The Lego® Batman Movie does have some funny moments and great scenes with inside jokes for any Batman fan out there. The downside is the plot is rather thin but the message is one that kids and adults could get something out of while the jokes do run a bit dry and the film could’ve been cut down.
The Lego Batman Movie
(2017)
Genre(s): Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Warner Bros. | PG – 104 min. – $44.95 | June 13, 2017
Date Published: 06/17/2017 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE — 3.0/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: There are big changes brewing in Gotham, but if Batman (WILL ARNETT) wants to save the city from the Joker’s (ZACH GALIFIANAKIS) hostile takeover, he may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. Maybe his superhero sidekick Robin (MICHAEL CERA) and loyal butler Alfred (RALPH FIENNES) can show him a thing or two.
Quick Hit Review: The LEGO® franchise has picked up steam courtesy of the success of The Lego® Movie and now we get The Lego® Batman Movie which has some humor, a lot of heart and yet at the end, I found it to be rather underwhelming with the jokes falling flat and really slow pacing. The only thing that did keep me going was a lot of the jokes that, as a Batman fan since I was a kid, did manage to elicit a chuckle or two, especially early on. Outside of the smile-inducing in-jokes, the voice talent is, as was with The Lego® Movie, was excellent. Will Arnett is fantastic as an over-the-top Caped Crusader; Zach Galifianakis was alright as The Joker working well opposite Arnett; Michael Cera plays Dick Grayson with wonderful naivety and innocence; and Ralph Fiennes as the paternal-figure for Bruce provided the necessary heart.
The Lego® Batman Movie was helmed by Chris McKay whose bulk of his career was comprised of episodes of the hilarious Robot Chicken series before making the jump with this and, if schedule holds, will go the live action route on DC’s Nightwing. As for this one, it’s certainly not bad: there are laughs to be had and the Batman in-jokes fans will love. But otherwise, the material was too thin to fill the 100-minute running time and a good 10-15 minutes could’ve been edited down for a tighter, more enjoyable, flick. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.25/5 |
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This release comes with a slightly title-embossed slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Director and Crew Commentary – Director Chris McKay, Editor David Burrows and several others whose names I couldn’t quite catch but worked on the technical side. Featurettes:
Deleted Scenes (7:00; HD):
These scenes were obviously not finished but it’s clear why they were removed, really didn’t add to the story or were particularly funny. Animated Shorts (7:30; HD):
Promotional Material (HD):
The Master: A Lego® Ninjago Short (5:23; HD) Preview – Ninjago |
4K VIDEO – 5.0/5, BD VIDEO – 5.0/5
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| The Lego® Batman Movie flies onto 4K UHD presented in its original 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio and an amazing 2160p ultra-high definition transfer (HEVC / H.265 codec). Animation always had the advantage of the HD format be it Blu-ray or now 4K, but this does look fantastic throughout with incredible pops of color as well as excellent detail. One of the things that stood out just was the textures on the Lego® figures, such as on Batman’s cowl or the faces on The Joker and others. |
AUDIO – 4.5/5 |
| Both the 4K and BD comes with Dolby Atmos tracks, as well as DTS-HD MA 5.1, and I’m rarely impressed with these soundtracks for animated movies but this one does sound great. Dialogue/jokes levels were crisp and clean but where these tracks really take off is with the numerous action sequences with impressive depth and doing a quick check on the DTS-HD MA option, which came across nicely enough as well. |
OVERALL – 3.5/5 |
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Overall, The Lego® Batman Movie does have some funny moments and great scenes with inside jokes for any Batman fan out there. The downside is the plot is rather thin but the message is one that kids and adults could get something out of while the jokes do run a bit dry and the film could’ve been cut down a good 10-15 minutes. This 4K UHD release by Warner offers excellent video and audio transfers and a nice selection of bonus features, though don’t expect anything in-depth making-of documentary. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.