Bruce Wayne/Batman (Will Arnett) is living large in Gotham City as the world’s greatest detective. He’s smart, handsome, insanely wealthy, and has the biggest ego on the planet.

But when new Gotham PD commissioner, Barbara Gordon wants to work inside the law, a young orphan named Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) comes into Batman’s  life, and the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) plots a new scheme to take over Gotham City.

Batman teams up with Grayson (Robin for you non-comic fans), Gordon and his trusted butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) to fight crime.

I loved The Lego Movie. It was one of those movies that no one was really sure what to make of when they first heard of it, but became a huge hit that’ll probably be considered a classic in the next few years.

Batman was one of the most popular side characters, so the suits at Warner Bros figured “let’s give him his own movie.”  Spinoffs have a mixed track record; for every Deadpool you get a Minions.

So I was excited for The Lego Batman Movie but wasn’t quite sure if Lego Batman could carry his own story. As soon as the movie started, all of my fears were put to rest.

Like its predecessor, The Lego Batman Movie is a great comedy, and may be even funnier. All of the voice actors, comedy veterans or not, have such good timing and fit these versions of the characters perfectly.

Every character’s schtick (Batman’s ego, Robin’s naivety, the Joker’s…attachment issues) makes for great humor. Whether it’s visual gags, one-liners, or even a mundane conversation, all of the jokes hit and I wouldn’t be shocked if this movie ends up being the best comedy of the year. I’m not kidding when I say you’ll be laughing even before the Warner Bros. logo appears.

More than being a great comedy or family movie, it’s one of the best Batman movies we’ve ever had. Yes, the film puts a comedic spin on the Bat-mythos, but you can tell the writers understand what makes Bruce Wayne tick as a character.

Batman in this movie may be a hilarious egomaniac, but he’s also a tortured soul who still hasn’t moved on from the death of his parents and is deathly afraid of losing another family.

It’s also got plenty of great action, something that’s notoriously hard to pull off in animation. As far as Batman movies go, I’d put it on par with Batman Begins.

The Lego Batman Movie’s ultra-fast pace may be overwhelming and there are a few characters and plot devices I wanted to see more of, but it’s a great time at the movies both as a comedy and a genuine rendition of a beloved superhero.

It also opens the door to endless possibilities; with the way they pulled this off, I can see a whole world of Lego movies based on everyone’s favorite franchises. Hopefully whatever they think of next is even half as good as what’s come so far.

Score: A-