Batman~
"The Lego Movie" is such a stunning surprise that you'd be hard-pressed to imagine such an imaginative movie, and it's also a children's movie based on a toy. But "The Lego Movie: Batman" is comparable to its predecessor. It continues the innovative spirit of "The Lego Movie", but the angle is slightly different, and it will definitely not repeat the jokes in "The Lego Movie".
While The Lego Movie slaps on the storytelling itself, focusing on the clichéd myth of the "fate-chosen savior," The Lego Movie: Batman prefers to joke about a certain superhero. The film begins with a satire of the all-black screen, super-serious studio logo, and a single quote that sets the tone of the film.
The movie opens with Batman (Will Arnett) putting a stop to a plan by the Joker (Zach Galifianakis), which mirrors the absurdity of all those villainous plans in superhero movies. The villains in the movie are weaker, so they can't be a real threat; the hero also has weaknesses, so he can't be sublimated as a savior. Such as the Joker's failed attempt at a nickname for himself, or Batman's blatant hostility to other superheroes who might be better than him.
Commissioner Gordon (Hector Elizondo) retires, leaving his daughter Barbara (Rosario Dawson) in charge, and she wants to keep civilian law enforcers out of Gotham City. The Joker even has a plan to make Batman forgotten. To prove Gotham needs him, Batman concocts a plan that includes other comic book superheroes, and to make things worse, Batman and Robin Hood (Michael Cera) have to fight Barbara Join Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) and save the world again.
The funny section has enough jokes for kids and adults alike so no one gets bored, and it's well-paced so that any audience won't feel like it's going too long without a laugh. Children are amused by all the slapstick and taunting of other superheroes, and even find some old Batman movie meme funny, even if they've never seen a Batman series from the '60s. Adults can laugh at jokes about Pinot Gris and Gandhi and the frustrating TV reception of modern technology. If there is a meme that a child can't understand, or is too childish for an adult, the next meme is for them. I'm 39 and I respect people's eternal love for childish ass jokes.
Batman and his friends
First of all, The Lego Movie: Batman is a play on Batman and DC lore, but it also expresses something. Interestingly, Batman is depicted as a jerk in The Lego Movie, but The Lego Movie: Batman shows that in fact Batman uses narcissism to mask loneliness. It explains that good people also do bad and selfish things. Being a hero isn't just about stopping the bad guys, you have to be heroic; it's a message that can be instilled because audiences are still young enough to accept.
The film is also about relationships. The relationship between hero and villain can be as important as that between husband and wife, and although the two have different demands, they have similarities. The film delivers a valuable message of interdependence without overly glorifying the villain. The story of the film is more of a dependence between them. But in real life, please don't let the criminals go free.
The Lego-built Gotham City has quite a bit of detail that keeps me wanting to pause the movie and take a closer look at all the backdrops. I'll definitely do that when the movie comes out on DVD and Blu-ray. When watching a movie in theaters, remember to look closely at the movie title on the Gotham Theater curtain. You can see the detailed textures on the LEGO characters, especially their helmets and hair. One difference, from a cinematic aesthetic point of view, is that, unlike the clear background in The Lego Movie, the background is softer and more blurred.
I always expected The LEGO Movie: Batman to be more than just a continuation of The LEGO Movie, but never expected to see such a clever sequel. The LEGO Movie team once again showed that there are no limits to creativity, even combining two brand series into one movie.
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