THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

Due to the fact that The Lego Movie back in 2014 was an absolute blast and Will Arnett's Batman was one of the film's major highlights, I was really looking forward to seeing how his own spin-off would turn out with The Lego Batman Movie. Could they capture the lightning in a bottle once again and have similar success with this adventure?

Having made it abundantly clear that he prefers to work alone, Batman (Will Arnett) faces off against a string of Gotham City's most notorious villains, led by the Joker (Zach Galifianakis), who won't be fulfilled with his villainous role until Batman admits they make each other who they are.

With a new police commissioner in the form of Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) wanting Batman to work together with the police force and his adopted son, Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), wanting to become his sidekick, Batman faces the task of adjusting the way he goes about fighting crime.

Where do I even begin with this film? I mean, both visually and joke wise, The Lego Batman Movie is an all out assault on the senses, with so much to take in and delivered at such a blistering pace. I know that there are things I missed this time that I will perhaps pick up on when I watch it again but it just felt like they tried to cram too much into this film. It's a shame because I really wanted to enjoy this as much as The Lego Movie.

It's still a hell of an entertaining film, full of laugh out loud moments and brilliant nods to Batman's past in popular culture, all put together through the same wonderful animation that amazed audiences in The Lego Movie. The film comes with a touching message about the importance of relationships however, it's lacking in the creativity that made the message in The Lego Movie resonate more with me.

One thing I can't fault the film for is the vocal performances given by the cast, all fitting so well with their characters. Arnett is hilarious again as Batman but the spotlight is nearly stolen by the inspired casting of Michael Cera as Robin, who absolutely nails the innocence and campness of the character with his voice.

The Lego Cinematic Universe is now in full flow and with three more films confirmed for release, I just hope they don't reach a point of overkill. It's something this film was a bit guilty of having tried to cram so much in however, I can't deny that I had fun with The Lego Batman Movie, and I'm sure you will too.

Verdict: ★★★