Batman must stop the Joker from releasing all the villains of the
​Phantom Zone, while also raising an orphan he adopted by accident.

ACTION/COMEDY/FAMILY

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Directed by Chris McKay

Written by Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna,
Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, John Whittington

Starring Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis,
Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Jenny Slate, Hector Elizondo,
Ellie Kemper, Channing Tatum, Jemaine Clement, Eddie Izzard,
​Seth Green, Doug Benson

Spin-Off of 2014's The Lego Movie

Based on characters from DC Comics

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Connor Eyzaguirre

February 18, 2017

9/10

Will Arnett's Lego Batman was the breakout star of 2014's megahit The Lego Movie, so naturally giving him his own spin-off was the next step.  I figured The Lego Batman Movie would share the same childish inspiration that made the original movie so charming. While this film does have an inkling of that, it instead opts to bask in the glory of the Dark Knight and be a celebration of everything Batman. This is honestly one of the best Batman films of all time and is built to entertain Batfans of all ages. It pokes fun at every era of the Caped Crusader from Adam West to Ben Affleck and constantly references major and minor characters and events from the Batman mythology. I could not have been happier.

The voice cast absolutely kills it, including the minor characters with only one or two lines. Billy Dee Williams finally got to be Two-Face and comedian Doug Benson gets to whip out his flawless Bane impression for the big screen. The major players are perfectly cast, with Zach Galifianakis delivering the perfect Joker for a movie like this. I even liked Michael Cera's dopey, impressionable Robin. Much like the original Lego Movie, the coolest part of this film are the crossovers. The epic third act sees villains like Sauron, Voldemort, the Kraken, the Gremlins, and even King Kong lay siege to Gotham City. This movie literally feels like someone broke out their toy collection and just started playing.

I went into this film with mediocre expectations and was blown away by how much the filmmakers cared about the source material. All the DC Easter eggs and references to Batman's entire timeline make this film a must-see for any DC Comics fan. The Lego Batman Movie is the animated film to beat this year and I look forward to any future sequel possibilities.