“There was a Green Lantern movie … but we don’t talk about that.” Green Lantern sheepishly admits while distinguishing actual superheroes from Teen Titans. Ah, yes, the key dividing line between true heroes and fake ones: who’s got a movie?
The Teen Titans are a tongue-in-cheek laugh riot. The quintet has a collective massive inferiority complex – hey, you would, too, if people were constantly comparing you to Batman or Superman (voice of Nicolas Cage!) or Wonder Woman. First on the scene when Balloon Man attacks Jump City, the Titans: Robin (Scott Menville), Starfire (Hynden Walch), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), and Raven (Tara Strong) seem to have the enemy all but deflated when he questions their identities. At this point, the five launch into a frivolous, self-aggrandizing, and entirely self-involved introductory rap. Balloon Man gets bored, starts attacking Jump City again, and real heroes have to fly in to save the day.
At this point, Robin, the Titan of Teens, decides what he really needs is a movie … and he thinks he’s gonna get one when the Teen Titans crash yet another film premiere only to discover the new Batman-related films in development are “Batcar,” “Alfred,” and “Utility Belt.” I challenge anyone with an ounce of schadenfreude not to laugh when “Utility Belt – The Movie” is announced.
It gets better. The Teens soon reason they need a powerful nemesis to get a movie deal and discover Slade (Will Arnett) whom they mistake for Deadpool. Again the Titans seem up to the challenge, force-wise, but are duped by the ancient “What’s that behind you?” gag. The next logical step in the progression is the assumption that if the DC heroes never existed, the Titans would get a movie by default. So, the five set out to eliminate the origins of all the super heroes – which was a Legion of Doom plot once upon a time, IIRC. So after getting their time cycles up to “RAD” while Back to the Future music plays in the background, the Titans go back and convince Jor-el not to launch Superbaby from Krypton and the Wayne’s not to walk down the dangerous alley. To hinder the development of Aquaman, they go to the ocean and toss in one of those plastic 6-pack yokes in which immediately tangles the young fishman, hindering his development forever.
This is, of course, one of those cartoons that can work for several age groups. I doubt actual teens will laugh out loud at the Stan Lee cameos, nor the joke where Stan gives an, “Oh no. Wrong universe … meh, who cares?” There were at least ten other LOLs for me at least … and a whole lot of butt jokes for the younger crowd. A LOT of butt jokes. Seriously, people, movies don’t actually need more than one. Or zero, really. Well, nobody will claim this is a perfect film, but it should rock for the superhero-cognizant movie fan.
DC is finally getting it right. About freaking time. Despite owning Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman, DC’s sorry ass has been lapped several times by Marvel this century. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies will probably not win awards or box office bonanzas. But, believe me, DC, it starts with good filmmaking. Between this and Wonder Woman, now you’re starting to get it. Yeah, I’m still holding out for a better Superman movie; at least now, I believe it’s possible.
♪You think I’m petty,
Cuz I think The Flash ain’t strong
You think I’m useless
Cuz I get rescue all wrong
Check out that crime spree
It’s time to combat among, among
Let’s go save some lives tonight
Let’s dispatch of thugs
Whoa! Wait! Who said we could die?
Hey man, why?
Gonna live forever
You make me feel like I’m part of a Teenage Team
The way we battle foes
I can’t win
Let’s runaway
And call out for Batman
Out for Batman♫
Rated PG, 84 Minutes
Director: Aaron Horvath, Peter Rida Michail
Writer: Michael Jelenic & Aaron Horvath
Genre: Fourth wall fun
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People who like making fun of the Green Lantern movie
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Those who find self-referential humor indulgent
♪ Parody Inspired by “Teenage Dream”
