Movie Review: The Lego Movie

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Laughs and creativity on display

Cons: One aspect of the climax I didn't care for

The Bottom Line:

Movie built on bricks

But it's not filled with plastic

Characters or laughs

"All This is True Because It Rhymes."

Okay, okay, I confess.  When I first heard of The Lego Movie, I dismissed it as a movie I wasn't going to be interested in.  (And yes, this is from someone who loves the Lego video games.)  However, when I started laughing at the previews, I became intrigued.  And when I heard from various people just how good it was, I knew I had to see it.  So, I didn't see it until it hit Blu-Ray, but I enjoyed it.

Our story follows Emmet Brickowoski (voiced by Chris Platt).  He's an ordinary construction worker in the Lego city where he lives, but he's very happy that way.  After all, he follows his instruction manual completely, ensuring that his life is awesome.

One day, however, he is delayed at the construction site where he works and sees Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks).  That leads him to discover a floating red brick.  It turns out that brick is the key to defeating President Business (Will Ferrell).  Suddenly thrust into a leadership role, will Emmet handle the pressure or will he fall apart?

I was just a few minutes into the film when I started thinking that movie was creative in the same vein as the best of Pixar films.  There are so many nods to Legos and their world that I was laughing and loving it.  Granted, I never played with Legos too much as a kid, but I still got the jokes.  We're talking everything from water to how the characters move.

The story is predictable but fun.  As you know, the fact that something is predictable never ruins it for me as long as I am enjoying the ride, and that was absolutely the case here.  The story is filled with so many jokes, it's hard not to laugh and have a great time along the way.  And since this is a Lego movie, they have a wide range of characters to choose from like pirates and Superheroes.  Even some other franchise characters make brief and funny appearances.

The voice cast is amazing.  I was actually surprised how many of the names I recognized since I didn't recognize their voices at all.  That, to me, is perfectly voice over work.

The computer animation isn't going to blow you away with realism or any jaw dropping scenes.  But it doesn't have to.  This is a movie where all the characters and sets are made out of plastic bricks.  Anything realistic would be out of place.  The movie knows this and is stronger as a result.

The only complaint I had heard about the film was about the climax.  I'm not going to spoil things, but I do see what the person was complaining about.  I get what they were trying to do theme wise, and a part of me likes it, however, I also feel the movie would have been just as strong if not better without that particular plot point.

Even so, I enjoyed The Lego Movie.  It's filled with laughs that kids of all ages will enjoy over and over again.