Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite

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For the 2017 film, see The Lego Batman Movie.

Lego Batman: The Movie –
DC Super Heroes Unite
Lego Batman, The Movie cover.jpeg
Film poster
Directed byJon Burton
Screenplay byDavid A. Goodman
Story by
  • Jon Burton
  • David A. Goodman
Based onLego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Produced byJon Burton
Starring
Edited byMatt Corey
Music by
  • Rob Westwood
  • Danny Elfman (Batman Theme)
  • John Williams (Superman Theme)
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Home Video
Release date
  • 21 May 2013 (2013-05-21)
Running time
71 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
Denmark
LanguageEnglish
Box office$5.4 million

Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite is a direct-to-video CGI-animated superhero action comedy film based on the video game Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. It encompasses most cutscenes from the game, while the gameplay was replaced by new scenes. The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD on 21 May 2013, and received generally positive reviews, with praise for the animation and action, although the promotional tone of the film was criticized.[1]

Plot[]

Batman and Superman arrive at LexCorp and stumble upon a giant Joker-esque robot piloted by Lex Luthor and the Joker. The villains use the robot's kryptonite weapon to subdue Superman and crush Batman with a large crate. The film then flashes back to two days prior, in Gotham City, where an award show attended by the city's finest is being held. Luthor ends up losing the "Man of the Year" award to Bruce Wayne, but the ceremony is interrupted by a band of villains led by the Joker, who rob the audience while the Joker steals the award; in the process, the Joker presents a film about himself, which includes a showcase of his laughing gas that can briefly make people adore him. Sneaking out, Bruce dons the Batsuit and, alongside Robin, defeats Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Two-Face, the Penguin, and Catwoman. The Joker attempts to escape via motorboat but is ultimately defeated at a nearby carnival. The villains are imprisoned at Arkham Asylum, while Superman arrives to congratulate Batman and Robin, much to the former's frustration.

Later, believing that the Joker's gas could help him be elected President, Luthor breaks the Joker out of Arkham using the "Deconstructor" - a kryptonite-powered weapon which deconstructs unbreakable black objects. The Joker uses the Deconstructor to release more inmates before he and Luthor make their escape. Batman and Robin respond to Commissioner Gordon's distress call and round up the Penguin, Two-Face, Harley, the Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, and Poison Ivy after chasing them in the asylum's yard. Batman realizes the Joker has escaped and finds some bricks affected by the Deconstructor, which emit an energy signature.

While responding to a break-in at Ace Chemicals, Batman and Robin realize it was the Joker's doing and search for clues as to what he is planning, but the factory is destroyed by a series of explosive chemical reactions caused by the Joker before he left. The pair are rescued by Superman, who puts out the fire, but Batman declines his help in dealing with the situation at hand. Later, Batman learns that the chemicals Joker stole can be mixed into synthetic kryptonite, and uses the Batmobile's on-board computer to track the signature to Luthor's mobile operations center. Batman and Robin board the vehicle and retrieve a piece of synthetic kryptonite, but are thrown out and can't continue the pursuit due to the Batmobile being destroyed by the Deconstructor. The pair return to the Batcave, unaware that the synthetic kryptonite has a tracking device inside, which Luthor and the Joker use to find them. The villains destroy the Batcave and escape with Batman's supply of real kryptonite - which was their target all along - while Batman and Robin are again rescued by Superman, whom the former reluctantly allows to help.

While Robin attempts to salvage what's left of Batman's equipment, he and Superman travel to Metropolis and infiltrate LexCorp, leading to the film's opening scene. Luthor and the Joker fly away in their robot, unaware that the heroes have swapped costumes minutes prior and survived. They follow the villains and fight them in mid-air, damaging the robot's flying gear and exposing its kryptonite power source, which weakens Superman, causing him and Batman to crash-land in Gotham. The pair make their way to the city hall, where Luthor's plan backfires because people affected by the Joker's gas can only adore him, as shown when the voters begin to cheer for the Joker instead of Luthor. After another fight, Superman damages the robot's power source, causing it to leak liquid kryptonite, but is left completely weakened. Robin arrives in a multi-colored Batmobile, which can counter the effects of the Deconstructor, and he and Batman trick Luthor and the Joker into chasing them around Gotham. The kryptonite creates a giant Joker face, which is seen from the Watchtower by Martian Manhunter, who contacts the rest of the Justice League: Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Green Lantern and the Flash. Once they arrive to help, Luthor concedes defeat and decides to destroy Wayne Tower in an act of retaliation against Bruce Wayne before the heroes can destroy the Joker robot.

Superman recovers his strength and he and Wonder Woman try to save Wayne Tower, while the others battle the Joker robot on top, sending it plummeting onto the street down below. Green Lantern then uses his Power ring to hold Wayne Tower's supports while the Flash uses his super-fast building skills to repair it, stabilizing the tower and then uses his super-speed to remove the kryptonite from the robot and into Wonder Woman's invisible jet, leaving it immobile. Luthor and the Joker are arrested, and Commissioner Gordon thanks Batman for saving the day, to which he admits he couldn't have done it without his friends' help, and that he is glad to have friends that he can always count on. As the League prepares to rebuild the Batcave, Green Lantern shoots a beacon from his power ring into space in victory, which is seen by Brainiac, who utters "I have located it".

Cast[]

Crew[]

  • Jon Burton - Director, Producer, Story
  • Cam Clarke - Casting and Voice Director
  • David A. Goodman - Writer, Story
  • Jeremy Pardon - Director of Photography
  • Sam Register - Executive Producer
  • Benjamin Melniker - Executive Producer
  • Michael Uslan - Executive Producer
  • Richard Donner - Executive Producer
  • Lauren Shuler Donner - Executive Producer
  • Tim Burton - Executive Producer
  • Jill Wilfert - Executive Producer
  • Kathleen Fleming - Executive Producer

Reception[]

Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave the film a score of 3/5, saying the lighthearted superhero action is fun, but with the reservation that it is a big advertisement for the toys.[2]

Mike McGranaghan from Film Racket called the film "beautifully animated and utterly charming" and gave it 3 out of 4 stars.[3]

Home media[]

The DVD and Blu-ray release of the film includes the winning entries in a Lego Batman stop-motion animation competition, a featurette on Lego stop-motion animation and episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Teen Titans that focus on Batman and Robin teaming up with the members of the Justice League featured in this film ("Triumvirate of Terror!" featuring Superman and Wonder Woman, "Scorn of the Star Sapphire!" featuring Green Lantern and Wonder Woman and "Overdrive" featuring Cyborg).

References[]

  1. ^ "LEGO Batman: The Movie - DC Super Heroes Unite (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  2. ^ Jeffrey M. Anderson (23 May 2013). "LEGO BATMAN: THE MOVIE - DC SUPER HEROES UNITE". Common Sense Media.
  3. ^ Mike McGranaghan (22 May 2013). "LEGO Batman: The Movie -- DC Superheroes Unite". Film Racket.

External links[]

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