'Lego DC: Shazam! – Magic and Monsters' Does Some Things Better Than the DCEU's 'Shazam!'

As what was revealed in Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters, the next Lego DC movie revolves around Shazam.  Titled Lego DC: Shazam! – Magic and Monsters, it follows Shazam who has been making a splash as the new superhero in town.  When recruited by the Justice League to join the team, he’s thrilled at first, but then becomes reluctant when he learns that he needs to reveal to them that he’s really a 10-year-old boy named Billy Batson.  Meanwhile, the heroes must defeat the Monster Society of Evil – Mr. Mind, Doctor Sivana, Jeepers, Oom, and Dummy – who is secretly being manipulated by Black Adam to do his bidding.

'Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters' Somehow Went Under My Radar

I’ve grown really fond of the Lego DC Comics Super Heroes franchise ever since my first encounter with it.  Its movies aren’t necessarily great, but as far as consistency in entertainment quality is concerned, I feel that it’s the most rewarding among DC’s ongoing non-comicbook shared universes.  For while the DCAMU, Arrowverse, and DCEU have managed to produce content that can be deemed “great”, that isn’t always the case.  The quality of their respective products varies, ranging from great to disposable.  On the other hand, while Lego DC Comics Super Heroes movies are only clever and enjoyable at a kiddie level, you can bet on it that each installment will entertain by those standards quite wonderfully.

Thus, I’m always on the lookout for a new Lego DC Comics Super Heroes movie, so I usually get to see it around the time of its release – give or take a few weeks.  However, the latest one, Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters, which was released mid-2019, somehow went under my radar last year.  It was only recently that I got to know about it and see it.

'The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part' Is Not as Awesome as the Original; an Enjoyable, Worthwhile Sequel Nonetheless

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (the title seems redundant, isn’t it?) is the sequel to the surprise animated hit of 2014.  It follows the events of the first film – which, if you can remember, ended with the father (Will Ferrell) deciding to also allow his daughter Bianca (Brooklyn Prince) to play with his LEGO collection along with his son Finn (Jadon Sand), resulting to Duplo aliens invading the LEGO world.  Five years later, due to the aliens’ regular attacks, the LEGO world has transformed into a Mad Max-like post-apocalyptic wasteland in which everyone has become hardened and gritty – everyone except for Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) that is, who remains as jolly and sanguine as ever.  When Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett), and his other friends are abducted and taken by the aliens to their mysterious, bizarre homeworld, Emmet must gives pursuit to not only rescue them, but also prevent an impending cataclysmic event known as “Armamageddon.”

'Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis' Serves as a Lighthearted Appetizer for the DCEU's 'Aquaman' Movie

After Lego DC Superheroes franchise began shifting its focus to non-Batman characters earlier this year with the Flash, it then devotes its eighth installment to a typically overlooked DC character – Aquaman (it’s possible the franchise was inspired to do so by the fact that the DC Extended Universe’s Aquaman solo movie starring Jason Momoa is coming later this year).  Titled Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis, the animated feature sees Aquaman being forced to give up his throne to Ocean Master, as Red Lanterns Atrocitus and Dex-Starr put Atlantis under a rage-fueled mind control.  Exiled to a faraway planet with the Justice League, Aquaman must figure out a way to return home, stop the Red Lanterns from using the corrupted Atlanteans to conquer the surface world, and prove once and for all that he is a worthy hero and a worthy king.

For the First Time Ever, the Franchise Gets a Non-Batman-Centric Installment in 'Lego DC Superheroes: The Flash'

After being on hiatus last year, the delightful Lego DC Superheroes direct-to-video series is back with its seventh movie – Lego DC Superheroes: The Flash.  In it, the Flash is manipulated by the Reverse-Flash to get stuck in a time loop, and when he finally gets out of it, he discovers that he has lost his powers and that the Reverse-Flash has framed him for doing mischief, causing the Justice League to fire him.  The Flash must now travel to the Speed Force zone in order to regain his powers, before Reverse-Flash succeeds in defeating the Justice League and in taking over the world.

'The Lego Ninjago Movie' Slows Down the Franchise's Momentum

The Lego Ninjago Movie is the third theatrical installment of the booming Lego film franchise.  Based on the Lego Ninjago toyline and TV show, the movie is about a superhero team of teenage, mech-piloting, elemental ninjas – kind of like the Power Rangers – who are trained by Master Wu (Jackie Chan) to protect the city of Ninjago from the evil warlord Garmadon (Justin Theroux).  However, the twist is, their leader (Dave Franco) happens to be the son of Garmadon.  As the Green Ninja, he’s celebrated by the people along with his teammates.  However, in his civilian alter ego, as Lloyd, he’s loathed because of his parentage.

Amid Its Mediocrity, Lego Charm Keeps 'Lego Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash' Endearing and Vivacious Somewhat

As what was proven in last year’s Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood, Lego-izing Scooby-Doo! yields delightful results.  I’m glad that they did it again this year with Lego Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash.

