The Lego Movie is like an extended product placement with heart — and that's a good thing. At its core, the film is a visual showcase for Lego merchandise, offering up a unique brand of computer animation that injects new life into the beloved toy company's plastic bricks, while maintaining their boxy, yellow charm. Unlike other product-placement-laden films (ahem, The Internship), however, The Lego Movie succeeds because of its self-awareness, heartfelt storyline and pitch-perfect cast. To quote its catchy theme song, everything is awesome. See also: Warner Bros. Takes You Behind the Bricks of 'The Lego Movie' The film follows Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), a resoundingly average Lego man who is mistakenly identified as the "Special," an extraordinary individual who is tasked with saving the world. In his quest, Emmet teams up with a motley crew of minifigures, including sassy rebel Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), wise wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), unicorn-kitten hybrid Unikitty (Alison Brie), '70s spaceman Benny (Charlie Day), swashbuckling pirate MetalBeard (Nick Offerman) and Batman (Will Arnett channelling Christian Bale's gravelly voiced Dark Knight).
Their goal: to stop order-obsessed Lord Business (a hilarious Will Ferrell who evokes Zoolander villain Jacobim Mugatu) and his henchman Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) from freezing the Lego universe with a super-weapon called "Kragle." The film's opening scene, featuring villain Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman).Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, 'The Lego Movie'Led by Pratt's delightfully awkward, everyman take on Emmet, the cast is a comedy dream team whose chemistry is only enhanced by The Lego Movie's witty script. Much of its humor is self-referential; the Lego minifigures know they are made out of bricks — and they want you to know that they know. In one scene, Bad Cop asks, “Do you see the quotations I’m making with my claw hands?” while another scene that showcases various Lego worlds intentionally plays out like a commercial for Lego sets. In a film that thrusts its product into the spotlight, there was plenty of room for error, but The Lego Movie manages to turn its weakness into a strength, thanks to directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs).
Interestingly, despite its lack of human bodies, physical comedy provides the film's biggest laughs. Much like the puppets in Team America: World Police, there is something inherently comical about seeing rigid minifigures move around. The Lego Movie's creators seem to know this, including a funny minutes-long scene of Bad Cop repeatedly kicking a chair in anger after Emmet and Wyldstyle evade him. Batman (Will Arnett) and Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) share a moment, while Emmet (Chris Pratt) jealously looks on.Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, 'The Lego Movie'Humor aside, it's The Lego Movie's heart that elevates it beyond the typical kids' film. While the message — that you shouldn't judge others for being different, and that you can be "special" as long as you believe in yourself — is standard fare for animated films, The Lego Movie delivers it better than most. Adults aren't left out, either. In a surprise live-action scene near the end of the film, they're taught to embrace their imagination, as well as to remember how to be a kid again.
Emmet (Chris Pratt) leads his team in a plan to save the world. He is joined by Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), Unikitty (Alison Brie), Benny (Charlie Day) and Batman (Will Arnett).Image: Warner Bros. Pictures, 'The Lego Movie'At the end of the day, though, it's all about the animation. The Lego Movie takes full advantage of the versatility of its medium, showing off Lego bricks in different formations. For instance, one wild chase scene in which Bad Cop is in hot pursuit of Emmet, Wyldstyle and Vitruvius, features Lego dust clouds taking shape behind galloping horses. And whether it's flooding a submarine or making waves, water is another element that impresses in Lego form. Simply put, the film is dynamic, colorful and a feast for the eyes. The Good: A slick script, solid cast and eye-catching animation make The Lego Movie a fun outing for both kids and adults. The Bad: It teaches some old lessons, but with a distinctly unique spin. Bottom Line: The Lego Movie is a first-class animated feature that will bring laughs to children for years to come.
