Logan Sork Film Reviews
The Lego Movie
I think that everyone in the world agreed that this movie would be awful when it was first announced. Seriously, a movie about Legos, have we really sunk that low in society? Now look, I was a big fan of Legos as a kid and still find the idea pretty cool, but an entire movie about it!? To me, this looked like nothing but a shameless attempt to capitalize on the success of the brand. None the less, I was still intrigued and checked the movie out. To my surprise, the movie was actually really good! And no, I’m not saying that the movie was simply good because my expectations were low but that it’s really really good. It has fun with the concept, great energy and above all a great message that can appeal to both young and old.
The Lego Movie is written and directed by Phil Lord Chris Miller and is based on the toy brand of the same name. The story follows Emmett (Chris Pratt), a perfectly average Lego figure who goes about his daily routine as a construction worker, without having a second thought at the bigger world out there. His life is turned upside down when he discovers what is said to be the “Piece of Resistance”, which causes him to have strange visions, leading many to believe that he is a “special”. He is then taken into custody by President Business (Will Ferrell), the evil ruler who seeks to glue the world into a perfect state causing total order. Before he is executed, a resistance fighter named Wyldestyle (Elizabeth Banks) helps Emmett escape and tells him he is the only one who can help stop Business’ evil plan due to the visions he has had. Emmett, who only views himself as a normal figure, doesn’t believe that he is the one who will save the world. However, since the piece is somehow attached to him, he reluctantly joins Wyldestyle and her allies to stop President Business before he cements his dominance over the entire Lego universe with a mysterious weapon.
Now, based on that plot synopsis alone, one would think that a movie like that would sound either dumb or stupid. Thankfully, this film is neither one of those. Rather than trying to be overly serious, the filmmakers have a lot of fun with the concept. The combination of the lighthearted tone and the film’s ability to poke fun at itself results in the movie actually being a lot smarter than anyone could’ve anticipated. There are a lot of clever moments in which the filmmakers subvert our expectations with what could happen, resulting in plenty of shocking and truly laugh out loud moments. There are also a lot of clever references to popular culture that are sure to entertain everyone in one form or another.
Another reason this film works so well is that it just has so much charm and energy that you can’t help but get absorbed by the film. Part of that is due to the ridiculous concept and the filmmaker’s willingness to poke fun at it, but there are also other elements at play here. For one thing, the voice cast is spectacular. All of the lead performers do an excellent job in their perspective roles, but for me it’s the supporting cast that steals the show. Whether it’s Will Arnett’s pompous Batman, Morgan Freeman’s blind wizard or Liam Neeson’s hilarious performance as a police officer who is both a good and bad cop, there isn’t a single actor in the cast who phones it in, something I was really surprised with given the title of the movie. The animation also contributes to this energy as the animation team finds unique ways to use the basic concept of Legos to create exhilarating action sequences and visually interesting set pieces. There is also a surprising amount of detail put into the characters and the world as for the most part you feel like you’re watching something that is stop motion rather than computer animation. The fantastic animation combines with a wonderful cast and unique approach to the concept that makes this film exceedingly entertaining.
Despite these fantastic elements, they’re not hat make this movie so good. A movie can be entertaining yes, but it’s only as valuable as the message that you walk away with by the time the credits role. What makes the film special is that depending as how you view it, on the surface level or deeper, you will walk away with some kind of message. In the surface, it’s a great story about standing up for what’s right in the world. But on a deeper level, the film addresses finding one’s place in the world and how you’re doing yourself wrong if you don’t embrace it. These themes and ideas are not only told in a way that children and younger audiences can understand, but in a way that is also relatable to older audiences as well. It is said that the best films for kids are ones in which both kids and adults walk away with a lesson and The Lego Movie is definitely one of those films.
I said it once and I’ll say it again: this movie blew me away with how good it was. It’s an entertaining adventure film filled to the brim with zany energy, great animation and fantastic characters and performances. It never takes itself too seriously and has a lot of fun with a ridiculous concept yet also presents a meaningful message to both younger and older viewers. The meaningful message, coupled with the other great elements, prove that this film is much more than a commercial for toys.
8.5/10