partly because he’s nowhere near as loopy as this Batman.) Mostly, the Joker is the master of ceremonies for the rest of the villainous horde, a motley crew of creatures that includes Harley Quinn (Jenny Slate), who’s mostly a trauma trigger for “ Suicide Squad ,” another supersplat.

As an object, “The Lego Batman Movie” looks as good as its predecessor, “The Lego Movie.” This one is similarly shiny and bright, though sometimes as teasingly dark as Batman. Even when the story drags, which it does as the action grows frenetic, the shiny and bright bits catch the eye. As in the first movie, the character design does much of the most meaningful work because it conveys part of what’s enjoyable about Legos, including their smooth-to-the-touch plastic surfaces and knobby bits (studs in Lego lingo), which you can almost feel in your hands as you watch. One of the satisfactions of Legos is their touch sensation, a sense memory that’s imprinted on brains, too.

Movie Review: ‘The Lego Batman Movie’

The times critic manohla dargis reviews “the lego batman movie.”.

“The Lego Batman Movie” puts a goofy Lego spin on the traditional batman saga. In his review Manohla Dargis writes: This film is pretty irresistible. It’s silly without being truly strange or crossing over into absurdity. Along the way it pulls off a nifty balancing act: iIt gives the PG audience its own Batman movie and takes swipes at the subgenre, mostly by gently mocking the seriousness that has become a deadening Warner Bros. default. What’s frustrating about these lego movies, which are so insistently good-natured and relentlessly hyped that it feels almost churlishly old-school raising even modest objections to the fact that —– in addition to being, you know, fun —– they’re also commercials.

Basing movies on kiddie playthings is ingenious: It turns every Lego brick into a Rosebud sled, a portal into childhood. That makes resistance fairly futile, or at least tough, especially when the crew ushering you into the past is up to the task, as is the case here. Chris McKay directed this one, working from a jammed script by Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern and John Whittington. (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who directed “The Lego Movie,” helped produce “The Lego Batman Movie.”) The whole vibe is, as the first “Lego” movie insisted with its deliriously catchy anthem, awesome, so, relax, enjoy the show, go with the flow. I mean, who hates Legos? Isn’t that like hating childhood?

Well, of course not, though that gets to what’s frustrating about these movies, which are so insistently good-natured and relentlessly hyped that it feels almost churlishly old-school raising even modest objections to the fact that — in addition to being, you know, fun — they’re also commercials. It’s not new or news that movies have long sold stuff, including studio tie-ins and toys, as Walt Disney explained by example decades ago, though, like Pixar, he was also in the business of storytelling and not merely corporate-brand storytelling and building. Certainly there are worse things in life and definitely worse movies, including the “Transformers” blockbusters, which sell both toys and war.

So, as far as commercials go, “The Lego Batman Movie” is just swell. But because its primary function, outside of making bank, is to extend two brands — Lego and Batman — it can’t help but disappoint. One reason that the first “Lego” movie worked as well as it did is that its novelty and trippier moments conveyed a sense of play and unboundedness, which is part of the appeal of Legos themselves. (It’s the better movie and ad.) The Batman story, by contrast, proves to be a prison, one its creators never escape. They toss around the superstuff and giggle at the legend, but they’re finally confined by the superhero story and its corporate sanctity. It’s a bottom-line bummer.

The Lego Batman Movie Rated PG for mild violence. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes.

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'The Lego Batman Movie': Review

By Tim Grierson, Senior US Critic 2017-02-04T05:00:00+00:00

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Dir: Chris McKay. US. 2017. 104mins

A sugar rush that struggles to sustain its initial burst of energy, The Lego Batman Movie overdoes everything — its action sequences, its three-jokes-a-minute comedic approach, its sneaky sentimentality.

The Lego Batman Movie consists of a pretty straightforward superhero narrative tied together by myriad random jokes.

But while this spin-off to 2014’s more consistently inspired The Lego Movie is a decidedly hit-or-miss affair, it boasts enough giddy good humour and manic rambunctiousness to bludgeon the viewer into submission. As a result, one walks away from the experience equally entertained and exhausted.

Hitting US theatres on February 10, almost exactly three years after The Lego Movie (which grossed $469m worldwide), The Lego Batman Movie could post even better numbers because of its focus on the Dark Knight, one of the most reliably popular box office figures.

No doubt Warner Bros hopes Batman can once again bring in major grosses, betting that audience fatigue hasn’t set in yet. ( Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice , which earned $873m, came out only 11 months ago.)

As he did for The Lego Movie , Will Arnett voices Batman, who in the Lego universe has been conceived as a parody of the dark, brooding character made famous in comic books and the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan. Pleased with his own awesomeness, and dedicated to living a solitary life so as to never need anyone, Batman squares off against his old enemy the Joker (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) while reluctantly taking under his wing an overeager orphan named Richard Grayson (voiced by Michael Cera) who will become his sidekick Robin.

The Lego Movie , directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, revelled in the childhood pleasures of making up whole worlds through Legos, while at the same time mocking action movie conventions and critiquing societal conformity. The Lego Batman Movie doesn’t have the same rich collection of themes, mostly spoofing Batman’s self-seriousness and offering plenty of self-referential gags about the character’s pop-cultural longevity.

In his feature directorial debut, Chris McKay ensures that the new movie is even more visually and comically hyperactive than the first film. Five writers are credited on the screenplay, adding to the sense that The Lego Batman Movie consists of a pretty straightforward superhero narrative tied together by myriad random jokes.

In the film’s early stretches, that strategy succeeds. The Lego Batman Movie plays best as a cheeky satire of Batman movies, and the first few reels target everything from the calculated ominousness of comic book film’s opening credits to Bruce Wayne’s done-to-death tragic backstory of witnessing his parents’ murder. (In other words, those who found Batman v Superman needlessly self-important and dour will appreciate the barbs The Lego Batman Movie hurls its way.)