We give it 3.5 stars out of 4 stars. The Lego Movie arrived in U.S. theaters on Feb. 7. BONUS: 15 Cool Lego Minifigure Facts to Build Into Your BrainEmmet, Wyldstyle and Friends Reunite in All-New StoryEmmet and his Master Builder friends return in “The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure,” an all-new, theatrical attraction that combines dazzling, 3D computer animation with “4D,” real-world effects such as wind, water and fog. Set after the events of the blockbuster movie, the 12 ½-minute story finds the gang entangled in an Evil Secret Plot involving a mysterious theme park inspired by their adventures in “The LEGO Movie.” Returning to voice their iconic characters are actors Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle), Nick Offerman (MetalBeard), Charlie Day (Benny) and Alison Brie (Unikitty). Actor, writer and comedian Patton Oswalt voices the scheming Risky Business, brother of movie villain President Business, a new character created exclusively for the attraction.
“The LEGO Movie 4D A New Adventure” plays multiple times per day in the theme park’s Wells Fargo Fun Town Theater, which recently underwent a dramatic, Hollywood-style makeover, adding giant, golden Emmet statues, character handprints in cement and an interactive red carpet filled with special effects.All important movies start with a black screen,” intones the titular character of The LEGO Batman Movie. “And logos—really long and dramatic logos.” And so continues our narcissistic hero, mansplaining every crucial component to a great film’s intro and sounding self-important, even when he pronounces his studio’s name “Warner Bras.” With that, The LEGO Batman Movie already feels like a promising spinoff of 2014’s surprisingly entertaining The LEGO Movie, even though not one of the filmmakers involved in the original had a hand in creating its follow-up. This crew—the helmer and five (!) scripters—isn’t even well-versed in the film world, but earned their chops working in television: Director Chris McKay is best known for Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken while the writers bear credits such as Crank Yankers, Community, and American Dad.
Collectively, however, they’ve captured the wit, silliness, and parodic spirit of The LEGO Movie note-perfectly.The LEGO Batman Movie sets up its storyline early: Batman/Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett, returning and just as terrific as in the first go-’round) is lonely. When the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) mentions to his nemesis early on that he’s his greatest villain, Batman bristles like a typical commitment-phobe: “Batman doesn’t do ’ships,” he says. “I like to fight around.” Yet after he saves Gotham City once again (and a cheering fan mentions how great it must be to be Batman), Bruce returns to his literal island, heats up a dinner-for-one, and watches TV alone in the cavernous Wayne Manor. After losing his parents—Bruce is famously an orphan, of course—he’s afraid of letting anyone in. But during a lovestruck moment (one not unsimilar to what Emmet Brickowski experienced in the original LEGO Movie), Bruce unthinkingly agrees to adopt a puppyish orphan (Michael Cera) who follows him around.
The love interest is Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), who’s taking over as police commissioner after her dad (Hector Elizondo) retires. And though everyone at the orphanage calls the boy “Dick,” (“Well, kids can be cruel,” Bruce remarks), he’s renamed Robin—and we all know what happens there.Though the Joker is, in fact, the main villain here, he’s brought along pretty much everyone in the DC universe to help him destroy Gotham, from Superman to Harley Quinn to Godzilla. Warner Bros. fantastically allows itself to be mocked, with not only knocks on its superhero flicks (Suicide Squad is a slow-moving target, as is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; there’s even a quick reference to Zack Snyder) but also romantic properties such as Must Love Dogs. And if you’re not familiar with the history of Batman, you may not catch the flurry of homage to former Batmen down to pre-Adam West days, along with their attendant styles or, in West’s case, goofiness. The re-created look of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy is particularly brilliant.
As with The LEGO Movie, the jokes come too rapidly here to catch them all—at least in the first half. Batman has more flat moments than its predecessor, but when it hits, it’s hilarious: Batman’s dark-soul personality is consistent throughout (when Robin and the Joker exchange a “Namaste” greeting, Batman responds, “Gross”), and a protracted, nearly silent scene involving Bruce and his microwave may leave you laughing until you tear up. Yet the requisite heart of an animated film is still there. The themes of family, togetherness, teamwork, and even gender parity (“If you call me ‘Batgirl,’ can I call you ‘Batboy?’”) are highlighted, and the movie has an odd fixation with Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Though he does melt a little, Batman’s self-aggrandizing nature remains charmingly intact and may remind viewers of this not-so-great characteristic IRL, with the disillusioned wishing that a pro-superhero sign in the film could come true: “Batman for President.”