Bat Bricks

I didn't realise that I'd purchased a ticket to the 3-D version of "LEGO Batman" until I'd been watching for 10 minutes. No difference. 'Twas a solid experience anyway. 

It was a long while before I actually got around to seeing the previous LEGO film. I just didn't feel the draw? At the time, I was far more interested in the cinematic treatment of "Mr. Peabody and Sherman". I eventually caught that LEGO one on Netflix or something, and I did enjoy it, but this one elicited a more visceral interest in me.

Maybe it had something to do with the difference between the respective protagonists of this spinoff and its predecessor. Of course, I love Chris Pratt, but his character in "The LEGO Movie" was a deliberately bland everyman, whereas the Batman film focused on a spoilt narcissist with insomnia, a gusto for loud music, and dedication to a career that probably costs more than it brings in. It just felt more relatable.

The plot was quite direct, focusing in large part on Joker's familiar fixation on his relationship with Batman. I did notice that Harley cheered on this obsession. There was an emphasis on the neglect Joker felt from Batman. Though it was passed over here, incarnations of this material often make a point of making Joker the aloof object of the ignored Harley's affections, while he's driven to chase after Batman. It's a dynamic redolent of an old "How I Met Your Mother" episode or something. 

Bonus Question!

Most surprising reference?

The film made a point of calling out the apparent obscurity of the Daleks it featured, though I thought that the inclusion of shark repellent was a far deeper cut.