Arnett again proves to be a perfect pseudo-Batman, using his low growl to mercilessly mimic Christian Bale’s intense portrayal of the Caped Crusader. It’s a one-joke premise, but Arnett makes the most of it, letting us see Batman as a raging, self-pitying narcissist whose monstrous ego is only overshadowed by his ridiculousness.

It is crucial that Arnett is such fun company because, once The Lego Batman Movie gets around to introducing its plot, the film starts to stall. The Joker has an elaborate plan to destroy Gotham City that is not particularly clever or funny, and the reveal of new characters, like Robin, does not significantly amplify the film’s humour or stakes.

Although some of the story’s emotional undercurrents have heft to them — Batman has to learn to let people be close to him — McKay’s hyperactive pacing and pummelling action sequences don’t allow for much breathing room. If the original film worked well for both kids and their parents, The Lego Batman Movie ’s panting, caffeinated busyness feels more suitable to younger viewers, leaving adults to be amused by the nods to the 1960s Batman television series and the Burton movies.

Cera makes for an adorably vulnerable and enthusiastic Robin, while Galifianakis brings a goofy, insecure dementedness to the Joker, who really just wants Batman to admit that he’s the hero’s arch-nemesis. Ralph Fiennes voices Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler Alfred, who serves as the character’s moral compass but doesn’t have a lot to do. And Rosario Dawson is Batman’s token love interest as Gotham’s new commissioner, Barbara Gordon — a somewhat thankless role that Elizabeth Banks had a lot more fun with in The Lego Movie with a better-developed character.  

Production companies: RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Lin Pictures, Lord Miller, Vertigo Entertainment

Worldwide distribution: Warner Bros

Producers: Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Roy Lee

Executive producers: Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton, Will Allegra, Brad Lewis, Zareh Nalbandian, Steven Mnuchin

Screenplay: Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Jared Stern & John Whittington, story by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on Lego Construction Toys, based on characters from DC Entertainment. Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Production design: Grant Freckelton

Editors: David Burrows, Matt Villa, John Venzon 

Music: Lorne Balfe

Website: www.legobatman.com

Main Voice Cast: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes

• United States

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Film Review: ‘The Lego Batman Movie’

The plastic Lego universe once again becomes a stylized satirical dreamscape in a postmodern kiddie superhero caper that dares to mock its hero's raging ego.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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“ The Lego Batman Movie ” is kicky, bedazzling, and super-fun: a lightning-fast kiddie flick that’s been made in a spirit of brain-bursting paradox. Like “The Lego Movie” (2014), the film uses digital animation to create the illusion that it’s set in a herky-jerky universe of plastic Lego bricks. Yet it has such a free-form, anything-goes spirit that it trumps the flow of just about any animated feature you could name. The characters are Lego minifigures with pegs for heads and crudely etched faces that barely move, yet they have more personality than most human actors. And though “The Lego Batman Movie” comes on like a kid-friendly mashup of the adult world, there’s a dizzying resonance to its satirical observations. The colorfully fake settings are hypnotic to look at, but they also have the bold effect of putting postmodern quotation marks around…everything.

The main satirical target of “The Lego Batman Movie” is Batman himself, voiced (once again) by Will Arnett in a deep low husky rasp, and with a narcissistic personality disorder that’s fantastically out of control. He somehow combines the voice of Clint Eastwood, the conceitedness of Derek Zoolander, and the fast-break observational avidity of Stephen Colbert. “We’re going to punch those guys so hard,” he growls, “words describing their impact are going to spontaneously materialize.” The movie opens with Batman offering the play-by-play of his own film (“All important movies start with a black screen”), followed by a sequence as madly choreographed as anything in an “Indiana Jones” film, as he takes on a screenful of famous and obscure villains led by the rascally but secretly sensitive Joker (voiced by Zach Galifianakis).

This Batman, still scarred by the loss of his parents, roots his competitive identity in being a lone avenger, valiant and guarded, with no feelings, no vulnerability, no need for anyone else. In his bat lair, feasting on microwaved lobster thermidor, watching “Jerry Maguire” as if it were a comedy, he’s the ultimate male who won’t commit, a cowled mask of solo cool whose only loyalty is to Gotham City — but deep down, he’s doing it for his own glory. Ever since Tim Burton’s “Batman,” the movies have acknowledged that the Caped Crusader is a dark freak, but “The Lego Batman Movie” doesn’t just freakify Batman. It subjects him to nothing less than a playfully merciless psychoanalysis.

The Joker wants Batman to acknowledge that the two need each other — that they’re the greatest of foes — but Batman won’t even concede that. Instead, he projects the Joker into the Phantom Zone, a metaphysical penal colony in the clouds where only the most epic villains (Sauron, King Kong, the Wicked Witch) are kept. The stage is set for a battle royale, but the real fight is between Batman and his own armored ego. To get over it, he’ll have to agree to form a team — a family — with his tough-love butler, Alfred (Ralph Fiennes); the eager-geek son, Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), he inadvertently adopted, who soon dons a Robin costume; and the new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), a flame-haired enforcer who causes Batman to stare, hypnotized, as choruses of “Died in Your Arms Tonight” flood the soundtrack. The feeling isn’t quite reciprocal. Says Barbara: “We don’t need an unsupervised man karate-chopping poor people in a Halloween costume.”

