Following on from his scene-stealing performance in 2014’s The Lego Movie, Lego’s gravelly-voiced, hilariously egotistical version of Batman gets his own film spin-off, and it’s an animated treat.
When he’s not saving Gotham City from criminals like The Joker (Galifianakis), Harley Quinn and Bane, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Arnett, just brilliant) spends his time alone – aside from trusty butler Alfred (Fiennes), of course – wandering the halls of Wayne Manor, eating microwaved lobster and watching romances on his home cinema. His lonely life is about to change, however, thanks to excitable orphan Dick Grayson (Cera), pretty new commissioner Barbara Gordon (Dawson) and the Joker’s latest nefarious plan that involves a whole army of super-bad guys. Perhaps now is the time for Batman to realise he can’t always work and be alone?
There’s something for everyone in this terrific, truly funny movie, including a great use of music throughout – expect some audio flashbacks for grown-ups from Cutting Crew, Michael Jackson and Harry Nilsson – even if there isn’t a memorable theme song like The Lego Movie’s Everything Is Awesome.
Packed with so many visual gags and jokes you’ll need to see it at least twice to catch them all (including a superb reference to all the previous Batman incarnations), this is also a frenetic action adventure movie for all the family, overflowing with exploding Lego bricks, chase sequences and Bat gadgets. Adults will love spotting Lego versions of baddies from movies such as The Matrix, Gremlins and King Kong, while kids will be swept along by the bright, fast, joyous fun of it all.
The best Batman movie since The Dark Knight Rises, and the first awesome action movie of 2017.
Is The Lego Batman Movie suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Very young children may be scared by The Joker, especially in scenes where his grinning face fills the screen early in the movie.
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