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The Lego Batman Movie
By Betsy Bozdech,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Clever, creative, action-packed adventure/toy ad.
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The Lego Batman Movie
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Based on 56 parent reviews
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What's the Story?
In THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, Batman/Bruce Wayne (voiced by Will Arnett), is pretty sure he's got it made -- sweet Batcave, awesome tuxedo wardrobe, endless Bat-vehicles and gadgets. But without anyone to share it with (other than long-suffering butler/minder Alfred, of course), what does it all mean? Even Gotham City's biggest bad guy, he Joker (Zach Galifianakis), can't break through Batman's "I don't need anyone" defense mechanisms. Things start changing when Batman accidentally adopts earnest young orphan Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) and meets Gotham's new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson). She wants Batman to work alongside the cops, rather than as a solo vigilante. He's skeptical, but after the Joker engineers a mass breakout from the galaxy's most secure prison, the Caped Crusader may have no other choice than to finally give teamwork a try.
Is It Any Good?
Smart, funny, and fast-paced, this second big-screen Lego movie shows that the first one wasn't a fluke: The folks behind this franchise definitely know what they're doing. Jokes and pop culture references fly fast and furiously in The Lego Batman Movie -- adults are likely to get a particular kick out of the many references to earlier Batman movies and TV shows -- and the animation is colorful and creative. It never gets old to see all the inventive ways that Lego pieces and characters are used, built, taken apart, and rebuilt. Plus, the writing is snappy, and the voice cast is spot on. Arnett stole the show as the Dark Knight in The Lego Movie, and he has no trouble taking center stage here. Cera's Dick Grayson/Robin is perfectly chirpy and wide-eyed; Dawson is cool, calm tough-chick perfection as Barbara; Ralph Fiennes is drolly amusing as Alfred (who gets several memorable scenes); and Galifianakis is a great mix of quirky and menacing as the Joker.
All of that said, what's particularly pleasing about this franchise (so far, at least!) is how much attention has obviously been paid to story development and positive take-aways for kids and families. No, the Lego movies aren't going to give you quite as many feels as something like Inside Out, but they've got distinct, memorable characters who change and grow over the course of their adventures in ways that even kids will understand -- in between their bouts of giggles, of course. Barbara's message to Batman -- "you can't be a hero if you only care about yourself" -- is simple and clear, but you never feel hit over the head by it because you're too busy marveling at the movie's technical achievements and clever humor. Bottom line? The Lego Batman Movie is as at least as much fun as one of Batman's tuxedo dress-up parties.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence/action in The Lego Batman Movie. Is it less scary because all of the people and buildings are made out of Legos? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?
How does the Batman in the Lego movies compare to other versions of Batman you've seen in movies and/or TV shows? Why do you think Batman is usually portrayed as so serious and angry? Is he a role model?
How does Batman learn the importance of teamwork and humility? Why are those important character strengths?
The Joker is definitely a villain, but it's clear that we're also supposed to sympathize with his frustration and hurt feelings regarding his relationship with Batman. Is it OK to feel sorry for a bad guy? How did you feel about him in the end?
How do the Lego movies stack up to other toy-based franchises, like the Barbie or Transformers films? Does watching them make you want to get the Lego characters in the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 10, 2017
- On DVD or streaming: June 13, 2017
- Cast: Will Arnett , Michael Cera , Ralph Fiennes , Rosario Dawson , Zach Galifianakis
- Director: Chris McKay
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors, Indigenous actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Superheroes , Adventures
- Character Strengths: Humility , Teamwork
- Run time: 104 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: rude humor and some action
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: July 13, 2023
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