The director, Chris McKay (taking over from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller), is an imagistic wizard who stages this put-on epic with a nearly psychedelic toy grandeur. More than that, though, he gives it a vision. Three years ago, “The Lego Movie” used the building-block uniformity of Lego to tweak the consumerist mania of a society (namely, ours) in which people have become worker-bee drones and nothing ever changes because “everything is awesome.” “The Lego Batman Movie” uses the towering plasticity of Lego to tweak a superhero culture (namely, ours) that pretends to be about nobility but is really about the vain delusion of full-time fantasy. Your average Pixar comedy thumbs its nose at a great many things, but “The Lego Batman Movie” is a helter-skelter lampoon in the daftly exhilarating spirit of Mad magazine and the “Naked Gun” films. It’s that quick and cutthroat clever and self-knowing.

Reviewed at Warner Bros., February 3, 2017. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 106 MIN.

• Production: A Warner Bros. release of a Warner Animation Group, DC Entertainment, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, LEGO System A/S, Vertigo Entertainment, Animal Logic, Lord Miller Productions prod. Producers: Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller. Executive producers: Will Allegra, Matthew Ashton, Ryan Harris, Brad Lewis, Benjamin Melniker, John Powers Middleton, Zareh Nalbandian, Michael Uslan.
• Crew: Director: Chris McKay. Screenplay: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, John Whittington. Editors: David Burrows, John Venzon, Matt Villa.
• With: Will Arnett, Ralph Fiennes, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis, Jenny Slate, Michael Cera, Mariah Carey, Billy Dee Williams, Héctor Elizondo, Eddie Izzard.  

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The LEGO Batman Movie

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Watch The LEGO Batman Movie with a subscription on Prime Video, Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Apple TV.

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The Lego Batman Movie continues its block-buster franchise's winning streak with another round of dizzyingly funny -- and beautifully animated -- family-friendly mayhem.

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Chris McKay

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Michael Cera

Rosario Dawson

Ralph Fiennes

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• DVD & Streaming

The LEGO Batman Movie

• Action/Adventure , Animation , Comedy , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• February 10, 2017
• Voices of Will Arnett as Bruce Wayne/Batman; Zach Galifianakis as The Joker; Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth; Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl; Michael Cera as Dick Grayson/Robin; Mariah Carey as Mayor McCaskill; Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn; Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman; Channing Tatum as Superman; Jonah Hill as Green Lantern; Adam Devine as the Flash; Kate Micucci as Clayface; Jason Mantzoukas as Scarecrow; Billy Dee Williams as Two-Face; Riki Lindhome as Poison Ivy; Conan O'Brien as the Riddler; Doug Benson as Bane

Home Release Date

• June 13, 2017
• Chris McKay

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

The Joker’s calling card is his maniacal laugh. So what could possibly make him cry?

That’d be Batman.

The Joker’s tears aren’t because the Caped Crusader has once again foiled his latest nefarious plot to destroy Gotham City (though he has). No, Joker’s crying because Batman doesn’t agree that the green-haired, pale-skinned psychopath is his “greatest enemy.”

“Are you seriously saying there is nothing special about our relationship?” the Joker asks, incredulous.

“Batman doesn’t do ships ,” the cowled crime-fighter growls. “As in relation ships. … You mean nothing to me. No one does.”

And so Joker’s tears fall, even as Batman returns home to celebrate another victory over the bad guys. “It must be great to be Batman,” a news commentator gushes. “I can only imagine he’s going home to party the night away.”

And he does.

Well, mostly. His loyal butler, Alfred, is always attentive to Batman’s needs. But other than that, the Caped Crusader’s billionaire alter ego, Bruce Wayne, shares his life with no one. The closest Bruce comes to a relationship is with an old, happy family portrait on the wall—one picturing little Bruce smiling with his long-deceased parents.

“Hey, Mom,” Bruce says to the painting. “Hey, Dad. I, uh, I saved the city again today. I wish you could have seen me. I think you would have been really pleased.”

The loss still traumatizes Bruce. But he’ll never admit it. Not even to Alfred. No, the stoic vigilante is determined to live his life on his own terms. Alone. Never needing anyone. Never loving anyone. Never opening up his heart to the possibility that he might experience such searing hurt again.

But it’s hard to go through life without relationships. Alfred knows that, even if Bruce Wayne doesn’t. And when Bruce “accidentally” adopts fellow orphan Dick Grayson, well, Alfred wisely knows that it’s time for Batman to open his heart—even if it takes a while for Batman himself to come to the same conclusion.

The catalyst for that realization is, of course, the Joker, who hasn’t taken Batman’s rejection well. No, Joker is determined to prove that he really is Batman’s greatest nemesis, unleashing a hoard of dark, dastardly and dreaded bad guys to make his point.

So if Batman is going to win this fight, he’s going to need help … even if he still has a really, really hard time admitting it.

Positive Elements

There’s plenty of heroism in The LEGO Batman Movie , of course. Bruce Wayne’s alter ego amps up his heroics over and over again. (As do his eventual teammates, by the way.)

Unfortunately, he’s pretty aware of how heroically awesome he is. Bruce thinks he’s so competent that he doesn’t need any help. In fact, when other people try to aid him—whether it’s eager-beaver Dick Grayson (who eventually becomes Robin) or new commissioner Barbara Gordon (outgoing commissioner Jim Gordon’s daughter), or longsuffering and ever-patient Alfred—it mostly cramps his style. And that’s where the movie’s other themes—the need we have for friendship, the importance of teamwork—start to come into play in a positive way.

Underneath Batman’s arrogance, bravado and pride lurks a darker secret: Bruce won’t let anyone in because he’s terrified of losing still more people he loves. Alfred observes, “Your greatest fear is being part of a family again.” In a way, some of Batman’s ill-advised attempts to deflect help are actually intended to protect those he says he’s not in a “ship” with. Thankfully, they persevere and push past all of Batman’s defenses, helping him realize in the end that he needs other people, that he needs a team, that he needs family. That he needs, in a word, love .

