The Lego Batman Movie: (Lorne Balfe) It wasn't too
long ago that Lego animations were the trick of direct-to-video DVD
stands at American box stores, the kind of cheap marketing ploys to
which grandparents would succumb as a method of resting their tired
bodies during a weekend of watching their hyperactive grandkids. Then
came the immense success of
The Lego Movie in 2014, and while the
DC comics characters had already received animated Lego movies in prior
years, the treatment of Batman and his associated DC and Warner-owned
properties to the big screen in 2017's
The Lego Batman Movie
suddenly merited huge box office returns. These movies are a kick to
watch but tiresome all the same, an exhausting experience for adults
attempting to catch all the in-jokes. After all, kids won't care why
it's amusing to hear Billy Dee Williams voice Two-Face What matters is
that seemingly every related property that can be forced into a Batman
versus Joker tale is done so for commercial purposes, all wrapped into a
nice story of the two leads' co-dependency. The DC and wider pop-culture
references in
The Lego Batman Movie extend, of course to the
soundtrack. The music for
The Lego Movie, headlined by the
Oscar-nominated song, "Everything is Awesome," was a haphazard blend of
song and score with the latter handled competently by Mark Mothersbaugh.
For
The Lego Batman Movie, the equation for the soundtrack isn't
much different, source songs playing an integral role, naturally
expanding upon the humorous Batman vocalizations from the first film.
For the score duties, the production turned to Hans Zimmer associate
Lorne Balfe, who has managed to branch off into a successful career of
his own in the 2010's after his Remote Control bounce. The score that
mostly closely relates to
The Lego Batman Movie for Balfe is his
strong 2015 effort for
Home, which was likewise a parody endeavor
that pilfered all sorts of alien-specific sounds in a totally frantic
environment. Undoubtedly,
The Lego Batman Movie is the
DC-universe equivalent of
Home for Balfe, the schizophrenic
changes in pace, constant references to other sources, and general
accessibility of the whole producing yet another really solid children's
parody score. The difference between the two is tone and process;
whereas
Home is flightier and was forced to mingle with the star
actress' own vocals,
The Lego Batman Movie is more of an
overbearing, standalone effort.
To an extent, you have to forgive Balfe for
relentlessly trolling so many different takes on the same genre in
The Lego Batman Movie; your head will spin from all the
simultaneous directions this score is being pulled. A full orchestral
ensemble and choir is joined by enhanced rock band elements, especially
percussion, and a synthetic array that includes mutilation of the
organic soundscape at times. Parts of this score are so loud,
manipulated digitally and pounding on the drum kit with such force, that
the music is insufferable. But that's the point. It's a parody. It's no
surprise that the bass region is thunderous in this effort; not only is
that expected in the superhero genre nowadays, but that sound directly
emanated from Zimmer's controversial re-envisioning of the
Batman
concept anyway. It would be easy for someone to write off this score as
a simple wall of sound with token nods to the concept's past along the
way, because it might sound that way in many portions. Balfe's
orchestrations, however, are sometimes outrageously accomplished, and
his ability to take his weighty lines of action and weave them into
accessible music, as he did in the overachieving
Terminator
Genisys, is commendable. Look past, for instance, the rock rhythms
of "Chaos in Gotham" and "Battle Royale" to hear some really good
orchestrations for brass, strings, and even xylophone. There is so much
creativity in the instrumental accompaniment here that it's easy to
become overwhelmed; there are three distinct organ tones alone,
representing multiple characters. The orchestral percussion fares better
than the standalone rock equivalent, the conclusion of "The Babs Signal"
using the more symphonic alternative to fantastic ends. The choir is
also tasked with a number of performance variants, from the soft cooing
of the lighter fantasy technique to the outright chanting of near horror
for cataclysmic events on screen. There's also crossover of genres in
the music at times, all-out rock sometimes incorporated, though
listeners may more likely notice the few outward classical references.
For film music enthusiasts, it's the parodied themes of that will matter
the most, and Balfe doesn't disappoint. Whereas the previous
direct-to-video Lego Batman movie did make direct use of Danny Elfman
and John Williams identities from the DC universe, Balfe only rarely
makes so direct a reference. The main theme for Batman in this film
starts with the first three notes of Elfman's theme before simply
shifting the chord slightly for a fourth note, and that's it for Batman.
When merged with the string ostinatos, it's recognition of both Elfman's
progression and the mindless simplicity of Zimmer's alternative.
While heard throughout the
The Lego Batman Movie
score, a luxury of its brevity, you get a summary suite of Balfe's main
theme for Batman in "Black." The original Neal Hefti theme for Batman
makes two explicit, tasteful cameos, one in "No Seat Belts Required" and
another fuller rendition in "Battle Royale." The Joker is afforded a
myriad of motific identities depending upon who he with in this story,
but a general, sinewy progression is revealed in "To Cage the Joker"
that had been expressed in more forceful bursts in "Your Greatest
Enemy." More importantly, Balfe takes Zimmer's one-note rising pitch for
the character and inverts it, retaining enough of the whiny electronic
effect for it to function as a strong connection. The best new theme in
The Lego Batman Movie by far is the one for Robin, heard on
dainty woodwinds and piano in "The Arrival of Robin" before exploding on
horns at the outset of "No Seat Belts Required" and in "Battle Royale"
before being sent off with sentiment late in "A Long Farewell." Those
two middle performances for full ensemble are among the best moments in
this score, reminiscent of the heroic brass performances of
Home.
A nascent theme for Batgirl is hinted throughout but finally comes
together nicely for the ensemble in "The Babs Signal." Outside of these
themes, a learned ear will encounter several lesser nods to the Batman
musical universe, whether it's Elfman's famous original finale early in
"Battle Royale," a few token instrumental applications clearly emulating
Elliot Goldenthal (especially late in "Batman's in the Zone"), the
relentless rhythms of Zimmer's music for Bane, and Elfman's thumping
piano at times. A touch of Steven Price's
Suicide Squad informs
the contemporary insanity of "Joker Crashes the Party." Thankfully
absent is Zimmer's flapping wing effect for the lead character. On
album, Warner was thoughtful enough to provide both the songs and score
on one set, the second CD featuring only the score. There are some nasty
edits in the score, however, the beginning of "A Long Farewell" fading
in too quickly and "Battle Royale" offering one or two awkward splices.
Balfe's theme for Robin is reflected in the end credits song, "I Found
You," though it's hopelessly obnoxious, just like the intolerable
primary "Who's the (Bat)Man" song which is inspired by the prior film
and uses the Hefti theme as an accent. Again, it'll make your head
explode, but your kids will love it. Overall,
The Lego Batman
Movie is an entertainingly wild romp primed to make your joints ache
for days, but that was the goal of the production. Balfe continues to
prove himself a master builder of really impressive, intelligent music
for this genre, and his work here is ironically more engaging in most
parts than his friend Hans' comparatively serious take on the same
world.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
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The insert includes extensive credits and a note from the director about the score and songs.