Then again, what kind of movie could possibly be made out of these silly little construction blocks? The biggest fear going into this movie is that it could have just been 90 minutes of senseless fluff. Even kids thought this would be stupid.
Fortunately, the film overall proves to be quite sharp and clever for audiences of all ages. It breezes by at a brisk pace, loaded with fast-paced comedy and visually-striking action. Even during the film's most grim and dramatic parts (of which there are a few), the tone remains light, but without being too overbearing or sappy. The comedy keeps everything consistently fun and endearing, thanks to a ton of great random lines, sight gags, pop culture jokes, and some self-parody.
What really makes this film work, however, is the substance. You'd think it'd be easy to write this film off as a mere marketing tool to sell more Legos (and it's probably working), but even then, The Lego Movie takes care to use Legos as the medium, more than a mere product to shove down our throats. With Legos as the film's primary canvas, the film immediately whisks us through a universe of colorful building blocks, complete with literal worldbuilding and mythos. The story treads on familiar ground; the characters inhabit familiar archetypes (I especially couldn't help but to draw comparisons between Emmit and Neo from The Matrix; the wizard might as well fulfill the same role as Morpheus, and Wild Styles is much like Trinity), and the plot is molded in a formulaic epic-journey structure. What really makes this film brilliant, however, is the meta-fiction dynamic that becomes apparent as it goes on; it's a dynamic that made films like Cool World and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? novel, but The Lego Movie takes it a step further by tying in the story and themes together with (at least seemingly) earnest and heartfelt intentions.
At it's core, The Lego Movie emphasizes creativity as the theme. It is the basis of the story's conflict, it is the focus of the characters, and it is the idea that resounds through the script. The film firmly declares that we are all special individuals, all capable of creating new, imaginative, unique things. Legos have always been a toy to nurture that creativity, and The Lego Movie is a celebration of the creative spirit. It is a theme that's not only inspiring for children, but also for the inner child. I believe this film supports one fundamental truth I've always believed in: it is more powerful to create than to destroy.
This film is animated very distinctively with CGI that convincingly looks like stop-motion animation. It is all very colorful, well-rendered, well-textured, and has good-looking lighting. Movements are made to be a bit stiff on purpose, and it achieves the perfect effect of looking like a home-made feature. Voice-acting is great, and the script is pretty sharp. This production does a great job of replicating thousands and thousands of Lego pieces on-screen to create big imaginative worlds. Music can be strangely catchy too.
The Lego Movie is to movies what LittleBigPlanet is to video games; they both have a seminal home-made look and charm, but with a firm focus on creativity and individual expression. Legos have been an endearing medium of creativity for years, and chances are that they'll remain on toystore shelves for more years to come. Even if this movie is merely a marketing tool, it is a well-made one with a lot of heart and spirit. I think the movie - and the toy - is quality entertainment for anybody young and old.
4.5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)
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Feeling rather nostalgic and inspired, I managed to dig up this old picture of myself with my favorite toys. It's possible that the film has struck a chord with my inner child, but I don't think that's ever been a bad thing.
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