The Lego Batman Movie - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

The Lego Batman Movie

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
Everything is awesome! Everything is co…Ok, I’ll stop that right now before it gets out of hand. Warner is not exactly the first studio that you think of when you imagine high dollar animated franchises. It’s not that they’re bad at it. Warner has put out some great animated films in the past, such as The Iron Giant, but they seem to focus more on their animated DC comics or live action films for the most part, leaving the blockbuster animated films to Pixar, Sony, Dreamworks, and even Fox. A trend that shocked everyone to their core when The Lego Movie came out in 2014 (I still have my ultra tricked out 3D edition sitting on my collector’s shelf in all my nerd glory). The Lego Movie floored almost EVERYONE as it had as much heart as a Pixar movie, as pretty a budget as Disney, and a hilariously different feel as only Warner can do. It also rivaled Frozen for having the catchiest song that would never EVER leave your head (“Everything is Awesome” and “Let it Go” are those songs that sound great the first handful of times, but after the 5000th time of staring at the ceiling with those lyrics running through your head you’re looking for ANYTHING to replace it with. Point in fact, the minute I started this review I kickstarted that silly song and it just won’t let up).

What does one do with a mega blockbuster sneak hit that made the studio GOBS of money? Yes, you guessed it! You make a sequel! Or in this case a semi spinoff. As much fun as Chris Pratt was in The Lego Movie, Will Arnett pretty much stole the show with his tongue in cheek rendition of Christian Bale’s hoarse voiced Batman. So naturally it made sense to have him star in his own movie. This time The Joker (Zack Galifianakis) is out to trash Gotham City once more. Only thing is, Batman (Will Arnett) is there to stop him like usual. Except this time Joker has a bit of a brilliant plant. He really isn’t defeated, but rather surrenders himself in order to get Batman to send him to the Phantom Zone, where he will unleash all the monsters that Superman has ever put there with the phantom zone generator.

Seems simple, right? Well, the movie has a little fun as well, blending in the origins of Batgirl, e.g. Commissioner Gordon’s daughter Barbara (Rosario Dawson), as well as Dick Grayson’s addition to the team (played by a hammy Michael Cera. While these are welcome additions, the Batman we see before us here is nothing like what we expected. Batman is kind of a jerk. He does everything himself and there’s no room for anyone else in his life. So that logically means that everything in the film is going to teach Bruce/Bats a solid life lesson on how to depend on other people for help. Wrap in a Lego universe shell and voila! Family friendly Batman movie.

I really REALLY loved The Lego Movie, so I was SUPER stoked to see The Lego Batman Movie on opening night. My theatrical experience was pretty bad, as my expectations had blown my hopes way out of proportion, but after a 2nd and 3rd viewing (and 4th if you included the 4K review too) has me appreciating the film a lot more on its own merits rather than being an attachment to The Lego Movie. It’s a cute film that plays much more tongue in cheek with the Batman lore more than trying to ground itself in the humor and heart of the original film. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is a giant wink and a nod to every variation of the Batman universe known to man. We see references to everything from the old 1966 Batman TV show (yes, including the BIFF and POWs of that classic show, and even a joke about shark repellent) to Billy Dee Williams playing Two-Face once more. I was chuckling quite a bit at all the mish mashed references, and if that wasn’t enough, Warner decides to open up the phantom zone and borrow every major villain from their archives (Godzilla, Sauron, Voldemort, etc etc). There’s not nearly enough master building, and the world of The Lego Movie is pretty much not even referenced, but it’s a fun Lego movie that has a lot going for it.

One of the biggest boons to the show is the incredible amount of voice actors that lent their talent to making it come to life. We’ve got Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Will Arnett, Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, Zack Galifianakis, Zoe Kravitz, Eddie Izzard, Conan O’Brien, Billy Dee Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Siri (yes, that Siri), Seth Green, Jermaine Clement, Adam Devine, Hector Elizondo, Mariah Carey, and the list goes on. It’s just a load of fun, and all the actors seem to be having a blast too.




Rating:

Rated PG for rude humor and some action




Video:

The 2160p 4K image is a nice upgrade from the Blu-ray, showing off some incredible use of HDR with all of the colors that just dominate the film. Those bright and shiny colors that I mentioned there just seem to pop off the screen with supernatural clarity and a wonderful display unique textures. It’s the little details that really stand out here, with the smudges and battle damage showing up even clearer than before. You can see little puffs of dust come up from impacts and everything just seems “shinier” in comparison to the 2D 1080p disc. Blacks are deep and inky (I don’t think you can get much better), but sometimes I noticed that some scenes weren’t AS sharp as a 100% demo worthy film. I can’t tell whether that’s a result of a 2K master being used or not, as there’s information at my disposal regarding the filming techniques and mastering resolutions used. Overall, a VERY nice looking 4K UHD disc that makes a solid improvement to the 2D imagery.





Audio:

The 4K UHD and the 2D Blu-ray both share the same Atmos track and it is simply superb. It makes a nice step up from the included 5.1 DTS-HD MA track that’s on the discs as well (and is the only track on the 3D Blu-ray). Surrounds are more robust, and the immersion level is really high with the overheads activating from helicoptors roaring over the top, or Batman’s Batmobiles and Batplanes thundering around. LFE is tight and clean, with a nice low end that doesn’t feel like it’s overly aggressive. I mentioned this in the 3D review of the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track, but the bass isn’t cooked as hot as I would have expected, which isn’t a negative point at all but rather a clarification as many movies come with a much hotter sounding bass line. Vocals are crisp and clean and the overall clarity is extremely precise.






