Movie Review Repost -- The Lego Movie (2014)

Another busy week where I had no time to write up something new. You know what that means: a repost of an older review. Let's look at The Lego Movie from 2014. Looking back, this movie is just as fun as it was back then. If you still haven't seen it, then give it a try. Everything is awesome about it.

   You know, theatrically released movies about toys aren't always that great: Transformers, GI Joe, The Care Bears, Garbage Pail Kids... Fortunately, The Lego Movie breaks this mould spectacularly and plays by its own set of instructions.

   Here's a toy movie that's very much self aware and actually casts the toys as its characters; it's one of those films that knows how silly it is and has fun with it. The story follows Emmet, an ordinary construction worker Lego figure who is prophesied to become a master builder and save the Lego world from the tyrannical Lord Business. Along the way he gets help from an assortment of other Lego characters including Metal Beard the Pirate, a cat-unicorn hybrid, a 1980's astronaut, a wizard, a two-faced cop, the 2002 NBA All-Star team, the crew of the Millennium Falcon, and Batman just to name a few. We also get to see a wide variety of settings (but I won't spoil it for you here). Anyways, the story is surprisingly intricate; the finale gives us a decent twist and a heart-warming ending. And of course, the film is relentlessly funny. The jokes just keep coming out one after the other, satirizing everything from Lego toys, society, commercialism, and other movies as well. The Lego Movie boasts an ensemble cast – Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, and Morgan Freeman – all doing a fine job, with some (Ferrell, Neeson) even playing multiple roles.

   The animation was fascinating. The Lego figures are all computer-generated, but appear as they do in real life and their movement is made to resemble stop-motion animation (with their faces being the only part of them that actually moves).

   Really, the only problem I have with The Lego Movie is that maybe it's a little too fast-paced. If you blink, you might miss an important plotpoint. Similarly, the action scenes are very rushed: fights barely last longer than several seconds. It'd be nice to have a little more time to appreciate the effort that went into making this breath-taking animation, don't you think?

   Regardless, The Lego Movie is still a grand adventure. Is it a plug for Lego products? Absolutely, but it's much more than the worthless cash-grab it easily could have been. There was real effort put into this project. It's an incredibly fun flick that'll make you feel like a kid again: suitable for both kids and adults.

Rating: four and a half stars out of five