There are a lot of reasons to enjoy “The Lego Batman Movie”: the frenetic pace of the humor, Batman’s goofy overconfidence, the immaculate casting of Michael Cera as Robin. One of the biggest reasons, though, is that the film’s excellence is completely untethered to any discussion of President Donald J. Trump.
As America has begun to devolve into an autocratic marketing scheme, Trump has become the “Damn, Daniel” of our national culture. Remember “Damn, Daniel?" Those short Vine (RIP) videos where a squeaky high schooler complimented his friend’s shoes? Of course you do. When those videos broke they were everywhere. There was no logic behind their perseverance. “Damn, Daniel” was so big it didn’t even need your opinion to fuel its existence because it was simply omnipresent. It felt as ubiquitous as the air we breathe.
Likewise, Trump doesn’t just dominate political headlines: Everything is now about Trump. A quick Google search for “what ____ means in the age of Trump” can yield results for an absurd range of topics, from sports coverage to makeup to “Rogue One.” The specter of Trump lingers throughout American culture, and it’s become somewhat exhausting.
That’s why films like "The Lego Batman Movie" are so sorely needed. The film’s comedy wasn’t directed at Trump or anything related to current events, but rather stemmed from wit, visual ingenuity and a flurry of pop culture references. "The Lego Batman Movie" follows Gotham’s favorite superhero as he tries to balance thwarting the Joker, caring for an adopted son and overcoming his own emotional insecurities. Just like the first “ Lego Movie,” this film operates at a whirlwind pace, so much so that I’m pretty sure most of the jokes went over the younger audience members’ heads. Amid shots at “Suicide Squad” and a dissection of the tropes of Batman films, this movie feels more like a product of a generation influenced by “Arrested Development” and absurdist YouTube clips than children’s comedy. Incredibly, most of the jokes stuck, although sometimes they came so fast it was hard to fully appreciate each one.
Of course, the burgeoning brilliance of the "Lego" franchise lies in its ability to meld this specialized humor with moments everyone can enjoy. A running gag in which characters vocalize their actions (Batman yells “bang bang bang” as he bangs on a wall), for example, was sufficiently silly and clever for parents and kids alike in the theater to appreciate. I was thankful to find such moments of simple laughter without having to think about immigration bans and deregulation (Also, I fully recognize the hypocrisy of praising this movie for not being about Trump while relating it to Trump, but I wanted to make my point).
This is all not to say that resistance to Trump’s highly destructive policies isn’t crucial. The public’s continued vigilance against his platform will be vital for limiting Trump’s ability to impose it. I’m also not contending that art explicitly challenging Trump can’t be productive or important; it often is. But sustaining a space for pleasure and creativity outside of commentary on the president’s actions is important, and we should avoid reappropriating all popular narratives to fit Trump’s story. For one, it’s unfair to the creative aspirations of artists. It also plays into the hands of a man who feeds off attention like a xenophobic Regina George. If we allow Trump to become a monolithic shadow over American culture, it will be that much easier for him to control the popular narrative.
For two hours, I sat in a theater and laughed alongside kindergarteners as Batman bragged about his abs and Robin sang about friendship. When I left, I checked Twitter to see if Trump had spread any blatant lies or attacked any federal judges. As the Trump era continues, it will be important to fight back against such destructive action. But it will also be important to have art that allows us to escape all of that and just feel comforted and entertained. Hopefully, inventive works like “The Lego Batman Movie” will continue to provide spaces for that enjoyment.
