Movie Review: Lego Batman the Movie DC Super Heroes Unite

Lego Batman the Movie DC Super Heroes Unite

DC Comics, The LEGO Group, Traveller's Tales, Warner Premiere Digital, USA, UK, Denmark, 2013.

Based on the video game Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes.

Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) is annoyed when Bruce Wayne (Troy Baker) wins the Man of the Year prize. The Joker (Christopher Corey Smith) and the other supervillains crash the party. Batman (Troy Baker) and Robin (Charlie Schlatter) catch Joker after a chase. Superman (Travis Willingham) arrives and playfully mocks Batman about causing collateral damage.

Lex Luthor

Bruce Wayne and his fans

Robin and Batman

Lex plans to team up with Joker to win presidential election. The supervillains escape the Arkham Asylum using Lex's new weapon. Stubborn Batman does not want help from anyone. But as the new weapon can destroy Batman's equipment he has to ask help from Superman. Lex steals a stash of  Kryptonite that makes Superman powerless. Justice League comes to help.

Superman

The Joker

Justice League

The title sequence already tells that this movie is more close to Tim Burton's gothic Batman-films than Christopher Nolan's versions. Also the humoristic approach makes it fun as the 60s TV-Batman and The Joker is like Cesar Romero's comical villain. The use of Lego-bricks makes the visual style cheery and tongue-in-cheek, and it never gets too serious. Also the animation looks great with some spectacular action scenes. In the Lego-world the superheroes have a new power: to repair the damaged items using the detached bricks. As Robin is still young kid, his attempts to build vehicles often fail. Batman and Superman are polar opposites and they have fun dialogue.

Poor Alfred

The DVD has also good extras with short films and episodes of TV-animations.

"Building Batman"

Animator Garrett Barati teaches kids' how to make Lego- stop motion films.

Two episodes of series "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" (2011)

Triumvirate of Terror

First story shows epic baseball match between Justice League International and Legion of Doom. In the main story Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman foil the foolproof plots of their arch enemies. Joker, Lex Luthor and Cheetah decide to attack different heroes than usually.

Superman vs Cheetah

Scorn of the Star Sapphire

First story: Baroness Von Gunther has captured Batman and Steve Trevor. Wonder Woman to the rescue! In the main story Green Lantern's enemy Star Sapphire kidnaps Green Lantern's girlfriend Carol Ferris.

Star Sapphire

One episode of "Teen Titans" (2005)

Overdrive

Cyborg has lots of things he wants to do but there are only 24 hours in the day. New chip makes him more efficient but there are some serious side effects. Americanime.

Cyborg

There are also six award winning short animations from Lego DC Universe Super Heroes with short film "Lego Batman Jumps into Action" advertising the contest.

"Black Friday"

Batman tries to buy Lego-kit.

"Prison Brick-Out"

Lex Luthor notices that the prison is made of Lego-bricks and escapes.

"Superman"

Superman and Wonderwoman fight against Lex Luthor's giant robot.

"Plastic Justice"

Batman stops crime wave of Two-Face, Joker and Catwoman and Riddler.

"Wicked Surprise"

Villains have kidnapped Robin. Batman gets a birthday surprise.

All in all a very entertaining package.

Rating: Very good

Voice Actors: Clancy Brown, Troy Baker, Christopher Corey Smith, Charlie Schlatter, Travis Willingham, Townsend Coleman, Laura Bailey, Steve Blum, Rob Paulsen, Brian Bloom, Cam Clarke, Katherine Von Till, Erin Shanagher

Director: Jon Burton