Extras:

• Original Animation Shorts
- Dark Hoser
- Batman is Just Not That Into You
- Cooking with Alfred
- Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?
• The Master: A LEGO Ninjago Short
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
- One Brick at a Time: Making the Lego Batman Movie
- Inside Wayne Manor
- Brick by Brick: Making of the LEGO Batman
- Behind the Brick
- Me and My Mini Fig
- Comic Con
• Rebrick Contest Winners
• Film Trailers
• Lego Life Trailer
• Social Promos
- Follow Me Online
- Don't Skip
- Happy Holidays Jingle
- Batsby New Year's
- Team Cutdown
• Director and Crew Commentary

Final Score: ​

The Lego Batman Movie is a fun entry into the legoverse, and while it wasn’t the slam dunk hit that The Lego Movie was, it has a lot of heart and soul to go along with the mega budget. Animation is top notch, and Will Arnett is just having fun as Batman, and that’s never a bad thing. It's a family friendly movie for all ages, and the 4K UHD is definitely worth the upgrade. The picture is amazing, and the Atmos track is fantastic. I usually say "whoever wants the 3D should get 3D, while whoever wants the sharpest picture should get the 4K" as the 3D 1080p image vs. 4K UHD image is usually as the only difference. This time I'm more inclined to say that the 4K disc is the easy winner, as the 3D disc forgoes the Atmos track COMPLETELY (although it is available on the 2D disc included in the set). Whichever set you get, it's still a great buy though. Highly recommended.



Technical Specifications:

Starring: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson
Directed by: Chris McKay
Written by: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), DTS-HD MA 5.1, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Czech, Basque, Slovak, English DVS DD 5.1
Studio: Warner Brothers
Rated: PG
Runtime: 104 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: Own The Lego Batman Movie on Ultra HD Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on June 13 or Own it Early on Digital HD on May 19!

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Great Buy

 

[JBrax]

I've had this circled on the calendar for some time. I really wanted to venture out to the theater but sadly never got the chance. I really enjoyed the first one and this one in 4K and Atmos should be a treat. Thanks for the review Mike!

 

[Michael Scott]

It's a fun movie, and the 4K UHD is the version to get IMO

 

[JBrax]

Yes, that's my choice if released in 4K. Any plans to review JW2 in 4K? Another I plan on picking up although I did catch it in theaters. Another good one.

 

[Michael Scott]

we didn't get a review copy, but I may pick it up in the next day or so if I have time and review it.

 

[Jon Liu]

My copy of this came yesterday! Sadly I didn't get to do more than just pop it in for a couple minutes. Colors looked stunning from the very get go!

I opted to watch my copy of John Wick 2 that also arrived last night instead. So tonight I will be watching this movie! I'm looking forward to it. The kid in me still loves Legos and the kid and adult in me still loves Batman, so I'm looking forward to a fun time tonight!

 

[JBrax]

My copy of this came yesterday! Sadly I didn't get to do more than just pop it in for a couple minutes. Colors looked stunning from the very get go!

I opted to watch my copy of John Wick 2 that also arrived last night instead. So tonight I will be watching this movie! I'm looking forward to it. The kid in me still loves Legos and the kid and adult in me still loves Batman, so I'm looking forward to a fun time tonight!

How was the 4K of JW2? I've seen the movie so I know it's good but A/V wise how was it? Sorry I know this is going off topic.

 

[Jon Liu]

How was the 4K of JW2? I've seen the movie so I know it's good but A/V wise how was it? Sorry I know this is going off topic.

How DARE you go off topic!?

JW2 was quite, quite impressive. Overall the colors and the inky blacks/low level detail for JW2 were the best parts of the visual presentation. There were two instances I remember where the black level were slightly raised more than usual, but all the rest of the time it was really, really good. Resolution-wise and details were pretty good and very consistent throughout, although it wasn't as wow-inducing as other titles, per se.

Audio was also pretty awesome. Lots of activity and I thought that the low frequencies hit with just the right amount of oomph.

I'm likely going to watch JW2 again this weekend.

 

[JBrax]

How DARE you go off topic!?

JW2 was quite, quite impressive. Overall the colors and the inky blacks/low level detail for JW2 were the best parts of the visual presentation. There were two instances I remember where the black level were slightly raised more than usual, but all the rest of the time it was really, really good. Resolution-wise and details were pretty good and very consistent throughout, although it wasn't as wow-inducing as other titles, per se.

Audio was also pretty awesome. Lots of activity and I thought that the low frequencies hit with just the right amount of oomph.

I'm likely going to watch JW2 again this weekend.

Sweet, sitting down for a doubleheader of Lego's and then JW2.

 

[Michael Scott]

lol, being that we're off topic. I picked up a copy about an hour ago... All I have to say is wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! it's a pretty looking 4K and Blu-ray... both of them are pretty much reference... the audio is just STUPID nuts.. I'll write the review in a day or so. since it's not a review product sent from the studios I have to get a couple of commitments out of the way first

 

[Todd Anderson]

Typically films of this nature absolutely blow-up the visuals and video quality... I have to say I'm shocked it was a 5-star winner!

 

[JBrax]

We watched it and found it quite entertaining. Some of the most dynamic and vivid colors to date on our display. A very nice Atmos soundtrack to boot.

 

[Jon Liu]

I was really, REALLY tired last night because I could not keep my open during the movie. I finally had to go stop the movie and go to bed. That's not a reflection on the movie itself, though. When I wasn't tired I was really enjoying it.

I will be finishing the movie later tonight. But yes, JBrax is right, it is some of the most vibrant and dynamic colors I've seen to date!

I wish we were able to witness the entire rec.2020 color space at home, since this film was created entirely in that color space.

 

[Jon Liu]

Before I began falling asleep, I definitely found myself chuckling a handful of times throughout, so I just need to be more awake to appreciate the film...