The LEGO Batman Movie Review

The LEGO Batman Movie

Release Date: 30th March 2017 - Australia

 
Production Companies 

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Warner Animation Group
DC Entertainment
RatPac-Dune Entertainment (in association with)

LEGO System A/S (in
association with)

Animal Logic (feature
animation)
Vertigo Entertainment
Lin Pictures
Lord Miller

Distribution 

Roadshow Distribution 

Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 104 minutes


Budget: $80,000,000

Box Office Gross: $311,950,384 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary 

There are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker's hostile takeover, LEGO Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. (Source - Metro Cinemas) 


Voice Cast

Will Arnett - Bruce Wayne/

Batman

Rosario Dawson - Barbara Gordon/Batgirl

Ralph Fiennes - Alfred
Pennyworth
Siri - Puter

Michael Cera - Dick Grayson/
Robin

Zach Galifianakis - The Joker

Jenny Slate - Harley Quinn
Jason Mantzoukas - Scarecrow
Conan O'Brien - The Riddler
Doug Benson - Bane

Billy Dee Williams - Two Face
Zoe Kravitz - Catwoman
Kate Micucci - Clayface
Riki Lindhome - Poison Ivy/Wicked Witch of the West
Eddie Izzard - Voldermort
Seth Green - King Kong
Jemaine Clement - Sauron
Ellie Kemper - Phyllis
Channing Tatum - Superman
Jonah Hill - Green Lantern
Adam Devine - The Flash
Hector Elizondo - Jim Gordon
Mariah Carey - Mayor McCaskill
Lauren White - Chief O'Hara/

Various

Crew
Director - Chris McKay
Batman Creators - Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Superman Creators -  Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Story/Screenplay - Seth Grahame-Smith
Screenplay - Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern and John Whittington
Executive Producers - Benjamin Melniker, Michael Uslan, Will Allegra, Matthew Ashton, Brad Lewis, Steven Mnuchin, Zareh Nalbandian and Jill Wilfert
Producers - Roy Lee, Christopher Miller,
Phil Lord and Dan Lin
Co-Producers - Jon Burton, Ryan Halprin,
John Powers Middleton and Amber Naismith
Production Designer - Grant Freckelton
Head of Story - Trisha Gum
Animation Supervisor - Rob Coleman

CG Supervisor - Damien Gray

Lighting Supervisor - Craig Welsh

Stereoscopic Supervisor - Fabian Mueller

Head of Camera - Behzad Mansoori-Dara
Film Editors - David Burrows, John Venzon
and Matt Villa
Music - Lorne Balfe

Review

A self-referential, playful and lighthearted take of Batman was an interruption from the gloomy and dour interpretation that many fans see in the comics, films, games and TV shows. Unlike the few that came before this film the others were too campy and colourful like the 1966 Adam West film and the last two films from the Burton/Schumacher quadrilogy - 'Batman & Robin' was the worst of them all. Many movies of the Dark Knight stayed true and come close to the original tone until now. Because of the worldwide phenomenon of 'The LEGO Movie' that rejoiced younger audiences into playing their Lego versions and sets. While the older audiences and even parents relive their childhood memories of their block building years. 'THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE' isn't quite as entertaining as the original movie that spun-off from its success. It definitely has shown a softer side of Batman to young kids that were too young to watch the darker versions. It puts the fewer recent entries like 'Batman v Superman' into shame.

The voice acting, humour and animation hasn't been largely diminished as the feature would have prided itself to be. Actor/comedian Will Arnett returns to do the voicing of the caped crusader as he clearly enjoys being silly with it unlike George Clooney. Zach Galifianakis voices the Joker as much saner than Jack Nicholson, Jared Leto and the late Heath Ledger's previous interpretations. Michael Cera was enthusiastic as Batman's boy-wonder sidekick Robin. I was very disappointed that a lot of Batman's known rogues gallery were underused. Particularly Two-Face who was voiced once again by Billy Dee Williams. The actor hasn't had a good chance to portray this villain's complex personalities as he only portrayed his good side as Harvey Dent in Tim Burton's 'Batman'. But when Tommy Lee Jones took over this character from him and turned it into a comically exaggerated version of Two-Face. The original actor was unneeded until he was on the right track of voicing the character but only for a minimal screen-time. 

Many of the villains that were not from the DC universe were certainly out of place for a movie like 'LEGO BATMAN'. These include -  Lord Voldermort, Sauron, The Daleks, etc shouldn't be added as they should belong only to the other franchises. It's more disappointing that the producers decide not to let Ralph Fiennes return as the dark wizard from the 'Harry Potter' series, even though he is busy voicing Alfred.

In my opinion, 'LEGO BATMAN' is probably not the most serious movie in the Batman genre and neither the best. It has many allusions to remind older fanatics that this film self-parodies the image of the masked vigilante. This would be a surprise twist to many viewers who were into Batman. This movie is suitable for all ages.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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