‘The Lego Batman Movie’ Review Roundup: A Refreshingly Funny Take On Batman

The Lego Batman Movie, directed by Chris McKay, scored a whopping 90% on rottentomatoes.com, considerably high for an animated film rated PG. It seems the switch from the high-octane, ultra-serious super hero movies was a welcome one, with critics praising the latest comic book adaptation for being stupid-yet-hilarious. Both kids and adults alike have praised this film.

Will Arnett as Batman really creates the air of a silly Batman, which this country didn’t know it needed. As reviewer Gary Walcott said, “in these tense political times, a little stupid goes a long way.”

The Lego Batman Movie hits theaters this Friday.

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE REVIEWS

“By rejecting the pervasive darkness that has shrouded the character since Tim Burton brought him to the big-screen, this version of Batman is able to reconnect with the campiness of the beloved 1960s TV series. Overall, The Lego Batman Movie offers enough action and silliness to enthrall children while providing sufficient pop culture and Batman-through-the-years references to keep adults entertained.”
–James Berardinelli, reelviews.com

“Quite possibly the best Batman movie ever made, if not a close runner-up to “Batman Returns.” Liberated from the constraints of being dark, edgy or even campy, “Lego Batman” is able to poke fun at its costumed gentleman hero and really dig into the elements of Batman that make the character who he is. Who’da thunk you’d get all that from the sequel to an animated movie about building blocks? ..It was always going to be a fun Lego property, but no one likely expected this to be one of the best and most refreshing Batman movies ever… The movie is truly hysterically funny, cute and very lovable. To describe any of the jokes would be to ruin all the fun of discovering it yourself.”
–Katie Walsh, Tribune New Service

“The LEGO Batman Movie doesn’t have the element of surprise The LEGO Movie enjoyed, but its quest to be the most overloaded, hyperactive, reference-heavy endeavor of all time goes from amusing to taxing quickly. It’s certainly not a lazy effort, but it’s not exactly a groundbreaking one either.”
–Brian Orndorf, blu-ray.com

“As gateway drugs go, “The Lego Batman Movie” is pretty irresistible. It’s silly without being truly strange or crossing over into absurdity. Along the way it pulls off a nifty balancing act: It gives the PG audience its own Batman movie (it’s a superhero starter kit) and takes swipes at the subgenre, mostly by gently mocking the seriousness that has become a deadening Warner Bros. default… The whole vibe is, as the first Lego movie insisted with its deliriously catchy anthem, awesome, so, relax, enjoy the show, go with the flow. I mean, who hates Legos? Isn’t that like hating childhood?”
–Manohla Dargis, New York Times