Lego Batman

It's not the best Batman movie, it's the best parody of a Batman movie, and that's what makes it the best movie about Batman. Too often both he and Superman are just icons attached to predictable action movies. They sell merchandise more than character. Here, much like The Lego Movie, the overabundance of merch and self-aware tone serves as fodder for a unique parody of superhero movies. Yet the writers have learned well the central conceit of parody taught by Mel Brooks over a decade ago- a parody has to be its own movie first. 

Batman has lasted for a century through asking questions of what line or gray area separates good men and bad, on what family means, and on the meaning of justice. Lego Batman simply explores those same things with a tongue in cheek attitude for the relationships Batman refuses to acknowledge. Lego Batman is the most egotistical and emotionally stunted of any version of the caped crusader. The writers are neither ignorant or flippant about this, using the movie's situations and characters to explore the possibility of change for the angsty antihero. His over serious tone compared to the incompetence of the villains and over optimistic Robin and efficiency obsessed Barbara Gordon and kindly old Alfred and technicolor bliss of the Gotham town people creates a hilarious comparison that continues throughout the film. He cannot trust others, not even his arch rival Joker, who seems genuinely crushed that Batman doesn't call him my greatest enemy.

The movie focuses on relationships such as Batman/Joker, Alfred/Batman, Batman/Robin, Batman/Barbara, and employs similar writing and developments to romance and family movies. Robin's actions because of idolizing Batman becomes a parable for bad parenting, and Batman refusing to listen to Alfred and Barbara shows the lack of trust he has for others and his fear to make friends since he lost his own family and never faced that. And Joker feels like they took a romance movie and just removed the kissing. He constantly talks about how this is a one-sided relationship and does these huge things so Batman will notice him and call him his greatest enemy. They end up telling each other I hate you and working together at the very end.

The focus on relationships and Batman's lack of trust along with the strange bromance between Joker and Batman and the meta humor about Lego allows the movie to not only parody the superhero genre and prior Batman outings but also creates its own identity through the mashing of styles and genres. I will say certain scenes and meta jokes aren't as well delivered as they could be, yet the movie made me question Batman's motivations and morality more than any other Batman movie. Change may be a long time coming to DC movies, but this movie is a step in the right direction. Even if it is just a parody.

Clyde Northrup
Pragmus Omega