For the uninitiated Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is the big screen adaptation of Teen Titans Go!, which is itself a Cartoon Network spin-off of Teen Titans, a cartoon and comic series compromising of some of the lesser-known figures of the DC universe, all under the leadership of Robin. It is a silly, joyful, breezy and often hilarious superhero romp, a deceptively approachable film that might be one of the smartest of its type that we've had. And all in a distinctly gorgeous 2D animated style.
The film picks up with Robin in a rut. The Teen Titans are seen as a joke and, in a world where every hero and item gets a movie (I particularly enjoyed the prospect of Utility Belt: The Movie), he seems noticeably absent in the silver screen treatment. It leaves the team with only one thing to do; go to
There is a lot more to Teen Titans Go! To the Movies then one would expect. Not only does the film brilliantly send up cinema's current obsession with superhero films (notably Teen Titans Go! has been released in the
Plus, it has a number of songs that will not leave your brain at the end of the film (I'm looking at you 'Upbeat Inspirational Song About Life'). The music in Teen Titans Go! is great, offering a serviceable solution to the current problem with DC heroes. From now on our hero, be it Superman, Aquaman or Wonder Woman, should arrive to any fight with a boombox playing a fabulous theme song for them to introduce themselves.
Yet the element of the filme that truly stands out is the voice acting. As well as well-placed cameos from the like of Cage, Stan Lee and Greg Davies, the film also benefits from the vocal dexterity of Will Arnett, who plays the villain of the piece, Slade. The cast are clearly having fun here, which is nowhere more apparent then with our central quintet. Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong and Hynden Walch all imbue their characters with charm and personality, with the film benefiting greatly from the chemistry the group has built up over the past five seasons.
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is the perfect summer treat. It is a light, briskly enjoyable animation with enough smarts and fan service to be perfect for all. I adored everything about this film.