The LEGO Batman Movie: A good Batman nobody talks about
The LEGO Batman Movie: A good Batman nobody talks about
The LEGO Batman Movie is quite a good Batman film. What started as a parody character in The LEGO Movie turned into a love letter. The joke being he is the dark, brooding Affleck/Bale Batman. A theme movies have leaned on heavily without ever really exploring the character beneath. There has been a cycle of reboots, each darker than the last, going back to the 1960s. This film came out during the third wave of that cycle. When I wrote about the history of superhero movies and the MCU, I completely forgot to mention it. The thing is, this version is one of the most faithful and enjoyable adaptations out there. Yet it remains overlooked.
It reminds me of Star Trek: Lower Decks in that respect, making fun of the series but doing so out of love. The genius here is turning a parody of the character into something more, exploring a part of him nobody else does. That being his loneliness and refusal to connect with people. He first appeared in The LEGO Movie, which eventually turned into this spin-off. Hollywood should do more of this, though I understand why it is not easy to repeat or reproduce. We did get more spin-offs and sequels which turned into something of a disappointment at the box office. This was the high before the lows.
What makes it even more special is that the focus is not on explaining the origin. It does subtle nods but avoids the trope so many superhero movies fall into, assuming you need that backstory or adding it as filler. Instead we get Batman in his prime. We also get a host of Batman characters nobody has heard of. Polka-Dot Man, Calendar Man, Condiment King and a few more. A love letter and a set of clever references. Yes, I did have to look them up. But they are a nice little easter egg, and quite a funny one at that.
We also get Robin in this movie, trying to get Bruce Wayne to come around to connecting with people and admitting he needs help. Robin is the heart of the film, arriving after a mistake by Batman leads to him being accidentally adopted. It becomes quite touching by the end, this is not just comedy. We get a Batman who is loved by all and a Bruce Wayne who is not so much. A very lonely figure, faithful to how the comics portray him. It is quite a good flip compared to what normally happens. Running parallel is the Joker, who wants Batman to admit he is his greatest rival, which is a clever take. The animated TV shows have touched on this dynamic once or twice, but it is rare to see it in a film, let alone a kids movie. A kids movie with real depth, one that adults can enjoy just as much. You have both Robin and the Joker trying to get his attention in their own ways, something most of the more serious films avoid entirely. A Batman movie that poked fun at itself was needed, and yet it turned out to be one of the most faithful versions of the character. After being rebooted so many times people had started to get tired of it. This was a breath of fresh air.
The animation style is unique but incredibly detailed. Creative, with a nod towards the childhood toy everybody loves. I did have a LEGO set as a kid, and still do, so perhaps I am biased. Rather than hiding the awkward limitations of LEGO it uses them to great effect, and it adds a charm that a standard animated film would not have.
Yet this movie had escaped my mind until I decided to update my recommended TV and film list, and suddenly it came back to me. Is it worth watching? Definitely. It is a superhero movie that few will jump to first, but one that everybody can agree is good. Why did it stick with me? It has so many moments that linger. The Robin scenes, the Joker scenes, little things that just stay with you. It has also inspired me to write about bad movies, starting with Madame Web, which got me thinking about a new kind of bad movie. Not the charming kind we used to get, but something more professional. Well made on the surface, polished even, but awful underneath. More on that in another post.