'The Lego Batman Movie' Makes Nonstop Batman Jokes and References

2014’s The Lego Movie was surprisingly awesome.  And one of the best things about it was its brilliant, satirical depiction of Batman, fantastically voiced by Will Arnett.  Back then, I thought it would be great if an entire movie could be dedicated to the character.  I guess many felt the same way since a spin-off movie was indeed made – The Lego Batman Movie.

'Lego DC Superheroes: Justice League: Gotham City Breakout' Gives an Amusing Shared Backstory to Batman and Deathstroke

After Cosmic Clash, the other Lego DC Superheroes: Justice League movie for this year is Gotham City Breakout (I don’t know if there’s another one; it’s usually two movies a year).  The plot is about Batman being convinced to go in a vacation with Nightwing and Batgirl, while Superman looks after Gotham City in his absence.  However, Batman’s vacation doesn’t go as expected as they find themselves dealing with Deathstroke and his unlikely allies.  Meanwhile, Superman’s stint in Gotham also doesn’t go as easily as he thought it would be.  Batman’s villains break out from Arkham and overrun the city.  Superman underestimates them due to their lack of powers, but they turn out being too weird for the Justice League to handle.  It’s now up to Robin to teach the heroes how to handle the villains the Batman way.

'Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood' Makes the Case That Lego-Ization Delightfully Works on Any Property

After making a series of terrific direct-to-video animated films featuring a Lego-ized Justice League, Warner Bros. Animation gives the Lego treatment to another beloved Warner Bros.-owned property with Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood.  Though it’s not as great as the Lego Justice League films, it’s still delightfully fun.

The plot of the movie is a standard Scooby Gang adventure: they win a trip to a visit an old movie studio, which happens to be haunted by classic horror movie monsters, while at the same time, is being threatened by bankruptcy.  With that, the movie unfolds as you would expect.  Mystery-solving.  Jokes.  Snacks.  Traps.  Chase scenes.  Criminals in monster costumes.  “And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!”  All the classic elements of the Scooby-Doo cartoon.  But with the narrative playing out in a world constructed in Lego and which functions in the absurd logic and physics of its nature, it gives a fresh spin to the whole thing, like the delivery of gags only possible in a Lego world.

'Lego DC Comics Superheroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash' Has Brainiac, Time Travel, and a Ton of Fun

I extremely love these Lego DC movies.  They’re animated comedy gems.  Thus, I was excited to watch Lego DC Comics Superheroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash when I first learned of it.  And as expected, it’s a ton of fun.

In this new installment – something that was actually teased way back in the first movie, 2013’s Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite.  Brainiac – the Justice League takes on Brainiac, an android supercomputer obsessed with collecting various planets across the galaxies, which he shrinks and put in bottles.  With Earth being his next target, the Justice League proceeds to battle Brainiac, who in turn banishes half of the League roster across different time periods of history.  Now, it’s up to Batman and Flash to recover their time-displaced teammates while Cyborg and Supergirl hold off Brainiac and his forces until the League can reunite.

Please Keep These 'Lego DC Comics' Direct-to-Video Movies Coming

In 2013, Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Superheroes Unite, a direct-to-video animated movie inspired by the Lego Batman game franchise, was released.  I extremely enjoyed it (it didn’t make my list for best 2013 movies for I saw it in 2014).  And I guess I’m not the only one pleased by it because Lego and DC decided to make more movies like this.  The short film Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered (which I only saw earlier this year) premiered as a TV special in 2014.  And this 2015, two Lego DC Comics direct-to-video animated movies are released.

The first 2015 movie, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, was released in February.  The second, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom, has just been recently released this month.  But I’ve seen them back-to-back recently.   That’s why this mini-review is for both.

In Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, Superman’s Justice League teams up with Bizarro’s Bizarro League to save both Earth and Bizarro World from Darkseid.  And in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom, the supervillains, tired of being constantly defeated by the Justice League, decide to form their own team – the Legion of Doom.  The plots of both movies are pretty uncomplicated that to give more elaborate synopses is unnecessary.

I like the second movie better, but both movies (as well as the previous Lego DC Comics films) possess similar attributes and nature; hence, the following evaluation applies to both.

The animation is wonderfully beautiful, and the voice work is impeccable.  The story is undemanding and light-hearted – these movies’ target audience are kids anyway – but it’s still appealing to adult sensibilities.  And, most importantly, the utilization and combination of Lego logic, parodies of DC Comics tropes, clever gags, non-annoying puns, and charming slapstick create a unique kind of hilarious, wholesome comedy that can’t be found anywhere else.

I hope that the Lego DC Comics franchise will be around for a while.  Even if there’s already that upcoming Lego Batman movie set for theatrical release, I hope the production of these brilliant direct-to-video animated movies won’t cease.  These Lego DC Comics movies are cartoon gems, and I don’t think I’ll get tired of them anytime soon.