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Will’s Unpopular Opinion – Shitting Bricks – 2-15-17

Like many Bat-fans, I waited with bated breath for the ‘Lego Batman’ movie to hit theaters last week. I was a fan of the franchise since inception. I had bought the first few PS3 games, and even got the first bat-mobile Lego set back in 2006. My excitement was palpable ever since the brick-flick was announced shortly after the original ‘Lego Movie’ premiered back in 2014. That movie, (although a scene for scene remake of ‘The Matrix’) reintroduced an entire film genre that hadn’t been touched in an original manner since possibly ‘Toy Story’ in 1995. Chris McKay would be taken to task as he helmed WB and DC’s bread winner. The outcome, or fallout, would fall on the shoulders of the seasoned ‘RobotChicken’ director. But he wouldn’t go it alone; 5 script writers were pulled for the project. It seems like a lot. Maybe they had writers block? ‘Lego Batman’ came out to roaring reviews. 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. 7.9 stars on IMDB. Could the hype be real? I went into this wanting to love it, and then… I didn’t…

I want to talk about the fundamental flaws I  found in this movie. I realize the backlash I receive for Batman may even outweigh the piled-on ire I caught for disliking the modern Star Wars movies, but it’s important to judge a film on it’s merits and not the property attached to it. So, let me start out by saying, I think this was a decent movie. I’d give it a High Matinee. And even though it reaches moments of greatness, the movie itself is not great.

My mildly thumping consternation swimming through my head was that they were going to play it safe. And for the most part, they did. The biggest gripe I had, set in at about the 30 minute mark as I began to get bored. The movie opens fantastically, but then shifts gears to a grinding halt. After the introductory expository scene, Lego Batman hits a brick wall. It tells a conventional time-honored tale of family values with the somewhat clever use of throw-back homages and kitschy references. There are plenty of inside nods to delight Bat-fans from the 1960’s up to today, but it does a routine job of creating lore past that. It doesn’t add to the mythos of Batman. It just celebrates what you already know about him. And because of that, I question what staying power it will have. If the only people who can fully appreciate it are in their mid to late 30’s, or older, who’s watching this 5-10 years from now? It doesn’t introduce any new aspect of the character that haven’t been explored multiple times before; as it surmounts to a cartoonish retelling of ‘Batman Forever’, and wears kid gloves to do it.

Frustratingly, even the crafty quick-witted dialogue seemed oddly familiar. The “I hate you” back and forth “dating retort” between Batman and The Joker, although humorous, was a lifted bit from Stephen Colbert in 2013 where he openly mocked North Korea by saying: “We loathe you, we’re just not in loathe with you.” It’s not a huge issue, but even during it’s best moments, Lego Batman doesn’t come up with anything wholly original. And when it tries to, it’s by way of homage and fan service.

This brings me to the point of “references”. “References” (although can be funny) are not actual jokes. References are just pre-established punch-lines. They get stale over time, because the set-up isn’t encapsulated within the piece, but rather outside of it. What I’m sure will be to the chagrin of many, I use the send-up “Movie” franchise of the 2000’s as an example. (Not Another Teen Movie,  Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, etc etc.) These movies have zero staying power because all they do is incite fairly obvious quick quips at the expense of other flicks that were released only a year or two prior. Because they’re topical, they don’t breach an audience outside of those already in-the-know. And as the movie’s audience matures, the film itself ages even faster as it’s citations are hastily forgotten.

I think back to the reaction I had when I saw the original ‘Lego Movie’ for the first time. What initially struck me, was the maturity of it’s themes. It didn’t rely on the easiness of traditional moral values to drive home it’s point. In the heart of it, it had a very similar ending to the ‘Lego Batman’ movie; but it approached the father/son subject in a subdued understated kind of way, instead of relying on basic nostalgia for a property, and constant reiterations of the subject to do so. In addition to that, ‘The Lego Movie’ had nuanced existential messages pertaining to religion and the comprehension of the human condition that weren’t as overt or spoon fed as they were in this new outing. ‘Lego Batman’, for all of it’s merits, doesn’t bridge the gap between young and old as well as it’s predecessor. The themes of family and team work are constant in cinema history. They appear even in the mildest of forms in almost every 3-act structured story ever told. So when the main plot of the movie is this basic, it becomes too generic to be able to appreciate outside of it’s blatant attempt of mass appeal fan service. It doesn’t try to be anything more than the sum of it’s parts. The narrative doesn’t take any real chances. There’s no pressing uncertainty or jeopardy for the characters because the world they live in isn’t interested in that.

It’s becoming a theme as of late for Holly Wood to make what are the equivalent of big budget fan films. We saw it in Star Wars, and now in Batman. I give ‘Lego Batman’ a pass if only because it’s not trying to tell a story within an established universe as part of a greater narrative; but rather a satirical glimpse behind the cape of the world’s favorite superhero. However, with that said, to suggest this is the best Batman movie since ‘The Dark Knight’, borders on fan biased hyperbole. It’s almost unfair to compare it to any other Batman movie outside of the Adam West outing. It would be like comparing ‘Dick Tracy’ to ‘Public Enemies’. But in the end, ‘Lego Batman’ is fun and charming, and the barrier to entry isn’t too steep. I just wish it clicked a little better.

But, whatever. I’m still gonna buy the bluray.

-Will Valle

February 16, 2017
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