The Batman LEGO Movie with Will Arnett, Rosario Dawson and Michael Cera

I was very disappointed with this movie. Please do not see it if you want  to see a good and fun Batman story. This is not a kids movie with simple themes as it is portrayed. Rather, this is the politically correct version of Batman taken straight out of the modern comic. It is almost as if it were developed for parents who want their kids to be passive snowflakes, emphasizing that self-reliance and independence are negative characteristics. All in all, the writers and Batman's supporting cast want him to be a wimp.

In the movie, Batman is portrayed as incompetent and an egomaniac, who because he prefers to work independently, cannot be a successful or admirable super hero. His incompetence is manifest from the beginning when his arrogant actions inadvertently give the Joker the upper hand. His loner personality leads to several other mistakes throughout the film. The solution is that Batman must overcome his unattractive independence, gather a gargantuan amount of teammates and learn how to share in order to save the day and stop being a screw up. Self reliance, an admirable trait and Batman' specialty for 78 years,  is secondary to relying on other people, the antithesis of Batman's origin and mythos. 

It is a shame that the writers work so hard to patronize kids in the audience. 
Incidentally, creators have been very successful in the past developing great kid-friendly animation where Batman is portrayed as he truly is. For instance, the cartoon of the mid-90's showcased this when Batman was portrayed primarily as strong without sacrificing his compassion or ability to work with others. In fact, this is exactly what is wrong with the Batman comic book today. 

Since his inception Batman has been a loner who, yes, at times teams up with other heroes  such as Commissioner Jim Gordon and Dick Grayson as Robin. But here just like the modern comic book the supporting cast is too large with superfluous characters taking the Batman out of this Batman movie. Today, the Batman comic has become a group exercise ad nauseam with 3 or 4 Robins at his side at all times. Similarly, so many of his so called friends, who pepper him with harsh criticism throughout the film, compete against him for screen time, relegating him to a supporting role.

Beware, while it is advertised falsely as appropriate for children its messages are pure indoctrination and many parents will not be appreciative especially those who were raised on the comic book and/or are teaching their kids to fend for themselves. Lastly, the thematic elements negate the fact that it is animated and supposed to be a fun time. I give it a 2/10.

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