Totally cape-tivating!

When The Lego Movie released a couple of years ago, it took many (including myself) by surprise with its perfect blend of humour, action and animation.

There were two things especially which stood out and made the film so memorable. The first is that Everything is Awesome ditty which has since become a GulfWeekly office staple, and the second is Lego Batman who became a breakout character with his deadpan delivery and comic timing.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the studio to capitalise on this, and so we are greeted with a full-length feature based on the caped crusader. It’s not often these things work out, and you can certainly have too much of a good thing, but I’m delighted to report that The Lego Batman Movie is ruddy fantastic.

Watching it feels like dumping a bag of Dark Knight-flavoured sherbet directly onto your brain. There’s just so much to please fans old and new alike, delivered in that special Lego way.

Within the opening 10 minutes, Batman faces and foils almost every villain you could possibly name – and more than a few you probably couldn’t – in a spectacular and thrilling action sequence that rivals any found in the live-action Batman movies in terms of sheer excitement and scale.

With Gotham’s worst incarcerated in Arkham Asylum (again), Batman retires to Wayne Manor where he microwaves a simple ready meal for one. Will Arnett’s Batman is probably the loneliest version of the character to date, which is saying something.

This is played for laughs, of course, with Bruce struggling to go out in public without the cowl, but it’s also unexpectedly moving.

We see Bruce rattling around his ancestral home, watching romantic comedies, messing about with HDMI feeds, and practicing guitar solos alone. It’s surprisingly melancholic seeing this pop culture icon so alone.

Big changes are coming, too. With super-cop Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) taking over from her father Jim, advocating reform over vigilantism, the very idea of Batman is under scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is struggling to cope with the idea that Batman doesn’t think of him as his archnemesis and, frustrated by Gotham’s incompetent villains, he hatches a plan to unleash the worst prisoners trapped within the Phantom Zone.

It’s a simple yet brilliant plot, which allows director Chris McKay to take full and greedy advantage of DC’s rich universe (with a few nods to others) to tell a uniquely bonkers but also surprisingly poignant story.

There’s lots crammed into this movie, but ultimately it’s about Batman letting himself be part of a family once again. Although packed with great action and bags of character, the film’s main strength is its frantic sense of humour. Every scene is studded with all types of jokes, from smart allusions to silly stuff, visual gags and innuendo.

The movie mines its best comedic material from Batman’s relationships with other well-known DC characters, riffing on our pre-existing knowledge of them. In particular, it has a lot of fun playing with the twisted inter-dependence of Batman and the Joker.

Here it’s treated as if it was a dysfunctional hook-up, with the Joker heartbroken to discover Batman is ‘seeing’ other villains and what they have isn’t special. Some of the funniest moments come from when the script taps into wider Batman mythology, and there are similarly sharp and funny moments to enjoy with Robin, Superman and the rest of the Justice League.

Arnett’s gravelly tones and are perfect for this reclusive, grumpy incarnation of the character. Lego Batman is bit selfabsorbed and arrogant, but Arnett ensures he’s vulnerable and still likeable.

Michael Cera also stands out as Robin, whose enthusiasm and naivety alike knows no bounds. Refreshingly, the usually dark world of Batman is reimagined with insane energy and vibrancy.

The outstanding quality of animation ensures each one of its blocky characters bursts with life and emotion. It mixes and matches elements from various Batman stories and adaptions, so much so that it ends up being a joyous and respectful celebration of all things Batman, but it never feels like a parody.

Ultimately, this is a brilliant comedy and an even better Batman movie. In fact, I’d place it second just behind The Dark Knight in my list. Make this the next block-buster you see!

Now showing: Cineco, Seef II, Wadi Al Sail, Saar, Dana, Novo, Mukta A2