Movies: The Lego Movie

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Long Story Short:  The Lego Movie brings one of the most popular and ubiquitous children's toy companies to the big screen.  Many have thrown big brand names and big acting names together and expected greatness; using the enthusiasm, creativity and talent of all involved, The Lego Movie actually makes good on this promise.  The cast, led by Chris Pratt and Will Ferrell, is perfect, and everything else from the script to the visuals is exceptional.  Whether you have kids or still are one somewhere in your heart, you should see this movie.


Four movies in the first two months of the year is rather unusual for me, given the kind of movies that typically come out.  But it happened, and they all scored a "B-" or better.  Despite my earlier optimism, I'm unsure of when my next trip to the theater will be.  A few movies look potentially interesting but I'll probably wait to see their aggregate scores on Rotten Tomatoes before deciding.  Looking to this week, I was not at all impressed when I heard a Lego movie was coming out; I loved playing with Legos as a kid, but it didn't seem like something that would make a good film.  However, after seeing its fantastic score on RT (96% or better), I decided to give it a try.  The Lego Movie was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (21 Jump Street) and stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, et. al.

The Lego Movie introduces a world made up entirely of - you guessed it - Legos.  Long ago, an evil Lego named Lord Business (Ferrell) discovers a super weapon called the "Kragle"; years (?) later, all seems to be well in Lego Land, where we meet Emmet (Pratt), an ordinary yet very cheerful construction worker.  Poor Emmet finds something strange at the construction site one day, and the next thing he knows he is being interrogated by Lord Business' lieutenant, Bad Cop (Liam Neeson).  Swooping in to save the day is Wyldstyle (Banks), a Master Builder who rescues him and takes him out of the Lego city.  Wyldstyle and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), a fellow Master Builder, tell Emmet about the evil Lord Business' plans.

Emmet, it turns out, is Lego Land's best hope to defeat Lord Business.  Unfortunately, he seems to be the farthest thing from a "Master Builder".  As Lord Business' forces chase them around Lego Land, Emmet and his friends must find a way to beat the odds and save all from certain doom.

The cast of voice actors for The Lego Movie is brilliant.  And the best of them all is Chris Pratt as Emmet.  Many may know Chris as I do as the lovable lunkhead on Parks and Recreation, and he uses his best naive yet cheerfully earnest voice to bring Emmet to life.  Chris' comic timing and tone of voice is well-honed and he's hilarious here, not to mention a surprisingly compelling lead.  Elizabeth Banks also turns out to be a great choice as Wyldstyle.  The first thing that strikes you is her seductiveness, but in tandem with her character's actions, her voice also effectively conveys a no-nonsense leadership, exasperation with knuckleheads, yet also compassion at times.  Finishing out the big three is Will Ferrell.  You probably know by now how big a fan of his I am, and he already has experience as the bad guy in an animated film (the underrated gem Megamind).  Ferrell is delightfully evil as Lord Business, and his humor is a great complement to Pratt's.  Many villains, animated or otherwise, can be dragged down by stereotypical dialogue, but Ferrell keeps Lord Business fresh throughout the film.

And there are even more big names to go around!  Morgan Freeman voices Emmet's old wise guide (as well as, often, "wise guy"), Vitruvius.  Obviously, Freeman has one of the most distinct and impressive voices in Hollywood - but he really bites into his role and seems to enjoy it, trading in his usual gentle persona for a wisecracker.  Liam Neeson voices Bad Cop, the evil henchman, and we get to hear his Irish accent much more than in most of his other films.  It's probably not too hard to imagine why he's good for this role.  Rounding out the rest are Will Arnett as Batman (cocky and sarcastic), Nick Offerman as a pirate (barely recognizable; a small but fun part), and Alison Brie as Princess Uni-Kitty (bubbly and cute... but with a dark side).  There are also some cameos, which I won't spoil.

The Lego Movie is structurally a standard family film which finds its niche within a unique world while employing both great grown-up humor as well as a solid "life lesson".  Anchoring all three parts is the main character, Emmet.  The film does a brilliant job of introducing him, and the Lego world, in a fun, humorous, and interesting segment.  Once the adventure begins - which the film doesn't delay - the formula of a chosen one journeying to defeat evil is somehow executed with "wink-winks" galore and compelling seriousness at the same time.  Now, the two aren't equal throughout:  the beginning is more laugh heavy before the seriousness becomes the focus toward the end.  But the balance and flow throughout is remarkable.  I credit this to the strength of the screenplay and enthusiasm of the voice cast.  The lesson itself - the importance and value of individual creativity (though teamwork isn't ignored) - might sound obvious for a Lego film, but it's handled exceptionally well and finishes strong.  Oh, and I suppose I should also mention (the other aspects are so good that I tend to forget this) that visually the film is creative and appropriate, using a set of physical "rules" which make sense for a Lego universe; even the water is made of Legos!

***

What can I say?  I was thoroughly impressed with The Lego Movie, despite my earlier doubts, and if it holds up (or even improves) on multiple viewings I could see this getting an "A+".  Fascinating how some of the films that seem to face the biggest challenges to even become watchable - Life of Pi, Gravity, and now The Lego Movie - turn out to be some of the very best films.  This is where I normally give an overview of the good and the bad of a movie, but I honestly can't think of anything bad to say (maybe it's already time to bump this up to an "A+").  The voice cast is perfectly chosen and they all perform wonderfully.  The script is great, balancing often self-aware humor with potentially cheesy (but not in execution) lessons, all on the platform of a pretty typical plot outline.  The pacing is great, and it doesn't carry on too long.  If you have kids, go see this movie now.  If you played with Legos as a kid, go see this movie now.  If neither of those apply to you but you like expertly crafted films with great humor and creativity, go see this movie now.  What are you waiting for?