I have always considered myself a movie fan. I love watching movies, and as time goes on, they only seem to get better. Better effects, bigger explosions, the works. One of my colleagues recently reviewed the groundbreaking Yu-Gi-Oh Dark Side of Dimensions movie. I, too, saw it, and was both amazed and appalled. The movie was fantastic, better than I had ever seen. But I feared that I would never see a movie I considered to be good ever again, for nothing could ever surpass that greatness.
Fear not, fellow moviegoers. My zeal for movies is not lost. I had the opportunity to watch the Lego Batman Movie this past Tuesday, and while I won’t say which move was better, this one certainly does not disappoint.
The Lego Batman movie follows on the shoulder of the enigmatic Lego Movie, but does not continue its storyline. Rather, it utilizes that universe to create a story unlike any we’ve seen, complete with zany cameos and plenty of jokes. It is very much its own entity, and it is a delight.
We follow our protagonist, the mysterious and misunderstood Batman, a character who enjoys the pleasures of life like any of us. Visiting orphanages, retiring to his secret lair, and reheating Lobster Thermidor. While we can’t quite relate, except for perhaps the experience of microwaved seafood, we then come to a realization: Batman has feelings, too; he just wants a family! So we follow him on is wacky adventures, adorable sidekick in tow, and they have a whole bunch of mischief and even fight Voldemort (Wingardium Levio-Shut up.) at one point. (Fun fact, the man who plays Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies was a voice actor in this movie, but not for Voldemort; he instead voices Batman’s butler, the enigmatic Alfred. Go figure. And since this is a Batman movie, it wouldn’t be complete without the Clown Prince of Crime. That’s right, the Joker’s in it, and he is brick-tastic.
If you haven’t seen this or the Lego movie, you might be suspicious of watching several hours of a stop-motion animation effect. Similarly, you might not want to watch several hours of children’s toys shouting, “Pew, pew!” at each other. However, you will find that, like the Lego movie, the effects are such that you feel drawn in and can really believe the action is occurring. You’re able to conceive a world of Lego people and their interactions. The movie team does a fantastic job of distinguishing foreground and really creating a sense of depth in every shot. This is much more than your average Lego “Thriller” stop-motion animation on YouTube . And while this movie does not have Michael Jackson in it, I believe that people of all ages will find something in it they like. From all sort of random references (Godzilla was in it, if you need another reason to watch) to a brief but amusing foray into all versions of Batman ever, whether you’re a fan of Batman, Legos, both, or none, this movie will definitely be enjoyed.