Along the way, we also get some nice commentary (mostly from Alfred) about the importance of foster parents (which Alfred himself essentially was for young Bruce). Indeed, it’s clear Alfred still thinks of himself as a surrogate dad to Bruce Wayne, as he’s reading and applying principles from the book Setting Limits for Your Out-of-Control Child . Bruce, meanwhile, isn’t thrilled about being a foster father for Dick at first, but he warms significantly to the idea by film’s end.

Spiritual Elements

Joker cackles that Gotham City will be plunged into an “eternal abyss.” While receiving accolades from a crowd, Batman puts his palms together, bows a bit and says to himself, “Pray hands, pray hands,” as if giving himself stage direction. Someone uses the Hindu greeting, “Namaste.” Team Joker includes magic-wielding and supernatural villains from many iconic stories, movies and, of course, DC Comics. (One of those is the character known as Zodiac Master.) Robin exclaims, “Holy family photo, Batman!”

Sexual Content

Batman and Joker’s connection is never, ever romantic. But it does appropriate the language of a romantic breakup. At one point, Jokes tells Bats, “I’m not going to be part of a one-side relationship any longer. I’m done.” It’s just one of several similar lines of banter that humorously play off their combative “bromance.”

Batman is quite smitten with Barbara Gordon, so much so that the 1986 Cutting Crew song “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” humorously plays when he sees her; later, Batman tries to distance himself by calling Barbara a “platonic coworker buddy—just a friend.”

Batman, it turns out, is something of a closet rom-com fan. He medicates his loneliness with movies. We see him watching the (live action and R-rated) movie Jerry Maguire , specifically the iconic scene where Renée Zellweger’s character says, “You had me at hello,” and Tom Cruise’s character says, “You complete me.”

Bruce Wayne labels himself a “playboy.” Someone suggests Batman should be spending his time with “Russian ballerinas” and “lady active-wear models.” A dance party with other superheroes shows Superman repeatedly doing hip thrusts.

A couple of silly gags involve Batman and Robin’s full-length pants coming off. There’s a joke about someone’s “briefs.” We see Batman “shirtless.” A lightning-fast, blink-and-you’ll miss it background image briefly pictures a Gotham movie theater with the title “Two Shades of Grey” on the marquee.

Violent Content

Slapstick, LEGO-meets-superhero violence fills this movie. Battles between the good guys and bad guys seem to wreak terrible havoc on Gotham (much as we might see in similar live-action comic book flicks), but there are never any obvious toy casualties shown. Plenty of heroes and villains get bashed, smashed and blasted, with some falling down and others falling out of planes. But it’s not clear that any of them ever die. If anything, cartoony violence is more likely to be played for laughs, such as when Robin gets smashed into the windshield of the Batmobile because it doesn’t have a seatbelt.

Crude or Profane Language

One of the biggest content concerns in the movie has to do with one character’s name. Richard Grayson gives Batman his full name, then adds, “All the kids call me Dick.” Batman misunderstands what he’s saying, turning the common nickname into anatomical double entendre when he responds, “Well, children can be so cruel.”

There’s one inarticulate “gah!” and one use of “dear gosh.” Elsewhere, “oh my gosh” is exclaimed about 20 times (including one scene where Robin repeats the phrase in rapid-fire style a dozen or so times). Batman labels a particularly bleak area a “heckhole.” We hear “oh my goodness” once. There’s one unfinished “what the …” and one use of “what the heck?” “Shut up” gets lobbed twice, and we hear the phrase “Iron Man sucks” (the password to the Bat Cave) twice as well. Someone says “ah, shoot.” Other name-calling includes “loser” and “street meat,” and we hear the threat “eat dirt.”

Batman and Joker trade “I hate you” barbs, though it’s humorously played up as an odd reconciliation of sorts in the context of the movie.

There are visual and verbal allusions to several movies that are either R-rated (Jerry Maguire, The Matrix) or quite problematic despite a PG-13 rating (Suicide Squad) .

Drug and Alcohol Content

Bruce Wayne is shown with some kind of a drink in his hand at Barbara Gordon’s installation ceremony. When she says, “It takes a village, not a Batman,” he spits the drink out in shock. Batman mentions two different kinds of wines, chardonnay and pinot blanc, in conversation with Alfred.

Other Negative Elements

There are quite a few mild toilet-humor moments. Something is said to “smell like dirty underwear.” There’s a reference to “farts” and gas being “silent but deadly.” Backside jokes include Batman meanly dubbing Alfred the “Buttler.” Joker breaks into the Bat Cave and says, “I’m rubbing my butt all over your stuff. … You’re going to have to rename this the Buttmobile.” Someone says it’s time to “kick all their butts.” During a tense moment, Robin says he needs to use the restroom. Shortly thereafter, he exclaims: “Good news: Our bathroom problem is solved” (obviously implying that he wet his pants).

Batman and Robin steal something from Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, with Batman rationalizing the misdeed by saying, “To right a wrong, do a wrong right.” (He attributes the saying to Gandhi, but Robin isn’t buying it.) Batman advises Robin to “hide every part of yourself, physically and emotionally.” He also tells his young charge, “Batman’s Life Lesson No. 2: no bedtime.” (Batman’s serious, while the movie obviously isn’t.)

For all its comedic send-ups of Batman—and there are a lot of them— The LEGO Batman Movie delivers a surprisingly tender, significant message: No one can make it alone. Not even Batman.

The foundation of the latest LEGOized take on a pop-culture icon is solid. It emphasizes friendship, family, courage, sacrifice, being honest about fear and admitting we need others. There’s even a positive shout-out for foster parents who’ve chosen to love and care for orphaned children. Bravo, LEGO Batman !

