Review - The Lego Movie

The Lego Movie (2014), PG, 100 minutes - I can't even begin to guess how many hours of my youth were blown playing with Legos.  Either building whatever the directions intended or creating my own designs, Legos were a big part of my childhood.  In more recent years, the Lego brand has expanded from models of towns, castles, and spaceships to include licensed sets (Batman, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars for example) and have even extended to video games.  The latest advancement is a move to the big screen, and as the film's theme song rightly proclaims: 'Everything is Awesome'!

The Lego Movie, while obviously targeting a younger audience (I was the only adult that did not have at least one kid accompany them at the screening I went to), has more than enough to offer adults as well (dialogue, situational humor).  Emmet Brickowoski (Chris Pratt) is your typical every-man.  He lives his life by the book, literally living life by Lego directions.  One day, after discovering The Piece of Resistance he is mistaken to be 'The Special', a MasterBuilder foretold in an ancient prophecy by the wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman).  As such, he is believed to be able to thwart the evil Lord Business' (Will Ferrell), attempt at taking over the world by unleashing a weapon known as The Kragle.  Emmet and the other MasterBuilders including Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett), Unikitty (Alison Brie), Metal Beard (Nick Offerman), and Green Lantern (Jonah Hill) battle Lord Business and his right hand man Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) in an attempt to prove Vitruvius' prophecy.  This is all entertaining, albeit a bit of a cluster of mashed up ideas, but the twist at the end really brings everything together in a way that makes perfect sense and brings an added layer of emotion to the film.

Sure, adapting a line of toys into a feature length film has always been a bit of a challenge, but The Lego Movie succeeds where few before it have.  It really keys in on the essence of Legos and that age old debate of whether to follow the directions as intended or to create something new.  It truly is a film for all ages and I highly recommend it if you've got little ones of your own or, if like me, you have a history with these ageless toys.












*****SPOILERS*****

- There were a TON of voicing cameos in this film, including (but not limited to): Channing Tatum (Superman), Cobie Smulders (Wonder Woman), Billy Dee Williams (Lando), Anthony Daniel (C-3PO), Charlie Day (Benny), Will Forte (Abraham Lincoln), Dave Franco (Wally), and Shaquille O'Neal (Shaq).

- I loved that this film was made in a stop motion animation style.  

- Having grown up with Legos before they started making licensed sets, I really enjoyed recognizing pieces/sets from my youth at various points throughout the film (especially Benny, the 1980's something Space Guy voiced by Charlie Day).   

- The Kragle being an old and worn tube of Krazy Glue and The Piece of Resistance being the cap to said tube was very amusing.

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