The Lego Movie

The Lego Movie
Directed by: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett
Synopsis: Emmet (Chris Pratt), the hapless hero, becomes the Special, the one destined to save the Lego Universe from Lord Business’ (Will Farrell) evil plan of world domination.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5


             The Lego Movie is essentially a one and a half hour long commercial. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, self-aware comedy that slyly winks at adults and doles out the laughs for kids of every age. It succeeds masterfully at two levels: Being highly entertaining, and making the viewer want to play with Legos.
             
           We begin with Lord/President Business (Will Farrell) setting up the plot by stealing the Kragle (we don’t know what this is until the start of the third act), and announcing that he’ll use it to destroy the Lego Universe. His nemesis Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman, naturally), a Wizard-like figure, delivers a prophecy that “The Special” will find the Piece of Resistance and foil his plans. Our next introduction is to Emmet (Chris Pratt), who is bright and cheery and bouncing off the walls with vigor. Basically, Chris Pratt in Lego Minifig form. Some have described him as a Golden Retriever in human form, and that seems rather apt here.
             
           Emmet goes about his day, following the instruction manual given to every Lego citizen by President Business. Everyone does exactly as they’re told, watches what they’re told to watch, and listens to the music they’re told to listen to. Ironic, no? All of this is done to the tune of “Everything Is Awesome,” a song played on repeat, presumably everyday, and is also presumably the only song, ever. At the end of his workday Emmet sees Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) digging through the bricks, looking for something. He’s about to follow the instructions and report her when he sees her face and naturally falls head over heels in love. He also falls literally and finds the Piece of Resistance. And so begins our hero’s journey through adventure, doubt, hope, acceptance, and finally victory. It’s a classic story arc, so why mess with it, right?
             
           The beauty of the movie is that it is completely aware of what it’s trying to tell us and the irony of the way that it’s conveying it’s message. Basically, the moral of the story is to not get stuck playing by the rules so much that creativity and originality get lost. It creates a nice balance between teamwork and individuality, following the instructions and letting your imagination run wild. It preaches moderation in all things. All of this is quite heavy for a children’s animated movie, but it’s handled in such a delicate way as to let viewers come to their own conclusion. It doesn’t feel forced or contrived by any means.
                       
           The dialogue is skillfully crafted and perfectly delivered. Wyldstyle in particular has some rather fun bits, especially when Emmet isn’t paying attention. She’s monologuing, going over everything the audience already knows, so rather than waste the screen time or the talent they allow Emmet to zone out and imagine Wyldstyle voicing over herself in a seductive manner, “Blah blah, blah, plot, backstory, blah, blah, exposition…” etc. And you get to see just how cheeky this movie will really be. Emmet has his own almost-but-not-quite ah-ha moments, which translate nicely for adult viewers.
             
           Probably the best part of the film is the inspiration it offers its viewers. It is truly a successful advertisement for Lego’s as by the end of the movie you feel that even you, total noob that you are, could possibly build something vaguely spaceship adjacent. I admit, I’m a fan of the bricks, so I’m always battling the urge to go purchase an absurdly expensive set and indulge in hours of building fun, but I’m no Master Builder. Without those instruction booklets I feel lost, helpless, and overwhelmed. The movie, however, lets you know that that’s okay. Play around and experiment, build something, anything, and see what happens. It’s not like they’ll be stuck like that forever! Which, again, is the whole moral of the story. They’re meant to be fun, an expression of creativity. You can let their instructions guide you, but you can also revel in your own creativity, even if the end result isn’t great. It’s about the journey.

           Overall, the movie is a fun, cheeky adventure, for both kids and adults. Not bad for a really long commercial!