I loved all of that. As a parent, what I was slightly less crazy about was the amount of bathroom humor that slushes around as well as some cultural references that, while funny, don’t belong in a kids movie. And I definitely could have done without the double entendre reference to Robin’s given name, the only face-palming gag I felt was really over the line here.

A tiny bit more restraint could have made this a movie I’d wholeheartedly recommend. As it is, it’s pretty good, but not perfect; heroic, but a bit edgy.

Kind of like Batman himself.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ Review: The Dork Knight Rises

In the midst of madcap hilarity and unrelenting silliness, the latest Batman movie finally finds the character’s humanity.

The LEGO Batman Movie is not the best Batman film. That title still goes to The Dark Knight . But it is the best movie about Batman. While The Dark Knight is a heady crime drama set in the Batman universe, the eponymous superhero almost takes a backseat to the Joker’s scheming and the War on Terror politics that permeate the movie. Other Batman films tend to reduce him down to a symbol or a set piece. The LEGO Batman Movie , by virtue of being a silly animated spinoff, isn’t constrained by franchise building or catering to the nihilistic Batman fans who feel that the character only has room for dark and gritty emotions. Chris McKay ’s movie is free in a way that Batman films have never been before, and it uses that freedom to explore Batman’s ego, fears, and desires. While the surrounding film can at times go off the rails as it explodes into lunacy and IP integration, overall The LEGO Batman Movie is a constantly delightful experience that embraces the family dynamic other Batman films have pushed away.

After an action-packed opening where Batman ( Will Arnett ) takes down an army of villains led by Joker ( Zach Galifianakis ), we see the Caped Crusader return to Wayne Manor on Wayne Island where he lives an incredibly lonely life. Losing his parents at a young age has left Batman in a state of arrested development where he’s scared to have a family again (and also afraid of snake clowns). However, while in his alter ego as Bruce Wayne, he accidentally adopts guileless orphan Richard Grayson ( Michael Cera ) after being distracted by the beauty of Gotham’s new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon ( Rosairo Dawson ). Gordon points out that the city can’t rely on a vigilante, and wants Batman to work with the police, much to his chagrin. Still determined to go it mostly alone, Batman brings Grayson into the fold only to discover that he might be making a new family of sorts.

For a movie that’s a spinoff and also ostensibly a toy commercial, The LEGO Batman Movie is ridiculously ambitious on just about every level. Its visuals are outstanding to the point of exhausting. While the action is eye-popping, I was grateful I didn’t see it in 3D because it would have been too much for my eyes to handle. McKay crowds the frame with references, colors, explosions, and cranks everything up to 11. On the one hand, it’s making a point about the action bombast Batman creates in his wake, but on the other hand, it’s a dizzying, dazzling display of what LEGO-style animation can accomplish. It’s part-showing-off, part-critique.

But the script also wants to incorporate as much about Batman as possible. It wants to touch on the character’s entire history, including the movies, the comics, the 90s animated series, and the 60s live-action series, and try to wrap all of that up into finding the core of Batman. Sometimes it will add up to a quick joke, (“I have aged phenomenally,” quips Batman) but other times it goes towards something more pointed, like when Gordon notes that Batman violates ethics and laws, so how exactly does that make him a hero? It’s the kind of criticism that could only be made by people who love Batman because you don’t devote the time to think about a guy who dresses up as a rodent unless you deeply care about him.

Unfortunately, The LEGO Batman Movie doesn’t have answers for all of the questions it raises. It brings up Batman’s vigilantism, but ultimately shrugs its shoulders at how he employs it. It brings up how Joker and Batman need each other, but doesn’t have anything deeper regarding these two arch-enemies beyond the Joker and the rest of Batman’s villains being part of his family as much as his allies.

However, it does keep its focus on two things: How the dark and serious attitude given to Batman over the decades has morphed into something unintentionally comic, and that this attitude restricts the character’s growth. If Batman is always required to be a dark and gritty vigilante, then it diminishes him into a two-dimensional figure, haunted by grief but prevented by his fanbase from ever dealing with that grief. While the notion of Batman spending his free time swimming with dolphins, watching Jerry Maguire , and eating lobster thermidor might be silly, isn’t stunting the character’s development for a few decades also silly?

The only way to divorce Batman from the notion that being dark and gritty is “cool” is to make him hilarious. It’s the antidote for Batman’s personality woes, and since The LEGO Batman movie is free to just have fun and to laugh at the character, it breaks past a stale shield of po-faced antics. Rather than create a new Batman, the animated film satirizes the character to arrive at an honest point regarding his fears and desires. Just as Batman Begins worked backwards from the point of, “Batman dresses like a bat to strike fear into his enemies; fear must be a part of the character’s origins,” so does The LEGO Batman Movie understand that if Batman pushes people away, that comes from his tragic origins. Both readings of the characters are fair, and both led to more rewarding takes on the character as opposed to the Tim Burton films, which just assume Batman is crazy, the Joel Schumacher films, which just don’t care, and Batman v Superman , which just paints him as a fascist.

By comparison, The LEGO Batman Movie gives Batman, for all of his ridiculous posturing, a very human arc. He’s afraid of losing the people he cares about, so he pushes others away. Fighting crime isn’t a way to avenge his parents’ death; it’s a way to keep others from getting close. While some may take umbrage with this “softening” of Batman, this take is what makes Batman relatable for the first time in a long time outside of the comics. In worshiping Batman, his fans put him in a straightjacket and forced him to be a limited person. Ironically, the insanity of The LEGO Batman Movie frees Batman from that straightjacket.

