Teen Titans Go! To the Movies - A RMNT Review

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is the latest film from Warner Bros. Animation and it’s based on the animated series of the same name. I bet you’re all thinking to yourselves, “Why the hell is Robert doing a review of a movie that’s clearly going to suck?!". As you all know by now, the series has been hated by many, calling it an insulting abomination to the original Teen Titans animated series for its toilet humor, annoying lines of dialogue, flash animation style, and the downgraded portrayal of the main characters. But here's the crazy part, not only the show is so hated, the hate of the show is also considered overrated to the point were if you were to mention a teeny-tiny positive comment, you're Public Enemy Number One to them! Look, I never saw the whole show, but it doesn't mean I don't hate it like everyone else, I just consider it average and that's it. So moving on, despite all that, it still received high ratings for the channel, Cartoon Network. When it was announced that the series was getting a theatrical film release, the hate grew even more. So after seeing the trailer, I laughed a couple of times and decided to check it out for myself. So now having seen the film with friends, I’m surprised to say that it really exceeded our expectations, but I doubt it’ll turn me into a fan of the show.

In this video, I did a collaborative first impressions video with four others, including Sebastian of Cinemageddon Reviews, who we both planned the viewing together. Filming the video was a lot of fun, despite going off track a few times. So enjoy the video, but prepare for minor spoilers:

And now, onto my own thoughts of the film in which I'll talk about in each separate category:

Story:

Think of this as an extended episode of the series, but with a bigger budget. The plot centers on the Teen Titans who want to prove that they are true heroes, but the superhero community sees them as a joke. While attending to a red carpet premiere of Batman’s latest movie, Robin feels hurt, knowing that he’s never going to have his own movie, and leaves the theater in humiliation. His friends come up to him, telling him that they want to help make his dream a realty as they remind him that he’s a great leader and reliable friend. It’s a simple premise with the classic “Be true to yourself” message that’s been done many times, but this works to the movie’s advantage in its own strange way since it's well aware of what it is. Also, keep in mind, it’s expected when it’s centered on characters from a series such as this. One of the film’s biggest highlights is its self-aware humor and its many references to DC Comics and its related media, from TV shows like Batman: The Animated Series to movies like Batman V Superman, and the many, many Easter eggs seen in both the foreground and background, so keep a sharp eye out if you’re a fan of comics books! The film is also packed with many funny moments, whether its in the silly dialogue, taking jabs at failed DC projects, or even mentions of Marvel-related characters, including a cameo of somebody you’d never thought you'd see in a movie like this! Plus, a couple moments of dark humor that came out of nowhere that'll really get you laughing hard, so its worth it. There’s also clever commentary related to superhero genre, the modern film industry and even streaming services. Although while some of the jokes work, other times not so much, including one bit of toilet humor which goes on for more than a minute, reminding many why Teen Titans Go! is hated from the get-go. Another aspect of the film that’s unexpected is how it has several musical numbers, including a rap number, but I will admit that one of them is pretty catchy, including who's singing the song's lyrics.

Characters:

Like in the series the film is based on, the Teen Titans (Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy), are the main characters who you'll get used to seeing them do many of their usual shenanigans including not taking things seriously most of the time as well as hearing them say their silly dialogue, but hey, at least they got each other, right? However, the story is still centered on Robin, whose goal is to have his own movie to prove to many that he's a true hero while his friends support him on his cause. As the film progresses, Robin goes through the typical realization that he's already a hero, but in the eyes of his teammates. As I previously stated, the plot may not be complex, but what makes this standout is the voice cast of the Teens Titans, who all still work off each other well, plus their line delivery makes it all the more enjoyable, even the silly ones. Being that this is an animated film set in a parody of the DC universe, the film packed with an array of many characters from the DC comics, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, and so many more! Like the references, this is where fans will have a blast seeing both familiar faces like Batman and obscure ones such as Spectre, Challengers of the Unknown, and Atom. While they don't have a huge role in the film other than appearing for a good visual gag, you'll enjoy seeing them for their recognizable traits somewhat exaggerated, plus the voice actors picked to portray them do a good job, including a very surprising casting choice: Nicolas Cage as Superman! You see, back in the early 1990's, Tim Burton, who was fresh from the success of his Batman film, was hired to direct a Superman movie and Nicolas Cage was casted as the titular character, but after many rewrites and changes in the production, the project got cancelled. So overall, in a technicality, you'll finally get see Nic Cage play Superman, and it just works brilliantly, especially in voice acting form! And then of course, there's the main antagonist of the film, Slade, voiced by Will Arnett, who previously voiced Lego Batman in 2014's The Lego Movie and in The Lego Batman Movie from last year. Slade is a cynical and a bit more self-aware version from both the comics and in the original 2003 animated series, but what his character enjoyable is how he uses his powers of "mind manipulation" to easily fool the Titans since he knows how stupid they all are and proves to be a challenge for them. While his plan is a simple take over the world scheme, his dialogue, voice acting, unique buildup to his plan, and action scenes are all worth the watch.

Animation:

The animation is a whole other story as it looks more the same as any episode of the show, but with a bigger budget, but however, you can clearly see that the animators worked hard into putting plenty of creativity as they try out different animation styles during the musical numbers for variety, adding a bit more style and excitement into the action scenes, and more scope to give the film a bigger feel, especially in the final battle! So for a simple animated film with a ten million dollar budget, I'd say its admirable work!

I'm very genuinely surprised to say this, but if you want to have a good laugh with friends, then I highly suggest seeing this! Not only is Teen Titans Go! To the Movies one of the funniest films of the year, but its the best recent DC film after the likes of Batman V Superman and Justice League! Despite a simple story with a familiar message, you'll definitely enjoy it for its dialogue, satirical humor and references to the DC franchise, its voice acting and its animation, especially in the action scenes and musical numbers. While it doesn't get me into watching the show, it just proves that you never know if its going to be a bad film unless you go see it to believe it, and speaking of, I have to go ready myself for a potentially bad film, which is an upcoming X-Men ripoff with the smell of Hunger Games. I wonder how The Darkest Minds will turn out...

Story: 3.5 / 5

Characters: 3.5 / 5

Animation: 3.5 / 5

Final rating: 3.5 / 5