‘Teen Titans Go! to the Movies’ Review!
Before you watch Titans on DC’s new streaming service, you can check out Teen Titans Go! to the Movies on the big screen!
Every major and obscure superhero seems to have a film of their own. That is, all except for the Teen Titans. Determined to have a movie made after him, Robin comes up with a few madcap ideas to make his team be seen as more than just immature jokesters. Things soon go awry, however, when a supervillain named Slade puts the very fate of the young heroes on the line.
Before I start this review, I’d like to make it clear that I’m not a fan of Teen Titans Go! I don’t have anything against the series personally, but I just don’t care for cartoon shows anymore. I know there are a lot of adult fans for programs like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls, but those shows are just not for me. The animation style, the pacing, and the level of maturity (or lack thereof) simply don’t appeal to me. I used to be a fan of the original Teen Titans cartoon as a kid, but as many fans can see, Teen Titans Go! is completely different from its predecessor.
So why did I go out and see Teen Titans Go! to the Movies? Well, the trailer made me laugh. And surprisingly enough, I believed the movie would be a heartfelt parody akin to something like The Lego Movie. Unsurprisingly, however, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is not a heartfelt parody like The Lego Movie. This is a silly, goofy, childlike film and I’m not sure why I expected anything else. The immaturity and downright stupidity can be exhaustive at times. But with that being said, I have to admit that Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is a fun film. Despite my desire to roll my eyes at every fart joke, the tone of the narrative did manage to keep a smile on my face.
The humor will satisfy fans of the TV show, while the lighthearted nature will hopefully be enough to entertain average audience members (or parents) who end up seeing the movie. Meanwhile, hardcore comic-book aficionados – whether they’re fans of the Teen Titans or not – have an embarrassment of riches to look forward to. There is a plethora of comic-book related Easter eggs, references, and cameos that extend far beyond just the DC universe. This is a movie that was clearly written by comic-book fans. The sheer amount of fun references is enough to make the late great Jon Schnepp proud.
Part of that joyful spirit comes from what seems to be a meta narrative within Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. Robin wants to make his team appear more serious like other superheroes, but learns that their silly and childish dynamic defines who they are. Fans of the original cartoon want the show to be more serious, but the new show has an identity of its own now. Older fans may not like it, but the series has moved on. It has found its identity and has since embraced it. Teen Titans is probably better off for it anyway since it became popular enough to spawn its own full-length feature film.
I will admit, I am one of those fans who miss the older and more serious incarnation of the show. I enjoyed the anime-influenced animation style and how the show focused on developing the relationships between the main characters. But I understand that this new interpretation of Teen Titans is aimed at a different audience. For example, I miss hearing Ron Perlman as the voice of Slade, but I realize his ominous voice would not have been a good fit for this movie. Thankfully, Will Arnett was perfectly casted as the villain. His vocal work is fun, his dialogue is sharp and meta, and he stands out above the other voice actors. The rest of the voice cast do a great job as well, but Arnett clearly knows how to have a good time. Which gets me all the more excited for BoJack Horseman Season 5.
But fans of the original Teen Titans program are in for a sweet surprise. Teen Titans Go! to the Movies teases a delightful “announcement” that should get fans excited. Until an official statement is released, however, we will just have to settle for the loud and silly nature of Teens Titans Go! Or perhaps not, since DC Universe has their own live-action iteration of Titans coming out soon – which seems to have taken the “dark” and “gritty” elements a little too far. It’s interesting to have a comic-book property with TV shows on two extreme ends of the tonal spectrum.
So Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is a fun little romp. The the tone is lighthearted and easy to get into, and the 90-minute run time makes the whole experience breeze by. It can admittedly be a bit childish and immature, but that doesn’t take away from all of nerdy fun there is to be had. The movie may also feature one too many musical numbers, but at least the songs are fun and catchy. Though it may not be as heartfelt as I would have hoped for, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is still an entertaining spoof on the influx of comic-book films we see today.