As the film goes on, that insanity starts working against the film, and the madcap energy that worked for The LEGO Movie works against LEGO Batman . Although the universe still feels like its being crafted by an unseen child (for example, Barbara Gordon went to “Harvard for Police”), it also feels like it’s being crafted by unseen Warner Bros. executives asking how they can get more of their IP into the movie. The attempt to make the canvas bigger in turn makes Batman feel small, just another property in a universe full of them, and while that conceit worked in The LEGO Movie , which is about figuring out what makes you special and eschewing the Chosen One narrative, it becomes a distraction in completing Batman’s character arc.

When the focus of The LEGO Batman Movie stays on Batman and his universe, it’s pretty much brilliant. The satire is bitingly funny and clever, the animation is gorgeous, and the whole thing feels like a love letter with a little bit of a bite. As other creators struggle to figure out how to present Batman and work within the stunted notion of what’s “cool” for the character, The LEGO Batman Movie casts such worries aside and instead goes ahead and celebrates the character in all his paradoxical glory rather than trying to package him for a soulless adventure.

The Lego Batman Movie review: "An entertaining, if frenetic, vehicle for Arnett's Bale-inspired Bats"

GamesRadar+ Verdict

An entertaining, if frenetic, vehicle for Arnett’s Bale-inspired Bats that packs plenty of laughs.

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Just when it appeared we’d reached peak superhero, those wily folks at Warner Bros. find another way to re-package the Caped Crusader and the other denizens of the DC Comics stable – one that also manages to ally them to the world’s most popular toy brand. (Ker-ching!) The result is a riotous follow-up to 2014’s The Lego Movie .

It also goes some way towards dispelling the lingering stink from last year’s Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad disappointments, films this one has no qualms about adding to its list of satirical victims. (“Get criminals to fight criminals? That’s a stupid idea!” mutters Batman at one point.)

Marvel too gets its fair share of ribbing (check out the password required to enter the Batcave), as do the conventions of superhero movies themselves. (The film kicks off with Zach Galifianakis’ Joker hijacking a plane full of munitions operated by McGuffin Airlines.)

Yet the chief target is the Dark Knight himself, hilariously voiced by Will Arnett as a grumpy churl and preening egotist that helmer Chris McKay (Robot Chicken) delights in undercutting at every opportunity. Our hero’s lonely idea of downtime, we learn, is to microwave lobster thermidor and rewatch Jerry Maguire .

Batman clearly needs a bat-buddy, one who duly arrives in the form of orphan Dick Grayson (Michael Cera). The Bat has bigger fish to fry, though – the Joker’s latest scheme to open the Phantom Zone and have its prisoners destroy Gotham forever.

How can he be a single parent when everything from Voldemort, the Gremlins and the Creature from the Black Lagoon are dismantling his town? Well, it helps if you have manservant Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) at your side, not to mention “sick new vehicles, codenames… and a kick-ass theme tune!”

McKay’s MO is to throw everything at the screen in the hope most of it sticks, be it a Justice League anniversary party or a homage to the Adam West TV show’s habit of word-illustrating its fight scenes.

But he could do all of these things without Lego, very much a spare part in a film that makes only limited use of the toy’s universe-building properties. So bereft is The Lego Batman Movie of instant-assembly set-pieces that a scene in which a ‘Scuttler’ vehicle is thrown together comes as a genuine surprise.

Still, it’s tough to get nit-picky with a film that finds chortles in everything from the Batmobile’s lack of seat-belts to Robin’s lack of trousers. Maybe DC will take the hint and inject a little more humour into their live-action fare…

Neil Smith is a freelance film critic who has written for several publications, including Total Film. His bylines can be found at the BBC, Film 4 Independent, Uncut Magazine, SFX Magazine, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more. 

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Snap to it, or block it? A parents' guide to 'The Lego Movie'

Every kid with a toy box, every parent who’s ever winced from landing a bare foot on a two-by-two red block, every grandparent who’s bought a minifig for a birthday knows that “The Lego Movie” opens Friday. But is it right for everyone? We snap together some of your likely questions. (Warning: Many spoilers ahead.)

The pros Critical reviews have been almost universally positive, with Time magazine calling it "the funniest, cleverest, most exhaustingly exhilarating animated feature in ages." There's plenty of pop-culture references to keep the adults amused and the movie's world is nicely representative of your typical kid's Lego collection. Milhouse from "The Simpsons" mingles with Superman, Lady Liberty, "1980 something space guy," a mermaid, a panda and other Lego figs, and other household items such as Krazy Glue and used Band-Aids ("the cloak of Ban-Dai-Ed") play roles.

The cons Emphasis on "exhaustive." It’s like it was written by a Lego-loving kid hopped up on Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs who was inspired by one of the “Batman” movies — the action is frenetic and hyper. All kids who play with Legos may want to see it, but it's not right for the younger tykes. And the 3-D is unnecessary.

Is it right for kids of all ages? We're going to say no. While it’s rated PG for “mild action and rude humor,” there are a lot of hyperactive battle scenes, car chases and explosions. The Batmobile is shot until it blows up, as is Wonder Woman’s invisible jet (but that’s pretty funny, since … it’s invisible). And there are intense scenes — scary skeleton-faced robots attack, a characters’ parents are threatened, our heroes are strapped into chairs and “tortured” with green light flashes. A kid behind us wailed when a submarine exploded, another couldn't stop asking her parents about a character who was beheaded with a penny. Parents need to evaluate their own child's comfort level. Nine-year-olds will be in happy hyperfrenetic heaven, preschoolers should stick to "Frozen."

Do I need to pony up for 3-D? Not really. Emmet and some of the other characters are flung into the audience due to various explosions, and red Lego blocks often rain out at the audience. But the third dimension doesn't suck the audience onscreen into its crazy cartoonish world. If you've got the money and want to get the full "Lego Movie" experience, the 3-D isn't a bad addition. But if your local theater's only showing it in 2-D or you want to save a few bucks, don't let your kids guilt you into feeling bad about it.

