Everything is pretty much awesome.

It’s hard to think of two franchises that have taken such wildly divergent paths in recent years than LEGO and DC. Since The LEGO Movie hit cinemas in 2014, the big screen fortunes of the moulded brick icon have been in stark contrast to that of DC and its DCEU (or DC Extended Universe to you and me). While The LEGO Movie was a certified hit with both audiences and critics, proving that this was far from the cynical commercial cash-in that many expected, the same can’t be said for the comic book giant. After the lukewarm reception of Man of Steel, DC had hoped to go toe to toe with their arch rivals Marvel in constructing their own fully realised universe, but the one-two critical punch of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad saw plans stutter.

With The LEGO Batman Movie, we finally find the two worlds colliding, as everyone’s favourite angst-ridden, bat-obsessed billionaire gets the plastic block treatment. Spinning off from the Caped Crusader’s cameo in The LEGO Movie, this solo outing offers up a who’s who of the hero’s famous (and…umm…not so famous) supporting cast. The effect is a dizzying whirlwind of action, one-liners, puns, and meta references and, considering where things currently stand, is the shot in the arm Warner Bros, DC, and Batman all desperately needed.

We meet the Dark Knight (Will Arnett) shortly after the events of The LEGO Movie; saving Gotham City once again from multiple members of his rogues’ gallery and doing it in style. Underneath all the money, fame, and supervillain butt-kicking, however, there’s a problem - his narcissism has gone into overdrive and driven away all those close to him. The man behind the cowl has become an island both figuratively and literally, whittling away off-duty hours on Wayne Island binging on microwave lobster thermidor and schmaltzy rom-coms. Even arch nemesis The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is feeling the rejection and hatches a typically nefarious plan to win back the number one bad guy place in Batman’s heart, gaining ultimate control of Gotham in the process. With the help of lonely orphan Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), new police commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), and his trusty butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes); Batman must finally put his ego to one side and embrace friendship to save both his city and himself.

The cinematic lineage of Batman spans a little over half a decade now, encompassing everything from the high-camp Adam West years to sober realism of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Batman is a character ripe for interpretation and each of his various manifestations have brought their own spin on the icon, however, none have cut to the heart of the character quite like this current LEGO incarnation (not a sentence I ever thought I’d be typing).

The real joy of this latest adaptation is exactly what Batman v Superman spectacularly failed to do – truly understand it’s hero. While Zack Snyder took the kind of creative decisions that left fans less than impressed, The LEGO Batman Movie gets it spot on. In Chris McKay, the film has a director that understands exactly what makes Batman tick, what makes his world so compelling, and (most importantly) what parts are ripe for lampooning.

From his obsession with being alone, to the endless stream of ridiculous supervillains (Condiment Man, anyone?); McKay know exactly where to poke fun, executing to a level that simultaneously honours and lovingly sends-up Batman lore. Like any spoof worth its salt knows, to parody something you have to truly understand it, and that’s exactly what makes The LEGO Batman Movie tick. As a comedy sub-genre well past its prime, this could be the way to drag the spoof kicking and screaming into the future.

However, this would be for naught if the jokes fell flat, but The LEGO Batman Movie hits just the right note with ample humour for audience members young, old, and everywhere in-between. The sheer quantity of jokes, one-liners, puns, cheeky nods, visual gags, and ultra-nerdy Easter eggs on offer is whiplash-inducing. Firing off at a rate of knots, it’s a tough job keeping up with the film’s barrage of jokes, but when most land with this rate of success, it’s hard not to just give in and embrace the sheer fun of it all.

At times, it can all be a bit bewildering and its certainly hard work keeping up with the tsunami of gags but there’s an odd comfort in knowing things won’t be sitting still for long before the next joke comes flying your way. If the end result of a film is to walk out of a theatre dazed, confused, but grinning uncontrollably; then you have to consider that a job well done. No one wants the caped crusader to return to the misjudged camp and bat-nipples of the Joel Schumacher era but, after his last few rather po-faced outings, it’s just a relief to see a film about a grown man dressed as a bat lower its earnestness just a tad.

As the jokes fly by, however, it’s easy to miss the film’s distinct lack of narrative and emotional depth. As odd as that sounds for a film that’s essentially a glorified brand tie-in, it’s worth remembering just how unexpectedly layered and engaging The LEGO Movie was, and the difference only works to highlight this film’s comparative shortcomings. While infinitely enjoyable, The LEGO Batman Movie’s plot is largely forgettable; ultimately descending into the kind of standard superhero narrative that it takes pleasure in lampooning. Though they’re clearly targeted at a very different audience, the film suffers a similar problem to Deadpool in that, for all its knowing winks and cheeky meta humour, it falls into the trap of retreading all-too familiar comic book ground.

When The LEGO Batman Movie really gets going with the action though, it’s a real joy to behold. Not since The Incredibles has there been an animated film been so kinetically ambitious, with genuine thrills to be had in its many fantastically executed action set pieces. The opening and closing sequences, in particular, are well worth the price of admission on their own, as a beautifully rendered Gotham flies by and we are treated to the kind of action that would make many Batman films of days gone by blush.

Supplementing The LEGO Batman Movie’s kinetic action, the film’s rapid-fire humour and zany playfulness are positively infectious and the genuine affection Chris McKay clearly has for the character makes this one of the finest spoofs in recent memory and one of the best Dark Knight incarnations to hit the big screen. As a thoroughly enjoyable cinema-going experience for all ages, The LEGO Batman Movie is hard to beat and, while it might not live up to its predecessor’s high standards, it’s certainly a fun ride nonetheless. After the fog of misery left trailing in the wake of Batman v Superman, it’s such a relief to just get back to enjoying a Batman film once again and it’s great to know that, in LEGO form at least, the Caped Crusader is in safe hands.