Jump City
I know that a lot of people (or at least a vocal minority) dislike the Teen Titans Go! animated series on Cartoon Network. They blame it for destroying the extremely exceptional Teen Titans cartoon and even Young Justice even though I believe that Cartoon Network itself should be blamed for the cancellation of either series. They are in the business of making money, and apparently TTG! makes a lot of money for them, so it’s probably “just business” for Cartoon Network. I’ve read many hate-filled diatribes against the series and witnessed plenty of people attacking it on social media.
But you know what? I don’t care.
I love the Teen Titans Go! series and when I found out that a film, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, was on the way, I made sure to put in an extra amount of effort in order to see the movie.
The film centers on Robin, who is upset that the Teen Titans are looked down upon by everyone, including their fellow superheroes. To quote Superman, they are a bunch of “goofsters” that seem to cause more trouble than they prevent. After blowing an attempt to stop Balloon Man from wreaking havoc in Jump City and receiving a scolding from the Justice League (who save the day) for their failure, Robin and Co. attempt to get into the premiere for Batman Again.
Trailers for films coming out next summer, next, next summer, and even next, next, next summer appear as if they might be about Robin, but turn out being for, um, other associates of Batman that will remain nameless. Enraged, Robin determines to get his own movie to prove that he’s a true superhero. He’s convinced by his teammates that in order to get a film, he needs an arch nemesis.
Enter Slade, aka Deathstroke (although they never call him by that name), who the Teen Titans attempt to stop from stealing a crystal for his ultimate weapon (which will remain nameless). They fail yet again, but continue to try and stop Slade as he continues collecting items for his weapon.
The Teen Titans take a few other humorous measures in order to win their way onto the big screen, including an extremely funny sequence where they go back in time to prevent the creation of some of DC’s biggest heroes. Even funnier is their attempt to restore those heroes’ creation stories.
Will Robin achieve his dream of becoming a movie star? Will the Teen Titans get it together long enough to stop Slade? You’ll have to watch Teen Titans Go! To The Movies to find out. You won’t regret it.
The film roles along at a quick pace with just one moment in the third act that drags a bit. The struggle against Slade begins to wear thin for a little while, but a not-so-surprising twist occurs that injects new life into the plot.
The cast features all of the original voice actors for the Teen Titans Go! series. Tara Strong (Raven), Khary Payton (Cyborg), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Hynden Walch (Starfire), and Scott Menville (Robin) have these characters down pat. Their comic timing was dead on as well. The supporting cast featured Nicolas Cage as Superman, Will Arnett as Slade, Kristen Bell as Jade Wilson, Jimmy Kimmel as Batman, Halsey as Wonder Woman, Meredith Salenger as Supergirl, Lil Yachty as Green Lantern, Wil Wheaton as the Flash, and a whole host of other celebs big and small in some hilarious roles. Be on the lookout for Michael Bolton as Tiger and Patton Oswalt as Atom. They are featured in a couple of my favorite moments in the film. There’s also a couple of cameos from one particular person that always seems to find their way into comic book films. I won’t spoil who that is in this review.
The music is fun and inventive in the film. It features some hilarious takes on standard tunes typical of most children’s movies including inspirational tunes, songs meant to amaze, and an occasional rap. My kids and I sang along with and laughed at the songs the entire time.
The animation is exactly what you’d expect from Teen Titans Go! Warner Bros. didn’t stray too far from formula with the design of the characters and blended different types of animation in at just the right moment for humorous effect.
Speaking of humor, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies has something for everyone. They have slapstick comedy and sophomoric jokes for the youngsters, but for comic and comic film fans, the humor goes much, much deeper. TTG! hits high and low with punches directed at themselves, other shows on Cartoon Network, and the many, many films featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and pretty much every other stereotypical superhero film out there. Some of the jokes cut very deep and some of them are just stone cold (especially during one hero’s origin story sequence). I was shocked at how brutal some of the in-jokes were in the movie. No stone was left unturned (including Martha). Just know that the adult humor is brilliantly hidden from the kiddies and the slapstick comedy is fun for everyone.
One of the best things about this film is that some of DC’s classic heroes that aren’t necessarily front and center these days gets to shine in this film, even if it’s just for a moment. It was great to see the Spectre, Booster Gold, Red Tornado, and other heroes on the screen. It was also cool to see the Challengers of the Unknown on the big screen. I’m sure some of you are googling them as I write this but trust me, they are real DC heroes.
DC and Warner Bros. obviously had a great time making this film. It was nice to see them take shots at their many films and classic characters. This movie is funny and worth seeing in a theater. If you’re still sour over the cancellation of Teen Titans, get over yourself and smile for a little bit by watching Teen Titans Go! To The Movies. It’s one of the best superhero films I’ve seen in a long time!
Thanks for reading my review of Teen Titans Go! To The Movies. It really is an excellent film that is great for the whole family. It has an excellent blend of humor for kids and adults. Sadly I didn’t get to see Ant-Man And The Wasp before it left theaters, so I’ll have to wait on my review for that film. There’s still a chance that I’ll get to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom before it leaves theaters and I’ll review it if I can.
Until next time, true believers!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 