The Lego Batman Movie

Everything is Still Awsome                                                3/5

Thematic
     Family and identity are deconstructed her brick by brick

Animated
     Lego Batman maintains the same animation style with the altered frame rate form The Lego Movie

Satire
     Lego Batman has a PHD in batman lore and isn't afraid to show it off

Certified Fresh
    91% on Rotten Tomatoes is a well earned score

Rotten Tomatoes 91%                                  Cinemascore: A-

When first announced I didn't think this was a good idea, but after that the first trailer I knew The Lego Batman Movie was going to be something special. This was Warners chance to spin a postmodern approach to their most treasured character and I was immediately on board. Batman is an egotistical, self centered asshole who fears attachment; Robin a wide eyed impressionable youth who follows batman around like a little brother, Joker desperately desires Batman's validation to their ying-yang relationship, the list goes on and on. What we have here is classic satire, one that knows where to point the finger and laugh, and also when to have a tender moment that speaks to the deeper nature of characters.

The story of The Lego Batman Movie adopts the tone of the Lego Movie before it, and its not afraid to show off its quirks along the way. After defeating Joker (Galifalakis) for the countless time, Batman (Arnett) must struggle to remain relevant in a city thats leaving him behind. Gordon has passed on the mantle of Commissioner to his daughter Barbara (Dawson) who dreams of uniting Gotham's police force with the Caped Crusader all while Alfred (Fiennes) urges Bruce to move on and try becoming part of a family again. However when Batman suspects the Joker's scheme may not be over, he must team up with his newly adopted ward Dick Greyson aka. Robin (Cera) to steal a device that would put the Clown Prince of Crime away for good.

So I bet that all sounds a little crazy, well it's suppose to. The Lego Batman movie moves at a breakneck pace, throwing almost everything Batman at the screen without waiting to see if it sticks. Everybody gets a cameo, sometimes the cameo adds to the frantic humor and other times it gets drowned in the sea of one liners and easter eggs. The weakness of Lego Batman is that sometime its too fast for its own good; where some films will spotlight one particular comic tie in The Lego Batman Movie has no such filter, leading to some jokes that hit and many more that earn a chuckle at best.

Thought Lego Batman may move a mile a minute throughout its 90minute run time, its wise enough to know when to slow down and focus on it's narrative. It's at these time where the films thematic threads start to show, emphasizing family and selflessness. The contrast is stark, but absolutely necessary, and just like The Lego Movie before it there are significant moments of sincerity that elevate the narrative above many, if not most, of the modern family movie offerings. The Lego Batman movie may have the pace of a five year old but it has more then enouth wisdom, wit and heart to make up for it in the end.