The best version of Batman is back in black…and yellow
I loved Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, but after it came to a close I was about ready for something new. The LEGO movie brought that and then some. Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s version of Batman was the highlight of the movie, and poked fun at the inherent silliness in the caped crusader’s brooding. Since then, “DARKNESS / NO PARENTS” has become shorthand for the relentless seriousness of the grim and gritty super-hero films that have come out in the wake of Batman Begins.
When I heard they spinning Will Arnett’s portrayal of Batman off into his own feature, I was a little sceptical – would the joke wear thin? But with Chris McKay (who was the animation co-director on The LEGO movie) on board to direct, things seemed to be in capable hands.
Maybe it’s the fact that we’re faced with perhaps the most serious and humourless Bruce Wayne yet, in Batman V Superman, but this teaser trailer feels like a welcome palate cleanser. We don’t get anything really other than the set-up, but it feels like just enough to ease any worries. Seeing Batman walk around a huge mansion alone, wearing a robe with his cowl still on may be worth the price of admission alone. Either way, it looks like we’ll have two very different versions of the character soon enough.
Seeing the names of all eight Batman films come up in succession really drives home the weird turns this series has taken. Hopefully the film brings the same sense of self-awareness and humour we see here next year.
The LEGO Batman Movie opens on February 10, 2017