Not to put down anyone’s talents, but the only name in the cast really worth mentioning here is Clancy Brown, who returns to voice Lex Luthor. The cast is mostly made up of voice actors who have worked on other animated features and voiced characters in videogames. Some episodes of Hanna-Barbera’s Super Friends from the 1970s were more creative and entertaining. So it is not a question of source material, it was just bad writing. Sure, we’re talking about a movie that is marketed to kids, but so were the aforementioned LEGO Star Wars movies and those had plenty of in-jokes that your average 10 year-old will miss. Yet, this wealth of source material is not taken advantage of. Even without having to tap into a specific one of those takes, there is still plenty to draw from. Let’s not even go into all of the writers and artists who have worked on the comics for over a combined century. Granted, there have been many takes on the Batman and Superman mythologies over the years, from Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan to Richard Donner and Zack Snyder. In contrast, those two LEGO Star Wars specials had great dialogue, jokes and references to the franchise. If you have seen either of the LEGO Star Wars animated specials that were also released on home video, you are going to be baffled by how incredible those two are in comparison. The jokes in it, especially coming from The Joker, are fall horribly flat. END SPOILERS For All of the Above: Besides the cutscenes being re-used, the biggest problem with this movie is that it is just not very well written. As I already mentioned, so much of this movie is solely cutscenes from the videogame that there’s almost nothing redeeming in what has been added to make it a full-length feature. The Justice League is all of a sudden thrown in towards the end and the other villains, including Bane, Poison Ivy, Riddler, etc., are no fun at all in their wasted capacity. The jokes are still bad, especially since they are the exact same ones from the game, and the whole story seems rushed to get you to the next scene. BEGIN SPOILERS For those who HAVE played the game: Now, if you have played the game, especially if you are one of those hardcore LEGO game players that has to replay levels to get all of the minikits and any special items, watching these cutscenes over again is just not at all entertaining. Thus, if you have not played the game, it gives you an advantage over those who have, as it will all seem fresh and brand new. I am not sure if they made the game first and then decided to make a movie based on that or vice-versa, but the majority of the footage in the movie is straight from the video game’s cutscenes. ![]() Batman’s Rogues Gallery shows up to help take down The Dark Knight while some of the Justice League show up for backup. But with a title like Super Heroes Unite, you can expect more than just Bats, Supes and Robin fighting Lex and Joker. After Presidential Candidate Lex Luthor loses Gotham City’s “Man of the Year” award to billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, what else can an evil genius do but team up with The Joker to help him win the Presidential Election? Oh yeah, and to destroy Superman and Batman, too. Here we go: For those who HAVE NOT played the game: As I mentioned, the plot comes right out of the game LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. So, pick your poison based on your familiarity with it. Thus, I will split this review into thirds: one-third for those who have not played the game, one for those who have and finally all-around thoughts for everyone in-between. But is this just a carbon copy of the game, or worth your time and money? Since I have already played and beaten its videogame namesake, and since most of the movie is lifted straight from the game LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, it’s a bit hard to be completely objective. Based on the LEGO video game franchise, Batman, Superman and other members of the Justice League team up against The Joker, Lex Luthor and a slew of DC villains.
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