The Lego Movie Review

Written and Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

With merchandising alone The Lego Movie could have been made on autopilot and been one of the most successful films in recent years. How refreshing it is to see, then, that not only did they not just rest on their laurels, but the makers of The Lego Movie really put all of their effort into trying to make it a film that could be entertaining and meaningful for all audiences. 

The story of The Lego Movie is that an ordinary lego person named Emmet (Chris Pratt) finds himself accidentally brought into a world of heroes fighting against the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) who plans to end their world as they know it. Though the story is simple, that is the best thing for this film, as it allows for endless creativity and open-endedness in the details. 

The voice acting is universally great, with each actor forming a fun character. Especially fun are the licensed characters, as the actors are clearly having a great time with their impressions. The original characters, though are perhaps even more special. What they represent for the story is very special, and these are the characters that allow a great emotional connection.

It is this emotional connection that really sets The Lego Movie apart. Many animated films shoehorn a message into their stories, but The Lego Movie's message feels especially ingraned. It is a film about creativity that is brimming with it. The humor alone would make it a good film, but this added undercurrent is what truly makes it a great film.

In the end, this film is another example of how Phil Lord and Christopher Miller can take a property that seems impossible to make good and wring gold from it. Much like in 21 Jump Street, they manage to infuse an otherwise ordinary story with a special bit of flavor that makes their films entertaining and meaningful. The Lego Movie is no exception and though a few of the verbal jokes fall flat, it is a film with constant energy and meaning that truly is meant for viewers of all ages. A-