REVIEW: The Lego Batman Movie

"Batman lands in your local cinema in February"

Batman Returns. Okay, let me rephrase that, Batman Begins. Oh, let me just say that Batman is back in black with the next instalment of the hugely popular Lego movie franchise. Leaving reality and common sense strictly by the door and putting the emphasis on fun and imagination, The Lego Batman Movie pays homage to all the Batman incarnations before and creates its own one and it’s really funny. Batman as a character has always been dark, mysterious and very much a loner and in this movie he is no different. Self-absorbed, always bigging himself up and the proud owner of killer abs, Mr Batman is both hilarious and action packed in equal measure.



When all hell breaks loose in Gotham City, there is only one man to call, and that is the man with the word Bat before it. Within the first 10 minutes of the movie we have a battle royale of sorts with Batman vs every villain he has ever encountered (and then some) and manages to beat them all and save Gotham City. Once again declared a hero, the media surmise that once the world is safe once more, Batman will retire to hang out in the best locations with beautiful female tennis players. The reality is completely different. Showing a peek into Batman’s downtime and history, the story continues with Commissioner Gordon retiring and his daughter taking over the city, stating that they have no more need for Batman as vigilantes are frowned upon and all the bad guys are in Arkham. However, they didn’t plan on a “clever” plot by the Joker to get an alternative army to destroy Batman and Gotham City once and for all. Just like its predecessor The Lego Movie, Batman steals the show and is hilarious, but also the unique Lego humour is apparent throughout the movie. The Joker is unlike any version you have seen (voiced by The Hangover’s Zack Gallifiaknis) and Will Arnett’s Batman is just comedy gold. The relationship between the two is stranger than ever, and The Joker is suitable inconsolable when Batman declares that The Joker isn’t his arch enemy and that is actually nothing to him.



Robin features as a great comedy sidekick, and the end game seems to devolve into a game of Lego Dimensions, but it’s suitably actioned packed to keep you watching until the end. Great music, funny asides and a strong lead character, The Lego Batman Movie is a fun movie for all the family. I really enjoyed this one.

POPSCORE: 8.5/10

Did you know? If you own an Apple iPhone and activate Siri but say "Hey 'Puter" instead, Siri will give you a response that is similar to that of the computer in this movie.