THE AISLE SEAT - by Mike McGranaghan
"LEGO DC SUPER HEROES - JUSTICE LEAGUE: ATTACK OF THE LEGION OF DOOM!"
Own it on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD & Digital HD 8/25
Most kids grow up playing with LEGO sets. The building blocks are fun to use, and they stimulate creativity. The LEGO company has successfully expanded its product into other areas, launching a line of popular videogames (including the current LEGO Jurassic World), as well as a series of animated features. The LEGO Movie is, of course, the best-known of them. Others have been made specifically for home viewing. The latest of those, LEGO DC Super Heroes - Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom!, hits Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital HD on August 25. It combines all the imaginative qualities of LEGO toys with some of the world's most popular comic book characters.
In the movie, Lex Luthor is disappointed that the Justice League has been so good at cleaning up crime in Metropolis. To foil them, he assembles a team of super-villains, including Black Mantra, Sinestro, and Cheetah to take them on. The newly-dubbed Legion of Doom's first mission is infiltrating a secret government site called Area 52, where they “steal” a powerful shape-shifting alien to help take out the costumed crimefighters. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Cyborg, and the Flash are hit hard by the enemy force, but they combine their individual powers to fight back.
Attack of the Legion of Doom! has all the qualities that make LEGO entertainment so dependable, most notably allegiance to its own brand. The animation is excellent, making it look as though the toys have come to life and constructed their own universe. One of the best characteristics of LEGO movies, including this one, is that they stay true to the design of the building blocks they're based on. Everything is made from recognizable pieces. Kids watching this film will feel that they could put together the things they see with their own LEGO sets – and they'll want to do just that afterward.
The picture is also funny. Humor is a key part of the LEGO screen adventures. In this case, the movie has fun with the heroes' personalities. Batman is endlessly mopey, the Flash and Green Lantern fight for Wonder Woman's affections, etc. Visual gags can be found in both the foreground and the background, so keep your eyes peeled. Many of the ways in which the heroes and villains fight each other are comical, as well. They use humorous versions of their specific abilities. Crafting a story like this in LEGO format puts a different, quirky spin on the superhero fare we've all become accustomed to.
LEGO DC Super Heroes - Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! isn't the intricate comic masterpiece that The LEGO Movie was, but it's not really designed to be, either. It's simply an enjoyable family-friendly treat that mixes great toys and great DC characters. Kids (or adults) into either or both of those things will be suitably entertained.
The Blu-Ray comes with a 20-minute bonus feature entitled “Click, Zap, Boom” that looks at the movie's sound design (which, incidentally, is outstanding). A few stray trailers are included, too. Picture quality on the disc is bright and vibrant.
(
out of four)
LEGO DC Super Heroes - Attack of the Legion of Doom! is unrated, but contains mild rude humor. The running time is 1 hour and 17 minutes.
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