The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

Director: Chris McKay

Stars: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson
Runtime: 104 minutes

Synopsis: A cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick.

Animation: 7/10

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 4/10
Editing: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Entertainment Factor: 6/10

Verdict: One of my favorite animated movies of recent times is 2014's "The LEGO Movie". And a standout side character in it was the brick version of Batman whose hilarious self-awareness immediately turned him into a fan favorite. So naturally, a couple of years later, he was given his own spin-off in the form of a Batman parody.

Out of all four LEGO-themed films that had a theatrical release over the second half of the last decade, this particular may honestly be my least favorite. Don't get me wrong, I still find a lot of it to be hilarious, but unfortunately, it feels like the writers were more interested in cramming as many jokes and characters as possible rather than form an immersive story centered around three-dimensional characters. As a result, I wasn't able to form an emotional connection with the film, and I started to get tired of the non-stop jokes pretty fast. And as mentioned earlier, the oversaturation of quips and puns was matched by an overwhelming amount of characters that turned the film into a chaotic one. Batman's definitely the star, but every single character affiliated to him over the years makes an appearance. From ally to foe, they were all here in some capacity and as if that wasn't enough, they even felt the need to introduce non-DC related villains such as Voldemort, Sauron, or King Kong to spice things up in a final act that resembles how I imagine what Michael Bay playing with Legos looks like.

This particular Batman works better in a supporting role. He's funny, that's for sure, but he proved that he can overstay his welcome when given his own film, even if it's not entirely his fault.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10