--- title: "The Lego Batman Movie: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-lego-batman-movie/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-lego-batman-movie" critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 22 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Lego Batman Movie (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 76 from 22 reviews: 19 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. ## Radio Times — Terry Staunton Rating 5/5. The film is a riotous yarn full of laughs and heart in which Batman learns the joys of friendship and togetherness while battling the Joker and other villains. Director Chris McKay and his writers lovingly celebrate Batman while mocking his mythology and previous screen incarnations, with an exemplary voice cast, eye-popping design and a script full of verbal and sight gags. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-4xh8ny/the-lego-batman-movie/) ## Empire — Jonathan Pile Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2017. This comedic take on Batman succeeds with dense in-jokes riffing on the character’s history and a lesson about teamwork, making it the best Batman film in years. It works as both fan service and an entertaining kids’ movie with visual treats and quotable lines. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lego-batman-movie-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2017. The review hails it as the best Batman movie since The Dark Knight, an impish parody that grasps and calls out the character's narcissism. It praises the inventive brick-by-brick world-building and visual spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-lego-batman-review-20170203-story.html) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2017. The review deems it kicky, bedazzling and super-fun, a postmodern caper that mocks Batman's raging ego and superhero culture. It singles out the stylized satirical dreamscape and rapid-fire cleverness for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/the-lego-batman-movie-review-1201977391/) ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2017. The film successfully adapts Deadpool-style self-reflexive humor to a kid-friendly Lego format with a high hit-to-miss ratio on gags and references. It builds to a critique of Batman's loner persona, showing he is defined by relationships and made more human through the block animation. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-lego-batman-movie/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 2017. The review calls the film an irresistible, silly gateway drug that balances a PG superhero story with gentle mockery of the genre's seriousness. It singles out Will Arnett's sepulchral voice performance as the brightest comedic element. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/movies/the-lego-batman-movie-review.html) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 4/5. 4 February 2017. The critic hails it as a thing of wonder that is more stylish, spectacular and delightful than recent live-action Batman films, with frantic humour and a fresh spin on the character as a narcissistic billionaire. It packs multiple films’ worth of action and jokes into a streamlined story. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2017/02/04/lego-batman-movie-thing-wonder-review/) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating B. 6 February 2017. The film uses irreverence toward Batman to explore his duality and need for family and relationships in a good-natured, often hilarious way that makes the character more human. It is less essential and joke-dense than The Lego Movie but still irresistible for fans and kids. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-lego-batman-movie-turns-bat-mythology-into-a-giant-1798190357) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 February 2017. The critic questions when knowingness becomes shtick but praises the film's crammed visual detail and its unexpected shift toward domestic innocence and family values. It notes the solid sequel status to the first Lego Movie. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/the-lego-batman-movie) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2017. The spin-off is not quite as good as The Lego Movie but remains scrumdiddlyumptious, fuelled by irreverence, suspenseful action and zany visuals. It celebrates Lego play while delivering a central conceit about teamwork and villains with genuine depth. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-lego-batman-movie-review-scrumdiddlyumptious-a3679951.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2017. The critic calls it a relentlessly funny superhero parody that has fun with Batman’s macho pathologies while also being expressive and cinematic. It lacks the heart and novelty of the first Lego Movie but consistently amuses with its gags and meta-references. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/feb/04/lego-batman-movie-review-superhero-parody-will-arnett-dark-knight-gotham) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Michael Rechtshaffen Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2017. The film is less satisfying than the original Lego Movie, with Arnett's Batman overexposed and the creative bar not cleared, though it remains enjoyable overall and will perform well commercially. The voice cast, led by Arnett, is praised. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/lego-batman-movie-972061/) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2017. The film is an entertaining if frenetic vehicle for Will Arnett’s voice work as a Bale-inspired Batman, delivering plenty of laughs as a follow-up to The Lego Movie. It satirizes recent DC disappointments while highlighting the character’s lonely egotism and need for teamwork. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-lego-batman-movie-review/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2017. The opening 20 minutes are hilariously effective as an antidote to solemn Batman films, but the rest of the movie dips sharply as jokes falter and the story turns sincere and less gonzo. The Lego conceit works best in the early sequences. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/02/movie-review-the-lego-batman-movie.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Susan Wloszczyna Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2017. The critic finds the film less consistently entertaining than its predecessor due to superhero fatigue and an overload of inside jokes and action scenes. She singles out a quiet sequence of Batman dining alone for praise. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lego-batman-movie-2017) ## Film Comment — Michael Sragow Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2017. The movie is a high-tech feather duster that quickly numbs the funny bone, descending into a disappointing formula despite moments of comic lunacy and sharp satire of superhero tropes and politics. It soars mainly when ribbing other films but otherwise feels formulaic. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/deep-focus-lego-batman-movie/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 7 February 2017. The film is not the best Batman movie but the best movie about Batman, delightfully exploring the character's ego, fears, and desire for family while embracing a freewheeling satirical tone. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-lego-batman-movie-review/) ## /Film — Jacob Hall Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2017. The critic calls the film an anarchic, delightful joy and a worthy successor to The LEGO Movie, noting it is also a damn good Batman movie and a guide to being a better fan. It singles out the rapid-fire jokes, Easter eggs, and treatment of every Batman story as canon for praise. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/549270/the-lego-batman-movie-fan/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2017. The critic praises the film as a hilarious, irreverent yet affectionate take on Batman that balances absurd gags with an engaging story and an intimate character study of the lonely hero. It singles out the loving ridicule of the Batman franchise and its focus on Bruce Wayne's personal life for particular note. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-lego-batman-movie-review/) ## Polygon — Susana Polo Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2017. It is the best Batman movie since The Dark Knight, a joyful romp that critiques the brooding loner version of the character, answers fundamental questions about heroism, and serves as a love letter to Batman film history. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/2017/2/4/14476758/lego-batman-movie-review/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 4/5. 5 February 2017. The film is a terrific, funny, and satiric entry that gets to the heart of Batman more insightfully than some live-action versions while paying homage to his screen history. It features nonstop gags and references but sags a bit under their weight and lacks the emotional impact of The Lego Movie. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-lego-batman-movie-review/) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2017. The film uses Batman’s emotional growth from loner to family man as a structure that supports its barrage of gags and gives the story emotional stakes. It gleefully parodies every mass-media version of the hero while delivering crafty verbal humor and outrageous visuals. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-lego-batman-movie-review-will-arnett/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-lego-batman-movie.md