Some editor needs to show some spine and insist on a bottom line for these reviews. Should I pay my hard earned money to see this? yes or no? A reviewer needs to ultimately have convictions they will stand behind.
2
I enjoyed it for what it was - silly fun. I thought Arnett sounded like Alec Baldwin doing Trump and much of the first half of the movie felt like a satire of Trump as Batman/Bruce Wayne, which is particularly ironic given that Mnuchin Executive produced it.
5
Another relentlessly exhausting essay by Manohla Dargis that leaves you starving for an actual educative review of the film.
3
I love how she exhausts me. She is our greatest reviewer. A learned woman who damns the philistines with her wit and depth. A treasure. A noodle.
1
The fun of a movie like this is that the writers can build practically any Bat-device with Legos, and nothing looks out of place. For what is a pleasant diversion, the Lego Batman movie soars because they allow Batman to plan and do things that only he, outlandishly, would be able to conceive. For the Bat-references, they're all there, from the "Bat-usi" to the comic word balloons. Yes, it's frenetic and fun, and they take advantage of the medium to really do things a regular superhero movie couldn't.
The climatic save, which i won't repeat here, is very clever.
Hey, if this stuff was unimportant, then why would GM build a Lego-Batmobile for auto shows this year?
The climatic save, which i won't repeat here, is very clever.
Hey, if this stuff was unimportant, then why would GM build a Lego-Batmobile for auto shows this year?
7
I often get the sense that more thought and skill goes into writing some NYT reviews than goes into writing the movies they are about. Certainly the case for Batman v Superman - excellently written review for a rambling mess of a film. I don't know how good The Lego Batman Movie is (or isn't), but this review by Manohla Dargis was such a pleasure to read. To those confused about whether it's a positive or bad review - it's saying the Lego Batman movie has its moments, but ultimately it isn't as good as the Lego movie. Is that really surprising in any way?
5
The Batman character was my favorite in the original. Maybe his strengths are not as a lead. Maybe it is just an excuse for product placement. But, since I was looking forward to seeing where it went, I won't let a so-so review deter me.
4
The first LEGO movie struck me as being not just about being shiny. Take everything is awesome-- the entire concept of the song is satire right? Everything is NOT awesome-- the world is falling apart-- and it is NOT sufficient to just close your eyes and follow the rules.
Shiny wasn't what made the LEGO movie memorable
Shiny wasn't what made the LEGO movie memorable
5
Assuming this film, like the earlier LEGO pic, is faux stop-motion. A real wasted opportunity and a cheat. (BTW - did I miss the animation technique as being mentioned in the review? Kind of zoned out in the middle.)
Who hates Legos? I didn't used to, but after having seen the annoying yet insipid previews of this movie, I do now!!
2
So it's a fun bummer. Gotcha.
12
Another Monohla review of society pretending to be a movie review. There are plenty of movie reviewers who would like to work at the times. Why can't they hire one who wants to review movies and not force their distorted social commentary on us? She is the absolute pompous worst.
14
We need to re-discover the true meaning of LEGO.
Somehow my generation, with just red, white, blue, black and yellow LEGO turned out fine. We put them together on a plastic board. We pretended that they were planes that could fly or houses people lived in.
Somehow my generation, with just red, white, blue, black and yellow LEGO turned out fine. We put them together on a plastic board. We pretended that they were planes that could fly or houses people lived in.
4
If those were the only Lego colors when you were a child, you must be like 100 years old. (I'll get off your lawn now.)
5
Did we?
DID WE?
Not sure I turned out fine... but I will accept the premise that maybe you did...
DID WE?
Not sure I turned out fine... but I will accept the premise that maybe you did...
2
Lego. Lego. The singular and plural forms are the same. Harumph.
5
I'll give you the review my 6 year old will likely give the movie, each and every viewing:
"EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!!"
"EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!!"
16
Ms. Dargis, not a surprise in your review and I'm still looking forward to seeing the film.
3
"...the seriousness that has become a deadening Warner Bros. default." Hmmm...not unlike many of Ms. Dargis' reviews.
11
what happened to the dependable : what is really in the movie content? That used to be apart of the Rating. Genres are abstracted concepts.
1
When the whole movie is product placement there's a ceiling on enjoyment. This one is made of Legos, thanks for pointing that out.
2
Did the same critic who wrote the first two paragraphs of this review also write the last paragraph? By the time I reached the final period I had no idea whether she was recommending the film.
47
No kidding. I'd hate to be the Rotten Tomatoes employee who has to figure out whether this is a positive or negative review.
17
It is well know that many writers have a bipolar personality disorder.
1
Here's the tl;dr: Fun, but ultimately disappointing. That it's fun in the service of two corporate franchises ends up being a bummer.
4