Boasting a killer sense of humor and a surprising amount of heart, The Lego Movie is a film that is not just made for kids. It's made with the those small, colored building blocks in mind, easily bringing memories to life for the adult who played with Legos growing up.
It's the underdog tale of Emit Brickowski (Chris Pratt), a standard mini-figure construction worker. Emit, like everyone in his city, lives his life based on instructions drawn up by Lord Business's (Will Ferrell) all encompassing corporation in the sky. When it's discovered that Emit is a prophesied savior of the world, called "The Special," he must prepare to become a "Master Builder" to defeat Lord Business before he freezes the whole world. Along the way, Emit gets help from a tough as nails female mini figure, WyldStyle (Elizabeth Banks), a wise but blind wizard named Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), and Batman (Will Arnett), along with scores of other familiar characters and faces.
The film has a super fast pace, with many layers of humor that will keep you laughing and engaged the whole time. Pratt (Her) breathes life into Emit as a manic "Everyman" character that you root for, as well as relate to. Arnett's Batman is an uber Alfa male, and every line he utters is quotable and hilarious. As the villain, Ferrell is fun, and with a surprising twist in the story, his performance becomes the heart and soul of the film.
Unfortunately, there's a lack of female influences in the characters of The Lego Movie. Banks (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) does a fine job bringing WyldStyle to life, and she represents everything a strong independent woman should be. Alison Brie (Community) plays a My Little Pony hybrid creature named Unikitty who is sugar and spice and everything nice, but she does not truly represent another female character, as ultimately she is more of an abstract idea of a character. There are a few brief moments with Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders), however she is overshadowed by the machismo and gruff of Batman. It would have been lovely to see Wonder Woman work side by side with the male heroes to save the world, but she is regulated to cameo status.
A combination of stop motion and CGI animation, the film is visually brilliant. The detail that has been taken to create this universe is astounding. You watch as entire worlds are destroyed in a flash with red, orange, and white Lego brick flames, only to see them built up again. The film is worth the 3D ticket as it enhances the experience and gives the visuals more depth.
The Lego Movie is a pure delight. It's everything a humorous movie should be- visual, funny, and touching. It's been made for all audiences to enjoy. Bring the kids,but don't be surprised if you end up loving it more.
-stina@mediumraretv.org www.mediumraretv.org