How are the voices? Very well-cast. Chris Pratt's enthusiastic voice as unlikely hero Emmet is in almost every minute of the movie, and he's likable and funny. Kudos also to Morgan Freeman in a perfect Morgan Freeman role as the wizard Vitruvius and Will Arnett as a growly, frattish Batman. You'll have fun recognizing the other voices too, especially Jonah Hill, whose Green Lantern could've used a much bigger role, Elizabeth Banks as a fighter not unlike Trinity from "The Matrix," and Will Ferrell as the nasty villain.

Best lines “His face is so generic, it matches every other face in our database.” “We need more ideas so dumb and bad no one will ever think they could possibly be useful.” “I told the weird cat thing to stall.” “You don’t know me, but I’m on TV, so you can trust me.”

Warning The movie's big song, "Everything is Awesome!" is as cursedly addictive as "It's a Small World."

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Lego batman: the movie -- dc superheroes unite, common sense media reviewers.

Lighthearted superhero action is fun -- but big toy ad.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie includes a fictitious chemistry lesson a

At first, Batman is fairly inconsiderate toward ot

These LEGO versions of superheroes are a little mo

The story features lots of lightweight, comic-book

The movie is, of course, one big advertisement for

Parents need to know that LEGO Batman: The Movie -- DC Superheroes Unite is a full-length animated movie, released direct to DVD, featuring the slightly humorous LEGO versions of the popular superheroes Batman, Superman, etc. The movie concentrates on thrills and fighting, with a huge Kryptonite-powered gun,…

Educational Value

The movie includes a fictitious chemistry lesson as Luthor mixes several elements to make Kryptonite. Otherwise, this is strictly for entertainment value.

Positive Messages

At first, Batman is fairly inconsiderate toward others in this story. He is uncomfortable asking for help, and doesn't like to give praise to others. He also mistrusts his friends (keeping a store of Kryptonite on hand just in case Superman goes bad). Fortunately, he does eventually realize that asking for help is not necessarily a bad thing, and finally praises Robin for a job well done.

Positive Role Models

These LEGO versions of superheroes are a little more comical, and less serious than usual, but they're still on the side of good and justice. They sometimes seem a little inept, or arrogant, or socially maladjusted.

Violence & Scariness

The story features lots of lightweight, comic-book fighting, with a kind of humorous -- not scary -- tone. The Joker has a Kryptonite-powered gun that breaks apart LEGO structures and frees an army of bad guys. He and Lex Luthor also rampage through the city in a giant Joker-like clown robot (which is potentially scary for little ones). The crazy, laughing Joker might also be a bit scary. There are lots of explosions and chases.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The movie is, of course, one big advertisement for LEGO superhero toys (the DVD even comes with a little Clark Kent/Superman figure). Though the movie doesn't overtly mention toys for sale, kids will know that these toys are available and will likely want them after viewing.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that LEGO Batman: The Movie -- DC Superheroes Unite is a full-length animated movie, released direct to DVD, featuring the slightly humorous LEGO versions of the popular superheroes Batman, Superman, etc. The movie concentrates on thrills and fighting, with a huge Kryptonite-powered gun, and a giant (potentially scary) Joker robot, along with fighting, chasing, and explosions. The tone of the conflicts is always light and funny. The only other issue is consumerism: while there's no specific mention of toys for sale, it will be clear to kids that the entire movie is an ad for LEGO superhero toys. (The DVD even comes with a Clark Kent/Superman figure.) Still, this is a much more age-appropriate fare for superhero fans 8 and up than stuff like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns . To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (7)
• Kids say (14)

Based on 7 parent reviews

Ok for young kids

A great movie form travelers tale. kids and adults will enjoy., what's the story.

When Bruce Wayne beats Lex Luthor as Gotham's "Man of the Year," it inspires Lex to cook up an evil plan to become president. This plan requires freeing the Joker from Arkham Asylum, using a Kryptonite-powered gun. The Joker takes the opportunity to also free all of Batman's other fearsome foes (Catwoman, Penguin, Bane, etc.). Batman and Robin take the case. Superman offers to help, but Batman refuses. Finally, when Luthor and the Joker begin rampaging through town in a giant Joker robot, spreading a dangerous chemical (designed to influence election results), Batman changes his mind and the Justice League swoops in to help.

Is It Any Good?

LEGO Batman: The Movie -- DC Superheroes Unite will entertain adults just as effortlessly as it does kids. It's funny to see the opening credits, designed, LEGO-style, to copy the opening credits for Tim Burton's Batman (1989). It even lifts parts of Danny Elfman's original Batman music score (as well as parts of John Williams' Superman score).

The movie looks great and moves well, using its 71 minutes wisely. It has time for both thrills and humor without feeling rushed or forced, and the characters are funny and likeable. The only real issue is that it takes place, more or less, within the real superhero universe, and fans may balk at the somewhat jokey treatment of their heroes. Otherwise, though the movie doesn't specifically mention toys for sale, it's hard to escape that the entire thing plays like a toy ad.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the movie's violence . Is it scary or over the top? Is it necessary to tell a superhero story with a lot of violence?

What does Batman learn over the course of the movie? Why is he so reluctant to reach out to others?

Does this movie make you want to own more LEGO toys? Why or why not?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : May 21, 2013
• Cast : Charlie Schlatter , Clancy Brown , Troy Baker
• Director : Jon Burton
• Studio : Warner Premiere
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Superheroes
• Run time : 71 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : October 8, 2022

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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5 great movies leaving Hulu in April 2024 you have to watch now

The days are running out for April, and if you’re a Hulu subscriber, that means some of the streamer’s best movies are on their way out the door. And because many of the movies leaving Hulu in April are from outside studios, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be back in the future.

