Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie Review

The meta is strong with this one.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 19, 2019

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a Musical Superhero animated film about wish fulfillment, reaching for the (Hollywood) stars and finding fame on the silver screen. And battling crime. And farting. The Titans -- Robin in particular -- desperately want the studio to make a movie about them. Besides, who wants Batman (Again)? But here's the gag: They're already in their own movie! And this is much more fun. Big, bad, and bleak Superhero films have their place -- minus Green Lantern, which will not be discussed (another in-joke) -- but it was high time for a lighter take on the Superhero world, which is exactly what Teen Titans Go! To the Movies has to offer. Set during the events of the show's fifth season, the film finds uproarious humor in a simple plot. The story is secondary to the multitude of in-jokes and references. It borders on Superhero parody and comic book fans will find it to be enormous fun.

When Jump City -- hey, it’s safer than Gotham! -- is attacked by the gigantic Balloon Man, the Teen Titans come to the rescue. And with another victory under the team's belt, Robin (voiced by Scott Menville) believes it’s high time that the Titans star in their own motion picture. “They only make movies about real heroes” Wonder Woman (voiced by Halsey) tells them. They’re too immature and too obscure, essentially, to make the leap to the big screen, but even if they’re not on the big screen, they’re desperate to see the superheroes who are. But...foiled again! When the Titans arrive at the world premiere of Batman’s latest movie -- Batman Again -- they’re not allowed inside. It’s for superheroes only, superheroes like Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and...the Challengers of the Unknown. The Titans sneak in, anyway, dismiss the Challengers to an empty void, and take their front-row seats.

As the Titans settle in, the previews begin. Robin thinks each new ad will introduce his new movie, but he’s passed over for movies about Alfred, the Batmobile, and Batman's Utility Belt. But why? What’s missing? An arch nemesis, they realize. Batman has The Joker, Superman has Lex Luther, so if the Titans can foil some super-villain’s scheme, maybe they, too, can finally find the fame and satisfaction that comes with their own movie. When a “mysterious figure” breaks into S.T.A.R. labs, the Titans see and seize their chance to make a new enemy. Turns out that enemy is Slade (voiced by Will Arnett), who dismisses them outright. Dejected, the team makes one last push at Warner Brothers but are told that the only way they will ever star in a movie is if they were the last Superheroes on Earth. To the DeLorean! The Titans decide to alter time to ensure that they’re the only Superheroes in the world, but it turns out that messing with the timeline is far more disastrous than not starring in their own movie.

Movies that lovingly embrace a fart joke less than five minutes in are usually setting themselves up for trouble, but it works in Teen Titans. The movie embraces silliness and finds its personality in irreverence, in throwing Superhero tropes out the window while the characters desperately want to embrace them. It’s surprisingly smart for a movie as colorful and silly as this. Children will find it a treat for its superficialities and adult DC and comic book fans will appreciate the winks and nods and a surprisingly robust story and well rounded character depth, too.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies plays up the meta game as its primary motivator. The writers have seamlessly folded in a number of humorous references that, even if they're more or less randomly inserted -- including a Stan Lee cameo, who graciously lent his own voice to a movie set in the DC Universe -- hit every time. A few highlights: the team is thought to be the Guardians of the Galaxy in one early scene. “That’s a different superhero universe!” they respond. Batman's latest film is titled Batman Again, Deathstroke is confused with Deadpool, the Titans go Back to the Future, and Nicolas Cage voices Superman, who fans will know was slated to play the Man of Steel in Tim Burton's would-be adaptation. These are just a few of the numerous, often crazy, but consistently on-point gags that come to define the film but never overwhelm it. This is the ultimate in-joke movie. It's borderline brilliant and a whole lot of fun from start to finish.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Clean, clear, colorful. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies looks great on Blu-ray. The animated image never stumbles, offering well-defined character models and sharp background textural supports. The image shows nearly no signs of encode issues to gum up the works and the source is fresh and without flaw. Only a hint of banding in a few spots really gets in the way. Colors are the highlight. They are many and punchy, featuring perfectly dialed-in contrast that highlights the diverse spectrum of colors not only on various superhero costumes but across the rather amazing array of backgrounds and backdrops, beginning with the balloon monster and moving all the way through to the movie's exciting climax. It's a dazzler and fun to watch.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio soundtrack is just as impressive as the video. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that delivers a big, well-adjusted listen that's always in balance from lighter effects to prominent explosions that yield satisfying low end depth and detail. Musical spacing and clarity alike are terrific across the film's fairly broad spectrum of score and musical numbers. Lyrics are delivered with center-focused placement. Surround speakers are frequently engaged in complimentary fashion, supporting music or carrying a number of discrete effects such as camera shutter clicks when the Titans arrive at the Batman Again movie premiere. Action scenes offer superb stage stretch and depth, enveloping the listener in several moments and extended scenes that work the sound system fairly hard. The low end is engaged with frequency and is well integrated into the track, offering deep, penetrating bass without overpowering the support elements. A good example comes during the S.T.A.R. lab assault early in the film. There's even a big, boomy, "cinematic" flair to amped-up sound effects during trailers for Alfred, The Batmobile, and The Utility Belt. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized and maintains a firm front-center positioning. This is an extremely fun and well-rounded track from Warner Brothers.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies contains music videos, sing-alongs, featurettes, and more. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Music Video (1080p, 2:09): "GO!" by Lil Yachty.
• Silkie Sing-Alongs (1080p): Several music selections from the film presented with karaoke-style lyrics on the screen. Included are Rap (1:56), Inspirational Song (2:41), and My Superhero Movie (2:23).
• DC Super Hero Girls: The Late Batsby (1080p, 4:14): A short film that originally played alongside Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.
• Red Carpet Mayhem (1080p, 2:10): The movie's plot is recapped when the Titans are asked about their movie on the red carpet.
• Teen Titans GO!: WB Lot Shenanigans (1080p, 3:56): The "real" Titans break into Warner Brothers.
• Everything Is Fake (1080p, 0:51): A deleted song set to early conceptual storyboard images.
• Teen Titans GO! Translated (1080p, 2:18): Several lines are delivered in a number of different languages.
• Storyboard Animatics (1080p): Early conceptual artwork is juxtaposed to the corresponding final scene from the film. Included are Time Cycles (1:17) and The Final Battle (1:34).

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies just nails it. It's completely irreverent, wholeheartedly silly, and it knows its stuff backwards and forwards. The movie should delight younger viewers looking for Superhero color and fluff while adults will enjoy picking out all the obvious and subtle references that the movie so energetically and seamlessly fits into the story. This is a breath of fresh air and a must-see for every Superhero movie fan. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray is top-notch, delivering near perfect video and audio presentations. A few extras are thrown in, too. Very highly recommended.