LEGO Batman Movie Review + Interview with Rosario Dawson!

The LEGO Batman Movie is unlike any other Batman movie or TV show that you have may have seen. Well first off, the characters are LEGO’s but more importantly, the storyline is unique & the characters are portrayed in a humorous & irreverent way. The other bonus, Barbara Gordon’s character is fleshed out with more of a backstory given to how she evolved into Batgirl (but more on that later).

In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

Will Arnett reprises his starring role from “The LEGO Movie” as the voice of LEGO Batman, aka Bruce Wayne. Zach Galifianakis (“Muppets Most Wanted,” the “Hangover” films) stars as The Joker; Michael Cera (TV’s “Arrested Development”) as the orphan Dick Grayson; Rosario Dawson (TV’s “Daredevil”) as Barbara Gordon; and Ralph Fiennes (the “Harry Potter” films) as Alfred.

The movie makes really smart & funny references to previous Batman incarnations (both film & TV shows). There are verbal & visual jokes aplenty, coming at ya in such a fast-paced zig zag way that afterwards I chatted with my husband to compare notes on all of the jokes. Like I said, some of the references might go over little kids heads (or those who are not well-versed in DC Comics lore). Also if you are a Harry Potter fan, there is a scene or two that you will very much enjoy. (No spoilers from me though.)

At heart, the film is about community, teamwork & girl power (yes, girl power!). However those messages are served up with such humor & in a clever way that it doesn’t hit you over the head with it.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Rosario Dawson to chat about The LEGO Batman Movie & to find out what it was like for her to play such an iconic role.

When asked if she watched Batman growing up, Rosario said “I grew up with Batman. I just loved it, it was always something I was a fan of.”

As I had mentioned earlier, the theme of “girl power” or “girl boss” shines through Barbara Gordon’s character.

So when asked about the message of the movie, Rosario responded, “She [Barbara] grew up as Commissioner Gordon’s daughter who had this remarkable relationship with this incredible figure, Batman. She’s not trying to be Batman and she’s not trying to be her father Commissioner Gordon.  She’s trying to be the best version of herself and it’s beautiful to see what her contribution is.”

One of the things that I liked about the movie was seeing all of the townspeople in Gotham banding together to save their community. At one point, you see Batman reach across the divide (literally & figuratively) & work together with someone (I won’t say who). After I saw the movie, I thought to myself, how fitting of a message & what an appropriate analogy for what is going on now in our country.

So before the interview ended, I had to ask Rosario about that scene & how she felt about that message. According to Rosario, “I’m really excited that this movie is coming out where people really need to laugh, but they’re definitely going to walk away with I think a really good feeling about community empowerment and how everybody can contribute, and that’s a really, really big deal.”

In my opinion, The LEGO Batman Movie is a funny, action-packed animated film that shows how one (Bat)man’s journey can open another one’s heart.

Thanks Warner Bros. Pictures for hosting this event. This was such a fun experience!

“The LEGO Batman Movie” opens in theaters Friday, February 10th!
Visit the official “The LEGO Batman Movie” website here for more information.
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Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I attended an advanced screening of the movie & a media event. Images used with permission from Warner Bros. Pictures. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.