Stand by Me (1986)

Ghostbusters (1984), failure to launch (2006), wonder woman (2017), escape from pretoria (2020).

Since there’s less than a week left in April, there’s really only one solution: Make time for the movies that you want to see. To help you make you’re plans, we’re sharing our list of the five great movies leaving Hulu in April that you have to watch before the end of the month.

Stand By Me is one of the few non-horror stories by Stephen King to be adapted to the big screen. It’s also fondly remembered as a great coming-of-age film with a terrific cast. In the 1960s, a group of young boys hear secondhand that another boy’s body has been found. Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix), Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman), and Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell) see this as a chance to become local heroes if they can locate the body by themselves.

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Their unsupervised journey becomes dangerous when they make enemies out of John “Ace” Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland) and his gang. But for Gordon, the biggest obstacle that he has to overcome is his grief over his late older brother, Denny (John Cusack), as well as his strained relationship with his parents.

Watch Stand By Me on Hulu .

It may be springtime, but the Ghostbusters are never out of season! Hulu has both of the original  Ghostbusters movies through the end of April, but the first one is still among the all-time great comedies. Scientists Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), as well as a regular guy named Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), make a killing as ghost exterminators in New York City.

What the Ghostbusters don’t realize is that their greatest threat is bigger than any single ghost. And the plot to destroy our world is centered around two innocent people: Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis). If the Ghostbusters can’t solve this in time, then there’s going to be mass hysteria.

Watch Ghostbusters on Hulu .

Sarah Jessica Parker’s Paula has a calling in Failure to Launch . She’s figured out how to build up men’s confidence by temporarily dating them and convincing them to move out of their parents’ homes. All for a price, of course. Al (Terry Bradshaw) and Sue (Kathy Bates) realize that Paula’s services could be just what they’re looking for to help their son, Tripp (Matthew McConaughey), grow up and move on with his life.

Normally, Paula would agree with her new clients. But there’s more to Tripp’s refusal to move out than mere insecurity. And before she knows it, Paula is crossing emotional lines with Tripp that she may not be able to walk back.

Watch Failure To Launch on Hulu .

There is something deliciously ironic about having one of Warner Bros.’ top superheroes on both Hulu and Disney+, which are owned by the same company that makes Marvel movies. The original Wonder Woman was far and away the best of the two films to date — although setting it during World War I still wasn’t enough to avoid the Captain America comparisons.

This was Gal Gadot’s first solo appearance as Diana/Wonder Woman, and she’s especially great in the role when playing off of Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor. It’s Steve who makes Diana realize that she has to leave her isolated island home behind in order to confront Ares, the God of War and the last living Olympian.

Watch Wonder Woman on Hulu .

Escape from Pretoria is based on the real-life story of Tim Jenkin (Daniel Radcliffe) and Stephen Lee (Daniel Webster), a pair of South African anti-apartheid activists in the 1970s. After Jenkin and Lee are arrested for their political crimes against the state, they are sentenced and held at Pretoria prison.

A veteran prisoner, Denis Goldberg (Ian Hart), encourages Jenkin and Lee to acclimate to their captivity. However, Jenkin and Lee realize that the prison is far from secure, and they’re willing to escape or die trying in order to continue their battle against apartheid.

Watch Escape from Pretoria on Hulu .

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At movie theaters nationwide this weekend, the action and horror genres will be well served with the simultaneous debuts of Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and the vampire ballerina movie Abigail. (I'm not making that second one up; it exists!) Those movies have their fans, but it's not a stretch to predict there will be quite a few people who will want to stay home to see what's on streaming instead.

The king of those streamers, Netflix, always has something for everyone.And  Digital Trends has crafted a selection of three underrated movies currently streaming on Netflix that are worth your time and attention this weekend. One is a guilty pleasure action movie, another is an underrated comedy from eight years ago, and the last one is a little-seen thriller from 2020.

If you're looking for the streaming service with the best lineup of movies, Tubi would probably not be at the top of your list. Compared to Netflix or Max, Tubi's library isn't quite as impressive. But Tubi does have one big advantage over the larger streamers: It's free. There are ads, of course, but Tubi is also easier to navigate than similar FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming Television) channels , plus it has some really good films.

This month, Tubi still has a selection of Warner Bros.' DC films, including The Batman, but the real attraction of this streaming service are the movies from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s that don't get a lot of attention in the streaming era. Without FAST Channels, it would be a lot harder to find our pick for the one Tubi movie that you should watch this April: Hoosiers.

It would be understandable if Disney+ subscribers feel a little jealous of Hulu in April. That's because the new additions to Hulu include The Big Lebowski, The Fifth Element, Hellboy, Ocean's 11, Jumanji: The Next Level, and even Wonder Woman. The only major Disney+ movie to debut in April was Wish. For families with kids or animation lovers, Wish might be enough. But when picking the one movie to watch on Disney+ in April, we decided to dive a little deeper into the streaming catalog. That's how we settled on our choice for the one Disney+ movie that you have to watch this month: Aliens of the Deep.

Between the premiere of Titanic in 1997 and Avatar in 2009, director James Cameron threw himself into the realm of underwater exploration and directed or co-directed two documentary films. Cameron's first documentary, Ghosts of the Abyss, is not on Disney+. But Aliens of the Deep has a permanent home here. This movie was originally an IMAX release and it was filmed in IMAX 3D. The streaming experience may not be able to replicate that, but Aliens of the Deep is still visually dazzling even in 2D. And now, we'll share the three reasons why you should watch Aliens of the Deep this month. It's one of James Cameron's passion projects