Madelyn’s Take- The Dark Knight:
Before I begin, I would like to state that I am not arguing The LEGO Batman Movie is a bad movie. It’s a great movie that’s funny and fun to watch, but when compared to The Dark Knight, it comes nowhere close to being the best Batman. That being said, where do I begin?
While The LEGO Batman movie provides laughs and witty quips, it fails to grapple with larger issues. Yes, it talks about the value of friendship and families, but so does My Little Pony. For a fun watch, it’s great, but for a movie with the true Batman gravitas, The Dark Knight certainly comes out on top. The core thesis of the movie: is Batman morally correct in not killing the Joker? By centering the story in a real life ethical and moral debate (utilitarianism vs. deontology), The Dark Knight draws the viewer in as they figure out what Batman should do in this scenario as well. It is almost as if the viewer is implicated in the moral decisions that Batman makes. I’m sorry, but if that doesn’t provide the most nuanced and incredible look at Batman, I don’t know what will.
I mean there is so much more to talk about when it comes to The Dark Knight, but I would be remiss in not mentioning the stunning cinematography.
As I am limited in word count, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
While the movie doesn’t include some of the more traditional Batman characters like Robin, the movie is perhaps better for it. Robin in The LEGO Batman Movie does provide a look at the paternal side of Batman, but that facet of Batman would not have fit in The Dark Knight. The two movies are exploring two different sides of Batman. Robin would simply not have fit into the thesis of the movie. A director knowing when to cut certain aspects of the film that don’t actually contribute to the thesis is a crucial skill that many in Hollywood lack. It keeps the film concise, fast-paced, and trimmed, even at 2 hours and 32 minutes of run time. While The Dark Knight may not be the most faithful to the original comics, it provides the most real look into a human, not a mystical superhero. It’s not the movie we deserved, but the movie we needed.
Brooke’s Take- The LEGO Batman Movie:
The LEGO Batman Movie can be summed up in one word: masterpiece. It’s incredibly effective as a comedy movie, with quippy one liners, clever double entendres, and a catchy song. Seriously, in one of the first scenes of the movie, the caped crusader sings a tune called “Who’s the (Bat)Man” while fighting some of his most iconic villains. Talk about a superhero montage. The movie is chalk full of genuinely funny jokes not always present in kids movies, making it enjoyable for all ages.
Part of the reason that the comedy of The LEGO Batman Movie is so effective is because it possesses a clear and thorough understanding of its source material. Batman was originally introduced in comic book format, but he became widely more recognizable to the public when the TV show Batman starring Adam West began airing. West’s Batman was goofy, colorful, and over-the-top, qualities (qualities present in the comics, might I add) that have scarcely been seen in Batman media since.
Most of the Batman adaptations since then have taken a more serious approach, and I’ll be the first to admit that many of them are very good. That being said, they’ve all missed the mark on a faithful Batman adaptation. Some movies have excellent Bruce Wayne characterization but fail to flesh out the Dark Knight himself. Others have the opposite problem. Even more Batman adaptations focus exclusively on Batman’s loner tendencies, failing to highlight the found family tropes present between many iconic characters.
The LEGO Batman Movie is very aware of all of its predecessors. In fact, specific references to many prior adaptations can be found throughout the movie. It is this awareness that makes The LEGO Batman Movie so good. It recognizes the inherent ridiculousness of a grown man punching people in the face while dressed like a bat. It understands that Bruce Wayne having an orphan side-kick is more than a bit absurd. And it embraces all of it. The LEGO Batman Movie doesn’t pretend to be an edgy drama about justice because that’s not what it is. It is instead a reflection of the human condition. It looks at our loneliness and it looks at the courage required to open ourselves up to others. It makes the argument that it’s better to have something to lose than nothing at all. It champions the necessity of human connection. That’s always what Batman has been about.
Oh, yeah. And it has Micheal Cera.
